Stefano Comini looking for budget to finish the season

Stefano Comini won the fourth race of the season in Austria, after WestCoast Racing driver Gianni Morbidelli was penalised with a drive-through penalty after the race, but may struggle to complete the season due to budget constraints.

The Swiss driver was on the wrong side of luck in the second heat, after his Honda rival hit him while spinning due to a brake failure, which sent the Civic into the Target Competition SEAT, with the driver forced to continue despite damages to the right rear of his León.

“Once again I finished the race in pure Comini style, on three wheels,” said the Swiss to TouringCarTimes. “I did it several times during my career, so this is nothing new for me. I was thinking about Macau, I knew I had to finish that race because I might need the two points I scored despite the puncture.”

With the second race accident undoubtedly a racing incident, Comini remarked his thoughts about Race 1: “The accident is part of motorsport, he (Morbidelli) had a brake failure and hit me. His Race 1 behaviour was unacceptable and I am happy the stewards finally took actions because it was pushing everyone’s behaviour on track beyond the limits. At this point it is a matter of safety, not just sport.”

Comini is now working on putting together the budget for the final three events of the championship, which are scheduled for Singapore, Thailand and Macau: “I caused more damage to the car by continuing after the Race 2 accident, which is going to hurt the economic side even more. Everyobdy knows how difficult it is to find the budget these days. Although the TCR Series is based on a low-cost concept, it’s still a world championship and it is not cheap.”

Besides the seek for new sponsors, the Swiss will also start some initiatives to find different ways of putting the budget together: “We are selling the Comini t-shirts, as well as starting a new crowdfunding project, so that the old time fans and the new ones will be able to give a contribution to my mission. It would be a shame to stop early, I am fighting for the championship and I won four races, so I am really determined to continue and do whatever I can in order to take part in the last three events.”

Stefano Comini is now second in the championship, two points behind Craft-Bamboo Lukoil’s Pepe Oriola.