Photo: TCR Series

Craft-Bamboo focussing on teams’ title as they head to potentially wet Thailand

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Craft-Bamboo Racing head to Thailand confident of strong results after a very successful weekend at the Buriram International Circuit last year, when drivers Pepe Oriola and James Nash splitting the wins between them. This is despite wet weather and thunderstorms forecast this weekend in the region.

The three SEAT León TCRs of James Nash, Pepe Oriola and Daniel Lloyd will be in action again at the circuit where the team had an all-Friday night repair job to complete last year after James Nash almost destroyed his car in testing, yet still battled back to a second place in Race 1 and a win in Race 2, which reignited his title charge last year.

Although Oriola and Nash’s drivers’ title ambitions aren’t over yet, the UK/Hong Kong-based team’s focus is on the teams’ title, where they sit 33 points behind the Honda-equipped M1RA, which has also expanded to a three-car operation for this weekend with Norbert Michelisz, Giacomo Altoè and Attila Tassi.

“I am really confident for Buriram as I won there last year but it looks like it is going to be raining,” said Oriola. “We will need to find a good set-up and try to get the most points possible for the championship. All three of us will be working together to try and take the teams’ championship lead,” he added.

“The win and double podium at Buriram last year after I’d virtually written off the car in pre-race testing has to rank as one of the most amazing experiences of my life,” said Nash. “Buriram is a circuit that suits me but you have to be careful not to go too far wide because it is dirty off-line.”

Daniel Lloyd will be making his debut at the Thai circuit in the #17 SEAT León TCR, although he has raced there before with the team in the GT Asia series, then racing an Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

“I had a really good result last time out and I am looking to continue that strong performance with a bit of momentum,” said Lloyd. “I know the circuit well, having helped Craft-Bamboo take the GT Asia Series drivers’ championship in 2015. It has been a really long break, which has been tough, given that I had a great performance in Oscherlseben. We might be in for some tricky conditions with the weather, but I can’t wait.”