Photo: TCR Media

Craft-Bamboo Racing protest legality of Alfa Romeo and Opel

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Craft-Bamboo Racing lodged a protest following today’s races at the Salzburgring, questioning the legality of the turbochargers of the Opel Astra TCRs and the Alfa Romeo Giuilettas, a protest which was dismissed by the stewards later in the evening.

The SEAT squad lodged a protest against the DG Sport Opel of Mat’o Homola, the Kissling Opel of Thomas Jäger, and the two GE-Force Alfa Romeos of Race 1 winner Dusan Borkovic and team-mate Davit Kajaia after the race, claiming the cars’ turbos were illegal and running outside of the tolerances specified in TCR’s technical regulations.

“Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing made a protest of the Opel and Alfa Romeo cars in Salzburg as we do not accept the conformity of their turbocharger, the technical regulations are clear and no waiver documents are available,” said team principal Richard Coleman to TouringCarTimes.

“We have appealed the decision of the stewards who had to act on the report of the technical delegate. This decision was taken in full consultation of our partners Lukoil and SEAT Sport.”

The stewards investigated the protest, but ruled against it based on the TCR technical officer’s report, which stated “the homologation definition of the turbo can be changed by WSC (the promoter) on manufacturers’ request.”

The team have indicated their intention to appeal the stewards’ decision, which means the results are likely to remain provisional.

The SEATs of James Nash, Pepe Oriola and Dan Lloyd were fast in testing at the Salzburgring, but the cars had no pace against the Alfas and the Opels in the race, in particular the Kissling car of newcomer Thomas Jäger, who overtook both Nash and Oriola easily in Race 1.

“The Alfa and Opel are illegal cars and they’re winning races,” said a disgruntled Oriola to TouringCarTimes.

“If they don’t have the engine to race here, they can go test and come back when they’re ready. Marcello (Lotti, promoter) needs to do something, as SEAT, Volkswagen, Audi and Honda are doing a proper job, and (Opel and Alfa) just come here with a shit car and they put up the boost pressure, it’s disrespectful.”