Tom Oliphant completes first Lynk & Co test in Australia

Tom Oliphant has completed his first test with the Lynk & Co 03 TCR of Ashley Seward Motorsport in Australia at Phillip Island.

“It feels awesome,” Oliphant said.

“The differences between this compared to the Alfa Romeo are night and day. It is a proper race car, they’ve clearly spent a lot of time and money developing it. It is really responsive and you can feel everything the car is going to do.”

The former BTCC race winner made his TCR Australia debut earlier this year, driving an Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR for Ashley Seward Motorsport.

“The way I’m describing it to the engineers is instead of reacting to what’s going on like in the Alfa, I’m more predicting what’s going to happen driving the Lynk & Co,” said Oliphant.

“It’s all really positive at the moment, we haven’t really changed anything with the car, we’re just trying to get used to it.”

Oliphant, who is placed fifth overall, will make his race debut with the Lynk & Co at Phillip Island on May 12-14.

“The Audis will be quick again at Phillip Island with its long, sweeping corners, which I imagine will favour a long wheelbase car,” Oliphant predicted.

“I’ve got a piece of machinery underneath me now that I can really compete with. I’ve got a car now that I can use every tool at its disposal and I feel really, really confident I can race with the frontrunners.”