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Jay Hanson hails successful maiden MPC test
Supercheap Auto TCR Australia young gun Jay Hanson has completed a successful test with new team Melbourne Performance Centre ahead of the swansong for his Alfa Romeo at Bathurst.
Hanson switched from Ashley Seward Motorsport to MPC after the Sydney Motorsport Park round and will drive a new Audi RS3 LMS TCR next year.
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However, Hanson will use the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR he has driven in the opening four rounds of Supercheap Auto TCR Australia at the TCR Bathurst 400 before making the switch to Audi for next year’s season.
Hanson hailed his successful test as he emerged comfortable after a full-day of running.
“Rolling out of the truck with the new team, it was bang on,” said Hanson. “It felt good right from the early sessions.
“We tried a few tweaks, but other than that we just explored things and the team learnt heaps, while I was getting more track mileage out there.
“It was a perfect day to get back to the track.”
It was an advantageous day for both Hanson and MPC as the relationship between the two grew throughout the day.
“Melbourne Performance Centre doesn’t have any set-up experience with an Alfa Romeo, so it was a learning curve for the team as not only did they have to learn a new car, but also my driving style as well,” Hanson explained.
“I was also learning to work with the team, but at the end of the day we ticked off a few things and we found what not to do, where not to follow the Audi in some aspects of the Alfa Romeo.
“Heading into Bathurst, we know where to start, what to change and what not to change, so having a test day with the team before the concluding rounds is awesome.
“It wasn’t a serious day. I was getting to know the team and vice versa, plus the Alfa ran fine for the whole time, which is the main thing.”
Hanson is confident of a good result at the moment, even at this early stage of his relationship with MPC as he aims to give the Alfa Romeo a successful swansong.
“Instead of going into the next event blind we’ve got a quarter of an idea because we’re still learning every lap that we do, but it’s better than having no idea at all,” Hanson elaborated.
“We’ll just keep moving forward and with the team learning the Alfa we’ll just keep getting better and better, which is a good thing.”
Hanson’s Alfa Romeo is one of the most successful chassis in Supercheap Auto TCR Australia across its two seasons having been driven by Dylan O’Keeffe to two pole positions, four wins, three seconds and a third.
This season, Hanson finished a best of fourth at Bathurst after being penalised at Symmons Plains when he crossed the line third in Race 1.