News
Open wheel champion set for TCR Australia debut
Reigning Australian Formula Open Series winner Ryan MacMillan will make the step up to TCR Australia driving an HMO Customer Racing Hyundai i30 N TCR hatchback.
At 17-years-old, MacMillan will join the reigning TCR Australia Series winning squad in the same Hyundai i30 N TCR driven by teammate Josh Buchan at the start of his title winning season last year and later taken over by Tom Oliphant.
It was an impressive maiden season in circuit racing for MacMillan last year after a successful career in karting after achieving six victories on the way to the Australian Formula Open title.
During 2024, MacMillan was invited to test by HMO Customer Racing’s then-chief engineer Rob Benson after his impressive performance winning the Errol Gilmour Memorial Cup at Queensland Raceway’s Shannons SpeedSeries round.
MacMillan continued to build experience in the front-wheel-drive formula at ONE Raceway, which will be the scene for the opening round of the 2025 TCR Australia Series.
HMO Customer Racing is the most successful team in TCR Australia history having won three titles including the last two with Buchan, who will act as mentor to new team-mate MacMillan.
MacMillan’s program will be supported by SP Tools, FleetTrac, Centre 45, Rondo Building Services, Direct Plasterboard Outlet and Hyundai.
The opening round of the 2025 TCR Australia Series will start at a new venue for the category, One Raceway situated in Goulburn, New South Wales.
QUOTES
Ryan MacMillan
HMO Customer Racing, Hyundai i30 N TCR
“I’m looking forward to the season ahead,” said MacMillan.
“The overall goal is to be in the title fight and be up the front, which is definitely possible with HMO Customer Racing behind me in addition to Josh’s mentoring.
“It started when I was driving the Formula 3 car at Queensland Raceway and we got the opportunity to see Rob Benson, who noticed I had done a good job that weekend by winning the round.
“Rob asked me if I wanted to have a go in the TCR and this turned into a test at Winton. I went well in the car straight away and Rob started talking about 2025, then got a connection with Hyundai going, so it all fell into place at the right time.
“HMO Customer Racing is a very good team. Of course with the experience and people within the organisation, it’s a good community having everyone knowing what their role is in addition to the objectives, which is to go fast and win.
“Josh is a good mentor and with the two championships he has, it’s something to look up to and strive towards.
“The calendar is exciting. I think the first two rounds will be calm, but I know the second two will be exciting with the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour coming over, then us going to Macau is pretty awesome.”
Aaron Grech
Team Manager, HMO Customer Racing
“Ryan has adapted really well to these cars. He doesn’t have much in the way of tin top experience, so to see him get up to speed quickly was very encouraging,” said Grech.
“He is a good young kid and is really easy to work with. You ask him to do something and he does it. He also has a great sense for the car with a great natural ability. He has all of the makings of being a very good race car driver.
“Our team is looking forward to TCR this year. There’s some great news to come for the class and, like every year, we know that there’ll be some really good racing.”