Jean-Karl Vernay celebrates title after a tough year in TCR
Jean-Karl Vernay has taken over from Stefano Comini as the TCR International Series drivers’ champion after a steady drive in Race 1 at Dubai to finish on the podium, winning a close-fought championship where his only victory came back in May at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Frenchman said his second season in the championship was a challenging one, fighting throughout the year with former team-mate Stefano Comini, the M1RA Hondas of Attila Tassi and Roberto Colciago, and with the Craft-Bamboo SEAT drivers only dropping out of contention later in the year.
Vernay started the first race just behind new team-mate Gordon Shedden in the first race, with the 30-year-old dropping behind Oriola’s SEAT at the start, with the other SEAT of James Nash passing him for third on lap three.
“The first race was tough,” said Vernay to TouringCarTimes. “We decided to play fair with no team strategy, but the race was more complicated than if Gordon (Shedden) had let me past after one or two laps.
“Attila was right behind me but I was a bit faster than him so he couldn’t really attack me, except at the end, when James was so slow because of tyre degradation, Attila came back, so I needed to overtake as we were going to be in trouble.”
Vernay overtook Nash and finished on the podium where he claimed the title, while in the second race it was a less exciting affair, retiring from fifth with a puncture.
“I think we deserve the title,” said Vernay. ”I missed a whole weekend at Salzburg; I did three weekends with three broken ribs, so it was not easy as we could not score as much as we wanted, and (earlier in the year) like at Monza we were 15-16km/h slower in the straights than the Audis we still finished P5 and P6, and were able to do the job when we were only a one car team. It’s been a stressful season, but I think we managed it very well.”
“I’m really happy for the team, the engineers, for the crew, Leopard and WRT,” he added.”
With the TCR International Series set to become an FIA-backed championship in 2018, and merge with the World Touring Car Championship, Vernay was positive about the step and the opportunity it presents for 2018.
“Let’s see what’s going to happen for next year so we can see what we are going to do,” he said.
“The championship’s been getting higher, and next year it looks to be going up a level, and I want it. I don’t think if it stays like this I want to race here again.
“I think if we go up a level, there will be even better drivers in the championship, and we’ll be able to fight against the best. I want to fight against the best drivers like Gabriele (Tarquini), Rob (Huff), Gordon (Shedden), where it’s pure racing.”
