NEW TCR HONDA TO MAKE DEBUT IN TCR UK SERIES
Restart Racing have confirmed that they will be the first team to debut the brand new Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR in TCR competition at Snetterton next month.
2022 TCR UK Champion Chris Smiley will defend his title this year, at the wheel the brand new Honda Civic, which will debut in the opening two races of the 2023 season.
Chris’ car will also be running a new livery, which will be revealed in full ahead of the season opener at Snetterton.
The team is only just about to take delivery of the new third-generation TCR car from JAS Motorsport and for this reason, the car won’t be present for the championship’s season launch event at Donington Park today.
Bert Taylor, Restart Racing Team Principal, is excited to return to the TCR UK Touring Car Championship and to present the new Honda.
“We had a fantastic season last year, and we’re aiming to show that we’re taking things really seriously with this project, expanding to two cars with Scott Sumpton joining Chris, but also working with JAS Motorsport as we become the first team to run the Civic Type R FL5.
“We’re also very excited to getting our hands on the new car very soon, and making it ready for the season’s start next week. Chris is heading straight off to Spa-Francorchamps after the media activities today to do a shakedown and bring the car back to the UK.”
Chris Smiley, 2022 TCR UK champion, is already eager to collect the new Honda and show what it can do in his title defence.
“I’m really excited for the start of the season, more so than any other I think. Last year was a step into the unknown, while this year it’s a very different feeling going in as the champion, and knowing there will be a target on your back, but it’s an exciting feeling.
“I’m also very happy that we’ll be racing the brand-new Honda Civic Type R this year. We developed a great relationship with the Honda car builders JAS in Italy last year, and now we’ve been entrusted with the racing debut of this stunning new car – I can’t wait to hit the track at Snetterton and see what it can do.”
Mads Fischer, JAS Motorsport TCR Project Leader, is delighted to see the new Honda Civic make its global racing debut and do this in TCR UK.
“We’re so excited to confirm the global racing debut of the new Honda Civic Type R TCR for Easter weekend with Restart Racing in TCR UK at Snetterton.
“We’ve spent a long time working on the concept and design and testing has gone extremely well with our Test Driver Nestor Girolami reporting the FL5 car is an improvement over the old model in virtually every area.
“Restart Racing and Chris Smiley made a fantastic impact in TCR UK by winning on their debut at Oulton Park last year with the FK7 Civic and then taking the championship as well and I’m confident that with the latest and most technically-advanced TCR car in the world, they can once again fight for the title.”
The 2023 TCR UK Touring Car Championship season kicks off at Snetterton on the 300 circuit on the 8th and 9th April, visit https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/ for more info and how to get involved.