Photo: TCR Media

Josh Files eyeing up WTCC campaign in 2017

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Current TCR Germany series champion Josh Files is looking at moving to the World Touring Car Championship in 2017 after a successful season in the TCR Germany series, winning the title for the Italian Target Competition team in their JAS Motorsport-built Honda Civic.

The new WTCC-2 regulations announced yesterday will suit a programme for the 25-year-old, who has now driven four different TCR-specification cars in just 12 months, after making his debut in the Opel Astra J OPC last year at the Guia Race of Macau.

Files attended the champions evening at the WTCC Race of Qatar last week with mentor and three-time WTCC champion Andy Priaulx, and said he hoped to be on the grid in the 2017 season, with a TC1 or TCR (TCN2)-spec Honda his prime target.

“Next year we may end up in WTCC, so I’m here with Andy at the champions evening, as Andy knows half the paddock if not more,” said Files. “I’m here to say hello, to speak to JAS and see what their plans are next year for both WTCC and TCR, and just see what other people are doing.”

The Briton was impressed with the level of the WTCC after seeing the TC1 class cars for the first time at the Losail circuit.

“You can see it’s at a massively higher level than most other touring car championships,” said Files. “The cars are on another level, they’re all carbon fibre and very special bits of kit and look very expensive as well.”

Files ruled out looking for drives in the UK, saying he likes the appeal of international racing, now having raced in both the TCR Germany and International Series during the last year.

“I raced in Clio UK and Eurocup in 2013, and having raced in the Eurocup I realised there was nothing left for me in the UK,” said Files. “I wanted to pursue European options as I prefer the racing, the intensity, the track limit rules…I did a Clio Cup Italy season with Rangoni, then met up with Target at Macau last year and they said about TCR Germany this year which I did. I just love touring cars and I think there are more options in Europe than there are in the UK.”