Nicki Thiim glad to bring “confidence” back to Team Engstler

Liqui Moly Team Engstler will start from pole position for the fourth meeting of the 2015 TCR International Series at Portimao courtesy of a stunning display by Nicki Thiim, who along with Kelvin van der Linde, has been drafted in to the team’s pair of Audi TT Coupés this weekend in place of Mikhail Grachev and Franz Engstler.

Engstler is sitting out the weekend, while Grachev has jumped across to an extra SEAT León Cup Racer, which was delivered just a few hours before qualifying leaving the Russian little time to adapt to the car besides a short run in team-mate Lorenzo Veglia’s car yesterday.

Thiim however showed no difficulty in adapting to the Audi TT, despite being very much a rear-wheel drive expert, and set the fastest time in every session so far this weekend, most vitally of course the qualifying session.

“Me and my team-mate are here to get the performance and we have really showed it over the weekend up to now,” said Thiim. “We changed a lot on the car and it seems to be going in the right direction. I am especially happy for the team because you feel they needed to get some more confidence.

“This is the first time I have driven the Audi TT TCR. It is completely different from the GT cars I am used to, as it is eight years since I have driven a front-wheel drive car so it is a bit of a difference, but it is still a car with four wheels and a steering wheel. The track is really nice and I am competing against some of the best in the touring car business, so I am just looking forward to the races tomorrow.”