TCR UK season kicks off with Donington launch

The new TCR UK season has kicked off with the annual season launch event at Donington Park.

A number of those drivers confirmed for the 2023 campaign were present for the event, which included two test sessions during the morning followed by a full afternoon on track.

Callum Newsham overcome issues that restricted him to nine laps during the morning to set the pace at the wheel of his JH Racing-run Hyundai, with his time being just over two tenths of a second quicker than Joe Marshall’s Gen2 Audi.

Marshall had been due to compete with the Paul Sheard Racing team but will instead switch over to Rob Boston Racing in an expanded two-car line-up alongside Jac Constable.

Third on the times was one of the cars yet to be confirmed for the season ahead, with Luke Sargeant and Josh Files sharing track time in an Area Motorsport-run Hyundai Elantra as opposed to the i30 N Sargeant was set to run in a part campaign.

The ex-Target Competition car is the second Elantra to have arrived in the UK, although the car that was due to be campaigned by Jamie Tonks with Area has now been placed up for sale and is no longer expected to race.

The Hyundais of Alex Ley, Bradley Kent and Adam Shepherd then rounded out the top six – with the latter yet to finalise his plans to compete in the series this season after finishing seventh in the points last year.

Alongside Shepherd, former MINI CHALLENGE racer Jack Mitchell and Alistair Camp both turned laps during the day, with Mitchell at the wheel of a Jamsport-run Hyundai and Camp appearing in a similar car run by Area Motorsport.