News
GIROLAMI HEADS ARGENTINE TRIFECTA AT THE BEND
BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse driver Nestor Girolami was victorious in today’s second race of Kumho FIA TCR World Tour at Tailem Bend, making it two wins from two races in Australia for the Italian-based team.
Girolami, who started the reverse grid (top-10) race second behind SP Competition’s Aurelien Comte, assumed the lead at the opening corner and was never headed for the 13-lap contest.
Argentinian drivers filled the podium, as Girolami led home compatriots Esteban Guerrieri and Ignacio Montenegro, both driving for GOAT Racing.
HMO Customer Racing’s Josh Buchan finished fifth overall to take out the TCR Australia Cup as the highest-placed national competitor across the two races. The Hyundai Australia-supported team and driver represented TCR Australia with distinction all weekend as they matched the performances of the world’s best TCR teams.
The milestone 100th TCR race in Australia commenced with polesitter Comte leading away Girolami and Guerrieri off the starting line, but Girolami held his nerve – and outside line – through Turn 1 to take the lead from Comte.
The Hyundai pilot then set about putting daylight between himself and Comte, who was under pressure in the opening laps from Guerrieri. A slower Turn 17 exit for Comte on the second lap allowed Guerrieri to muscle past into the final corner, before Montenegro also cleared the Cupra driver on the straight.
Among them, Buchan momentarily had his nose in front of Montenegro and Comte in a bid to make an outside pass at Turn 1, but ultimately yielded for fifth after light contact with Comte.
A lively side-by-side exchange through Turns 1 to 3 between the Cyan Racing Lynk & Co of Ma Qing Hua and Race 1 winner Mikel Azcona proved the opening complex of corners was the go-to passing zone, with Ma ultimately winning that battle over the Hyundai driver.
The race continued incident-free to the chequered flag, ensuring a 100% green flag run for the series across all four sessions and races.
Ryan MacMillan completed a successful TCR debut with a fine drive to 12th place, in the wheeltracks of the experienced TCR World Tour race winner, Santiago Urrutia.
Tufflift Racing TSM’s Zac Soutar recovered from a first-lap skirmish to recover for 13th, as the 2024 TCR Australia runner-up enjoyed much improved balance from his Audi RS 3 LMS after a soul-searching start to the weekend.
Jordan Cox, Iain McDougall and Lo Sze Ho rounded out the field of 16 finishers, while race-ending issues for Brad Harris and Cody Burcher forced the two Australians to see out the race from pit lane.