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WTCR Honda quick on race debut

The Honda Civic Type R TCR, destined for the inaugural FIA World Touring Car Cup, made an instant impact on its global race debut in the Dubai 24 Hours (12-13 January).

Built by JAS Motorsport in Italy, the Civic Type R TCR clocked the fifth best time in the TCR category, despite carrying a 40-kilogram weight penalty and running at 95 per cent power under the Balance of Performance ruling.

Although overheating issues - caused by a debris-laden track surface and the Civic's drivers having to go off-track to avoid spinning rivals on several occasion - meant the RKC/TGM team had to withdraw with six hours of the race left to run, JAS Motorsport's TCR Project Leader Mads Fischer was pleased with progress.

"We planned to use Dubai as a test with no targets in mind other than to see how the car performs in a real-world race situation," he said. "The experiment has been extremely useful. The big positive is that car's speed is exactly where we hoped it would be, despite the late BoP adjustment that made the Civic heavier and less powerful.

"We've gathered more data in one weekend than we would do in a season of sprint racing and have been able to identify areas in which we can improve the car instantly for our customers.

"While we would loved to have finished the race, we're more convinced than ever before of the strength of the car and we must thank RKC/TGM for giving the new Civic Type R TCR its debut and for their determination, spirit and professionalism."

Zdroj: fiawtcc.com