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Steering issue limits Josh Files’ progress in opening Assen race

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Josh Files feels he was lucky to finish the first TCR Europe series race at Assen after a steering problem cost him a potential podium finish.

The KCMG Honda Civic Type R FK8 TCR driver started fourth on the grid, despite setting the fastest time in qualifying, due to a penalty and battled leaders Jean-Karl Vernay and eventual winner Dániel Nagy early on.

Files then dropped back into the clutches of Target Competition’s Kris Richard, with the Swiss driver forcing Files wide at the Strubben hairpin on lap seven.

A steering issue with the Honda meant Files slipped down the order throughout the 14-lap encounter, eventually finishing tenth.

“We have a problem with the car but we don’t yet know what, because it’s in parc fermé right now,” Files told TouringCarTimes.

“My start was okay, I felt that myself, Nagy and Vernay were just going to drive away and then for some reason on lap two coming out of the hairpin, the steering went all over the place.”

Files was unimpressed with Richard’s contact but accepted that it did not play a big role in a troublesome race.

“If you look at the rear bumper, you’ll see that I made the corner, someone else didn’t,” Files said.

“Kris just hit me, so I’m not best pleased about that as it was just a push to pass, full on ram.

“I was already suspected a problem so I wasn’t going to defend for my life because I could tell I was two or three seconds off the pace already. I know it’s touring cars but to ram something is really the way to drive.”

Files also survived a heart-stopping drift at the Ramshoek corner in the closing stages as he defended his position from the Cupra of Stian Paulsen, having shifted the brake bias to counter his steering issue.

“Because I couldn’t turn I decided to put the brake bias all the way to the rear and hoped that when I dabbed the brakes, that would make it turn in for me! So it seemed to work.

“We’re very fast and the car, when it was pointing straight, was perfect. I truly believe we would have had a podium, we would have fought with Nagy and Vernay, and then just whatever has happened, it’s gone and ended my race.”