2023 TCR Australia Touring Car Series

The 2023 TCR Australia Series (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2023 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series) was the fourth season of the TCR Australia Touring Car Series. The series ran as part of SpeedSeries and featured two rounds as part of TCR World Tour.

The series was won by Josh Buchan in a Hyundai Elantra N TCR.

Calendar edit

  Race is part of TCR World Tour
Round Circuit Location Date
1   Symmons Plains Raceway Launceston, Tasmania 24–26 February
2   Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Phillip Island, Victoria 12–14 May
3   Winton Motor Raceway Winton, Victoria 9–11 June
4   Queensland Raceway Ipswich, Queensland 11–13 August
5   Sandown Raceway Melbourne, Victoria 8–10 September
6   Sydney Motorsport Park Eastern Creek, New South Wales 3–5 November
7   Mount Panorama Circuit Bathurst, New South Wales 10–12 November
[1][2][3]

Entry list edit

The following teams and drivers are under contract to compete in the 2023 championship. Kumho is the new official tire supplier.[4]

Team Car No. Drivers Class Rounds Ref.
  Wall Racing[a] Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) 1   Tony D'Alberto 1–5 [5][6]
Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) 6–7 [7][8][9]
129   Néstor Girolami W 6–7 [10]
Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) 74   Brad Harris 2–4, 6–7 [8]
76   Will Harris 6–7 [8]
  Melbourne Performance Centre[b] Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) 4   Clay Richards 3
14   Lachlan Mineeff All [11][12]
Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) 9   Will Brown 1–2, 4–7 [13]
  Garry Rogers Motorsport[c] Peugeot 308 TCR 4   Clay Richards 5 [14]
  Jimmy Clairet 6 [15]
  Teddy Clairet 7
18   Aaron Cameron All [16]
33   Jordan Cox All [17]
41   Kody Garland 1–6 [18]
71   Ben Bargwanna All [19]
  Ashley Seward Motorsport Lynk & Co 03 TCR 11   Tim Slade 4 [20]
115   Tom Oliphant 2, 5–7 [21]
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR 1, 3 [22]
  Carl Cox Motorsport Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) 15   Michael Clemente 1 [23]
Cupra León Competición TCR 2–5, 7 [24]
  Challenge Motorsport Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) 22   Iain McDougall 1, 3, 5–7 [25]
  HMO Customer Racing Hyundai Elantra N TCR 30   Josh Buchan All [26]
Hyundai i30 N TCR 130   Bailey Sweeny All [27]
  BRC Racing Team[d] Hyundai Elantra N TCR 105   Norbert Michelisz W 6–7 [28][29]
196   Mikel Azcona W 6–7
  Team Soutar Motorsport[e] Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) 110   Zac Soutar All [30][31]
  Cyan Racing[f] Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR 111   Thed Björk W 6–7 [32][33][34]
112   Santiago Urrutia W 6–7 [32][33][35]
155   Ma Qing Hua W 6–7 [32][33][34]
168   Yann Ehrlacher W 6–7 [32][33][35]
  Comtoyou Racing[g] Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) 122   Frédéric Vervisch W 6–7 [36]
179   Robert Huff W 6–7
Icon Status
W TCR World Tour entries not eligible to score points in the local series

Driver Changes edit

Mid Season Changes edit

  • Tom Oliphant missed the Queensland event due to him getting married. He was replaced by Tim Slade for the event.
  • Michael Clemente missed the Race Sydney event due to lack of funding. He returned for Bathurst International.
  • Kody Garland missed the Bathurst International event due to crash damage from the Race Sydney round.

Summary edit

Round Race Event Pole position Fastest Lap Winning Driver Winning Team Report
1 1   Symmons Plains Raceway   Will Brown   Bailey Sweeny   Bailey Sweeny HMO Customer Racing
2   Will Brown   Aaron Cameron Garry Rogers Motorsport
3   Bailey Sweeny   Bailey Sweeny HMO Customer Racing
2 1   Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit   Josh Buchan   Josh Buchan   Josh Buchan HMO Customer Racing
2   Brad Harris   Michael Clemente Carl Cox Motorsport
3   Josh Buchan   Josh Buchan HMO Customer Racing
3 1   Winton Motor Raceway   Michael Clemente   Bailey Sweeny   Michael Clemente Carl Cox Motorsport
2   Jordan Cox   Tom Oliphant Ashley Seward Motorsport
3   Bailey Sweeny   Bailey Sweeny HMO Customer Racing
4 1   Queensland Raceway   Will Brown   Will Brown   Will Brown Melbourne Performance Centre
2   Will Brown   Brad Harris Wall Racing
3   Will Brown   Will Brown Melbourne Performance Centre
5 1   Sandown Raceway   Bailey Sweeny   Will Brown   Tony D'Alberto Wall Racing
2   Will Brown   Bailey Sweeny HMO Customer Racing
3   Bailey Sweeny   Bailey Sweeny HMO Customer Racing
6 1   Sydney Motorsport Park   Ben Bargwanna   Ma Qing Hua   Will Brown Melbourne Performance Centre Report
2   Josh Buchan   Will Brown Melbourne Performance Centre
3   Mikel Azcona   Rob Huff Comtoyou Racing
7 1   Mount Panorama Circuit   Tony D'Alberto   Santiago Urrutia   Santiago Urrutia Cyan Racing Report
2   Tony D'Alberto   Norbert Michelisz BRC Racing Team
3   Néstor Girolami   Yann Ehrlacher Cyan Racing

Driver's standings edit

Points system edit

The points system for 2023 was restructured. Races 1 and 3 award maximum points, while race 2, which features a starting grid based on reversed results from race 1, is worth slightly reduced points. Additionally, the top five drivers in qualifying now receive points instead of only the pole winner, and the driver who sets the fastest lap in a race receives points.[37][38]

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th   11th   12th   13th   14th   15th   16th   17th   18th   19th   20th   DNF 
Qualifying 10 7 5 3 2 0 0
Races 1 & 3 50 46 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 0
Race 2 40 36 34 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 18 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 0
  • The driver who sets the fastest lap in a race receives one additional point.

Championship standings edit

Pos. Driver SYM
 
PHI
 
WIN
 
QLD
 
SAN
 
SMP
 
BAT
 
Points
1   Josh Buchan 6 9 9 11 10 1 43 3 2 5 6 6 8 5 7 164 5 5 82 11 11 809
2   Tony D'Alberto 23 7 2 Ret3 13 11 64 6 6 23 7 10 14 9 3 15 12 10 31 8 4 759
3   Bailey Sweeny 12 6 1 44 5 5 22 5 1 DSQ2 9 5 51 1 1 143 6 11 12 Ret DSQ 748
4   Aaron Cameron 84 1 4 3 6 6 14 8 10 7 2 2 25 2 2 7 8 18 95 2 Ret 743
5   Lachlan Mineeff 9 2 7 2 12 10 8 4 5 12 10 7 62 3 Ret 13 11 14 20 15 15 659
6   Jordan Cox 5 3 3 8 2 4 5 13 4 45 5 Ret 9 4 5 12 14 16 14 18 Ret 656
7   Ben Bargwanna 45 Ret 8 55 3 3 7 9 9 6 8 9 7 6 6 181 Ret Ret Ret 12 10 602
8   Tom Oliphant 7 4 5 Ret 8 9 10 1 8 10 8 8 12 7 13 17 16 14 564
9   Michael Clemente 10 5 10 6 1 2 11 DNS Ret 9 4 8 Ret 10 4 Ret 14 12 504
10   Zac Soutar DNS Ret DNS Ret2 7 7 35 7 3 3 11 Ret 43 7 Ret Ret5 18 17 113 19 8 364
11   Will Brown DNS1 Ret DNS Ret 11 8 11 3 1 3 Ret DNS 12 1 3 134 Ret DNS 442
12   Brad Harris 9 4 13 13 11 12 10 1 3 17 13 19 18 Ret DNS 389
13   Kody Garland 3 10 6 7 9 12 12 12 7 8 13 Ret 12 11 9 DNS DNS DNS WD WD WD 389
14   Iain McDougall 11 8 11 11 10 11 11 12 Ret 20 17 21 19 17 13 364
15   Clay Richards 9 2 Ret Ret 13 10 98
16   Tim Slade 114 12 4 89
17   Will Harris 21 15 22 WD WD WD 72
World Tour full-time entries ineligible for points
  Robert Huff 4 2 1 6 4 3
  Norbert Michelisz 8 4 2 10 1 5
  Yann Ehrlacher 6 9 7 4 5 1
  Santiago Urrutia NC 10 12 1 6 Ret
  Thed Björk 9 Ret 15 5 3 2
  Néstor Girolami 10 Ret 8 2 9 6
  Ma Qing Hua 2 Ret 9 16 13 9
  Frédéric Vervisch 5 3 4 7 7 7
  Mikel Azcona 3 19 6 Ret 10 Ret
  Teddy Clairet 15 DSQ Ret
  Jimmy Clairet 19 16 20
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Other points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
Purple Not classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (cell empty)
Text formatting Meaning
Bold Pole position
Italics Fastest lap

Notes:
1 2 3 4 5 – Qualifying positions

Notes edit

  1. ^ Cars #1 and #129 entered under the commercial title "Honda Racing Team Wall", Cars #74 and #76 entered under the commercial title "Exclusive Switchboards".
  2. ^ Car #9 entered under the commercial title "MPC – Audi Liqui Moly Racing Team".
  3. ^ Cars #4 and #6 entered under the commercial title "GRM – Team Clairet Sport", Cars #18 and #41 entered under the commercial title "GRM Team Valvoline", Car #33 entered under the commercial title "GRM Team Schaeffler", Car #71 entered under the commercial title "Burson Auto Parts Racing".
  4. ^ Cars #105 and #196 entered under the commercial title "BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse".
  5. ^ Car #110 entered under the commercial title "Tufflift Racing".
  6. ^ Cars #111, #112, #155 and #168 entered under the commercial title "Cyan Racing Lynk & Co".
  7. ^ Cars #122 and #179 entered under the commercial title "Audi Sport Team Comtoyou".

References edit

  1. ^ "WINTON ADDED TO 2023 SUPERCHEAP AUTO TCR AUSTRALIA CALENDAR". TCR Australia. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  2. ^ O'Brian, Connor (27 January 2023). "TCR, Trans Am calendars released". V8Sleuth.
  3. ^ "Kumho TCR World Tour To Join Supercheap Auto TCR Australia In Sydney". TCR Australia. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  4. ^ "TCR Australia switches to Kumho tyres for 2023". TouringCarTimes. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Wall Racing retains champion Tony D'Alberto for 2023 TCR Australia". TouringCarTimes. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Wall Racing unveils 2023 livery for TCR Australia champion Tony D'Alberto". TouringCarTimes. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Reigning TCR Champ Tony D'Alberto to Debut New Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR". TCR Australia. 26 July 2023.
  8. ^ a b c "Wall Racing expands to three Hondas with Will Harris". TouringCarTimes. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Wall Racing unveils new Honda for Tony D'Alberto". TouringCarTimes. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Néstor Girolami confirmed for final three TCR World Tour rounds". TouringCarTimes. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Lachlan Mineeff will join 2023 TCR Australia season from second round". TouringCarTimes. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Lachlan Mineeff secures season opener start". TouringCarTimes. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Will Brown upgrades to Gen2 Audi for 2023 campaign". TouringCarTimes. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  14. ^ Smy, Damien (25 August 2023). "Richards joins GRM". Speedcafe. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Clairet brothers confirmed for Sydney and Bathurst while Bargwanna joins Macau". TouringCarTimes. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Aaron Cameron retains Garry Rogers Motorsport seat". TouringCarTimes. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Jordan Cox remains with Garry Rogers Motorsport for 2023 TCR Australia season". TouringCarTimes. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Kody Garland Makes Peugeot Switch for 2023 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series". TCR Australia. 25 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Ben Bargwanna confirms TCR Australia and TCR World Tour campaign". TouringCarTimes. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Slade replaces Oliphant in TCR Australia at Queensland". TouringCarTimes. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Ash Seward Motorsport to give Lynk & Co Australian debut". TouringCarTimes. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  22. ^ "Tom Oliphant signs two-year TCR Australia contract with Ashley Seward Motorsport". TouringCarTimes. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  23. ^ "Michael Clemente confirms 2023 campaign with Carl Cox Motorsport". TouringCarTimes. 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  24. ^ Smy, Damien (7 May 2023). "Cupra TCR arrives in Australia". Speedcafe.
  25. ^ "Fresh Livery Just the Start for Challenge Motorsport". TCR Australia. 21 February 2023.
  26. ^ "HMO Customer Racing confirms Hyundai Elantra entry for Josh Buchan". TouringCarTimes. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Rookie of The Year Bailey Sweeney Returns for 2023 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series". TCR Australia. 26 January 2023.
  28. ^ "Hyundai confirms TCR World Tour presence". TouringCarTimes.com. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  29. ^ "Hyundai confirms two-car World Tour entry". TouringCarTimes.com. 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  30. ^ a b "Privateer Zac Soutar Makes Audi Switch for 2023". TCR Australia. 20 January 2023.
  31. ^ "Tufflift Racing Reveals Livery for New Audi". TCR Australia. 22 February 2023.
  32. ^ a b c d "Lynk & Co Cyan Racing to return to action in TCR World Tour". TouringCarTimes. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  33. ^ a b c d "New Lynk & Co 03 TCR to hit the track in 2023". TouringCarTimes. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  34. ^ a b "Lynk & Co Cyan Racing names first two World Tour drivers". TouringCarTimes.com. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  35. ^ a b "Lynk & Co Cyan Racing completes TCR World Tour line-up". TouringCarTimes.com. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  36. ^ "Comtoyou firms up World Tour entry with Huff, Vervisch". TouringCarTimes. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  37. ^ O'Brien, Connor (January 11, 2023). "How the revamped TCR points system works". v8sluth.com.au. AN1 Media. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  38. ^ 2023 TCR Australia Series sporting regulations

External links edit