Photo: TCR Media

Edouard Mondron: “It was amazing to lead the international race”

Delahaye Racing’s Edouard Mondron had a strong first outing in the TCR International Series at Spa-Francorchamps, taking two points finishes and leading the field at the start of the second race in the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.

The 30-year-old Belgian managed to avoid the melee at the start and took the lead, but was fall behind TCR front-runners Jean-Karl Vernay, Rob Huff and Stefano Comini during the race, eventually having to settle for fourth.

“It was a positive vibe at the beginning, to be leading the race in front of so many amazing drivers in the International Series,” said Mondron to TouringCarTimes.

“I saw Tom (Coronel) I think crash into about two or three cars, which I didn’t get as he was an experienced driver, so I was then first for one or two laps, but when I saw Jean-Karl coming, I knew he was in the fight for the championship so I didn’t want to get in his way.”

Mondron finished in fourth, the best of the local drivers in the race, finishing one spot ahead of TCR Benelux rival Benjamin Lessennes, but fell behind the leading trio in the later stages of the race.

“It was difficult for me to catch the pack because I didn’t have a slipstream,” he explained. “Here at Spa, up to Les Combes and Blanchimont, you need to have a good slipstream. The Volkswagen probably was also not the best car to have here, and it was also my first time in the Golf GTI.”