Photo: TCR Australia

MPC retain Russell Ingall and Leanne Tander for Winton round

The Melbourne Performance Centre (MPC) outfit has confirmed that both Russell Ingall and Leanne Tander will return to steer the team’s Audi RS 3 LMS entries at the next TCR Australia series round to be held at Winton Raceway.

Driving on a race-by-race basis, MPC has retained the pair to take the helm of the #100 and #3 RS 3 LMS machines in the next round after both have found success in previous rounds.

Joining the series in the second round, 2016 Formula Ford champion Tander recorded a best finish of eighth in her debut race at Phillip Island and repeated that at The Bend Motorsport Park, currently sitting 14th in the championship.

While 2005 V8 Supercars champion Ingall joined the fray a little later in round three at The Bend, a podium appearance in every race at Queensland Raceway means he now occupies tenth place in the championship standings, outperforming some of the full-time drivers.

Ingall will again steer the #100 entry with Tander in the #3 car though the team’s third Audi RS 3 LMS still has a vacant seat after Leanne’s husband, and 2007 V8 Supercars champion, Garth Tander, TCR International series champion Jean-Karl Vernay and Aaron Seton all drove the #4 car across the past two rounds.

Garth Tander drove the #4 car to a race and round win at The Bend while Vernay won the opening race in Ipswich before being substituted on Sunday for Aaron Seton after an illness sidelined the Frenchman.

It is expected that the 2015 Super3 series winner Liam McAdam will fill the seat after a recent test at The Bend.