Preview: A weight off everyone’s mind in Germany

The TCR International Series will reach the end of its European leg, also passing the two-thirds point of the season this weekend at Oschersleben, where a critical Balance of Performance adjustment has been made to quiet down the unhappy drivers and teams.

The TCR technical committee confirmed that all the cars will have 10 or 20kg taken off their current weights, with the two lighter models which wouldn’t benefit from this change, the Audi RS 3 LMS DSG and SEAT León TCR DSG, benefitting from a ride height adjustment instead – though neither are represented on the International Series grid in any case.

The heaviest car was the Audi RS 3 LMS SEQ of reigning champion Stefano Comini, and his Comtoyou Racing team-mate Frédéric Vervisch. The team were highly critical of the Balance of Performance (BoP) after Hungary, as well as the handling of the car, with Comini just coming away with one point from Hungary.

“It’s a shame for this championship,” said a disappointed Comini at the last round. “The Audi is a very good car, but with this BoP and success ballast, on this kind of track, it’s like a tank.”

Oschersleben was unlikely to be much better for the Audi, which excelled at fast circuits such as Monza and Spa-Francorchamps, but at twisty locations such as Zolder (TCR Benelux) and the Hungaroring, it’s been uncompetitive, with Comini losing his championship lead to the Honda of Attila Tassi, with his M1RA team-mate close behind.

The new Balance of Performance changes could change things, with the Audi no longer the heaviest cars for the first time this season. The latest adjustments now put the championship leading Honda Civic TCRs just 5kg heavier than the Audis in Germany. With Attila Tassi also carrying 30kg of success ballast for his double win in Hungary, the 18-year-old’s Civic will weigh in at 1,345kg this weekend.

A good weekend for the injured Jean-Karl Vernay in Hungary saw the Frenchman move up to third in the standings and stay within striking distance of the Honda pair of Tassi and Roberto Colciago. The Team WRT driver will have two top drivers to support him this weekend, with the Belgian squad running cars for both Rob Huff and Jaap van Lagen, back together as team-mates for the first time since Portugal in 2015, then in the WTCC with Lada Sport.

Close behind in the standings is the leading Craft-Bamboo Racing-run SEAT of Pepe Oriola, with the Spaniard – in his seventh season in touring cars – celebrating his 23rd birthday on race day. Oriola aims to repeat his success from last year at perhaps the last circuit on the calendar set to suit the nimble León TCR, and close in on the top four in the championship.

24 cars will take to the track, a strong number, but a number which will still be dwarfed by the most successful of the TCR national series which run in support this weekend, the TCR Germany series, with its circa 40 car grid.

Two new names will be on the International Series grid, but also famous names, or at least famous surnames. 17-year-old Luca Engstler, the son of touring car veteran and 2006 Asian Touring Car Series champion Franz Engstler, will make his TCR International Series debut, after racing in both the TCR Middle East and Germany series this year, and will be on double duty, still racing in the German series at Oschersleben.

Another newcomer will be Aurélien Panis, son of former Formula 1 driver and WTCC commentator Olivier Panis. The 22-year-old will make his International Series debut with Boutsen Ginion Racing, after racing with the Belgian team in the TCR Benelux series at Zandvoort two months’ ago.

Panis’s Zandvoort appearance was remarkable in itself, with his Civic TCR struggling with technical issues throughout the weekend, forcing him to miss all practice sessions and qualifying. Panis had his first taste of the circuit in racing conditions only, where he drove through to score points in both of his heats.

Oschersleben is set to offer one last burst of excitement before the cars enter freight for the flyaway rounds in Thailand, China and the middle east.

Entry list

No – Driver – Nat – Team – Car
1 – Stefano Comini – SUI – Comtoyou Racing – Audi RS 3 LMS
2 – Jean-Karl Vernay – FRA – Team WRT – Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR
3 – Rob Huff – GBR – Team WRT – Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR
5 – Roberto Colciago – ITA – M1RA – Honda Civic TCR
6 – Frédéric Vervisch – BEL – Comtoyou Racing – Audi RS 3 LMS
8 – Luca Engstler – GER – Engstler Motorsport – Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR
9 – Attila Tassi – HUN – M1RA – Honda Civic TCR
10 – Gianni Morbidelli – ITA – WestCoast Racing – Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR
11 – Jens Reno Møller – DEN – Reno Racing – Honda Civic TCR
14 – Jaap van Lagen – NED – Team WRT – Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR
16 – Davit Kajaia – GEO – GE-Force – Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR
17 – Daniel Lloyd – GBR – Craft-Bamboo Racing – SEAT León TCR
18 – Duncan Ende – USA – Icarus Motorsports – SEAT León TCR
21 – Giacomo Altoè – ITA – WestCoast Racing – Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR
28 – Aurélien Panis – FRA – Boutsen Ginion Racing – Honda Civic TCR
31 – Milovan Vesnic – SRB – ASK Vesnic – Audi RS 3 LMS
34 – Stian Paulsen – NOR – Paulsen Racing – SEAT León TCR
38 – Danny Kroes – NED – Ferry Monster Autosport – SEAT León TCR
54 – James Nash – GBR – Craft-Bamboo Racing – SEAT León TCR
55 – Ferenc Ficza – HUN – Zengo Motorsport – Kia Cee’d TCR
62 – Dušan Borković – SRB – GE-Force – Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR
66 – Gregoire Demoustier – FRA – DG Sport Compétition – Opel Astra TCR
70 – Mat’o Homola – SVK – DG Sport Compétition – Opel Astra TCR
74 – Pepe Oriola – SPN – Craft-Bamboo Racing – SEAT León TCR

Timetable

Saturday 8th July
09:15 – Free Practice 1
12:00 – Free Practice 2
15:00 – Qualifying

Sunday 9th July
09:00 – Shake down
12:30 – Race 1 (17 laps)
14:30 – Race 2 (17 laps)

All times Central European Time (CET)

Balance of Performance

Model – Final weight – BoP – Ride height
Honda Civic TCR – 1,315kg – 30kg – 80mm
Audi RS 3 LMS SEQ – 1,310kg – 25kg – 80mm
Opel Astra TCR – 1,295kg – 10kg – 80mm
SEAT León TCR V3 SEQ – 1,275kg – -10kg – 80mm
Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR – 1,265kg – -20kg – 70mm
Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR SEQ – 1,265kg – -20kg – 70mm
Kia Cee’d TCR – 1,255kg – -30kg – 80mm