MOTORSPORT: Two TCR World Tour events for Oz
And standalone GT4 racing series also confirmed for AustraliaThe 2023 Kumho TCR World Tour is heading to Australia for the first time this November, when Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama will host the inaugural four-cylinder production car racing series on consecutive weekends
Slated for November 3-5, the SMP event will feature a Saturday night race – a first for the World Tour in its inaugural nine-round season – as part of the seventh round of the TCR World Tour, while the global TCR series will headline the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International the following weekend (November 10-12), alongside the final round of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series.
The world’s top TCR drivers and teams will therefore take on Australia’s best from the local TCR series, following other World Tour events scheduled for Portimao (Portugal), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Vallelunga (Italy), the Hungaroring (Hungary), the Autodromo de El Pinar (Uruguay) and San Luís (Argentina). The final round is set for the Macau street circuit.
“We are pleased to formalise this deal that will see two weeks of world-class motorsport in New South Wales,” said Australian Racing Group chief operating officer Liam Curkpatrick.
“To have the best TCR drivers and teams come to Australia is great for our local competitors, really testing themselves against the world.
“And to conclude the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series with back-to-back rounds at Sydney and Bathurst is going to bring a lot of excitement and interest to TCR.”
The new November date will see a shuffle of the 2023 Shannons SpeedSeries calendar, with the TCR and Trans Am event from June transferred to November.
In other production car racing news, GT4 Australia has announced that the class will break away into its own standalone slot on the SpeedSeries calendar for 2024, when the season will culminate in a three-hour race at the Bathurst International next November.
The international success story caters for models including the Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8 LMS, BMW M4 GT, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, McLaren Artura, Mercedes-AMG GT, Porsche Cayman and Toyota Supra.
Until now, locally, GT4 racers have run as a sub-class alongside the more purpose-built GT3 machinery at events such as the Bathurst 12 Hour and GT World Challenge series.
For the rest of this year, the category will combine with the Australian Production Cars following its successful non-championship fixture at the Bathurst 6 Hour last weekend.
GT4, Production Cars, TCR Australia and more will feature at the next round of the 2023 SpeedSeries set for Phillip Island over May 12-14.
2023 APC/GT4 Australia Championship calendar:
Rd1 Phillip Island – May 12-14 (Sprint)
Rd2 Sydney Motorsport Park – June 16-18 (Enduro)
Rd3 Queensland Raceway – August 11-13 (Enduro)
Rd4 Sandown International Raceway – September 8-10 (Sprint)
Rd5 The Bend Motorsport Park – October 13-15 (Enduro)
Rd6 Bathurst International – November 10-12 (Sprint)
Photos: Speed Shots Photography
Related: MOTORSPORT: Supercars ace racing for a cause at Bathurst
Related: MOTORSPORT: Lynk & Co joins TCR Australia Series
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