MINI racer Reece Barr joins Target Competition for TCR Germany programme

Target Competition has announced the signing of teenager Reece Barr for the 2018 ADAC TCR Championship season.

The 17-year-old from Ireland will make the move into the series on the back of an impressive debut campaign on track in 2017, which saw him finish second overall in the MINI Challenge.

Barr, who won at Rockingham in only his fourth race in the series, has already tested in Target’s Honda Civic and will seek to build on his rookie season as he embarks on a maiden international programme.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to get this opportunity to race with Target Competition in ADAC TCR, especially after all their successes over the past few seasons in TCR,” he said. “The TCR machines are so cool and with the new championship structures within TCR I feel privileged to work alongside such an experienced bunch of guys.

“To be racing tracks like Red Bull Ring, Nürburgring and Hockenheimring in my second year is just unreal and now my winter preparations can be finalised so we can hit the ground running in 2018.”

Andreas and Markus Gummerer, Target team managers, were also pleased to confirm the deal with Barr, who is a member of Andy Priaulx’s Driver Development Programme.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Reece and his supporters,” the pair said. “He really put up a brilliant display in his first race season and when he tested our 2017 car and we can’t wait to see him back on-track in our 2018 car.

“He will need to step up to meet the needs of such a challenging series but we re confident he will be absolutely up for it considering how impressive he was this season and how he kept up with his professional developments. Our 2018 campaign is coming together nicely and we are looking forward with confidence.”