Photo: Viper Niza Racing

Roelof Bruins take controversial win on the last lap in South Korea

Viper Niza Racing’s Roelof Bruins has taken victory in the first round of the TCR Asia Series at the Korea International Circuit in South Korea, passing Liqui Moly Team Engstler’s Andy Yan on the final lap, but came under scrutiny after making contact with pole-sitter Tin Sritrai’s Honda Civic earlier in the race.

Tin Sritrai started from pole position in the Team Thailand Honda Civic TCR, but the Thai driver made a slow getaway and was passed by both Teamwork Motorsport’s Kevin Tse and Andy Yan’s Engstler-run car, both Volkswagen Golf GTI TCRs, into the first corner.

Tse then spun his Golf around just two corners in and dropped down the order, with the second SEAT León on Viper Niza Racing’s Douglas Khoo also spinning out and hitting the barrier in a clumsy recovery.

Andy Yan now had the lead ahead of Sritrai, while Roelof Bruins was third in his Viper Niza SEAT León and was fighting off Champ Motorsport’s Henry Ho’s Civic TCR in the early stages.

Yan was fighting a rear-guard action throughout the whole race, as Sritrai harried the Hong Kong driver through every turn through the first six laps. As Yan held up Sritrai, South Korean driver Bruins was able to catch the leading pair and began to attack Sritrai, spinning the Honda around on lap seven which dropped the Thai driver down to fourth, but the stewards deemed the incident a racing incident, allowing Bruins to continue the fight which was now for the lead with Yan.

Bruins reclosed the gap to Yan following the incident and was battling the Volkswagen hard during the final laps. The South Korean driver made a bold move on the final lap and put his SEAT ahead of the Golf. Yan attempted to defend and immediately attacked back, cutting the circuit in the process but to no avail, in effect handing Bruins a safe margin to go on to take the victory in the opening round.

Yan would go on to finish second ahead of Henry Ho’s Champ Motorsport Honda, with Tin Sritrai recovering to finish fourth ahead of Michael Ho’s Honda.

Race 2 follows at 17:15 local time (10:15 CET).