Photo: TCR Europe

Girolami: TCR World Tour will raise level of other TCR series

Franco Girolami believes the revamp of World Touring Cars for 2023 is “one step in the right way” and will strengthen the TCR series that sit beneath it.

On Friday a TCR World Ranking was launched and a TCR World Tour was announced for 2023 that will feature events that already exist in other TCR series.

Girolami’s recent results, which have put him at the top of the TCR Europe points table ahead of this weekend’s final two races of the season, have meant he is the number one driver in the World Ranking.

“Obviously it’s nice to be at the top, but as always we have to continue working,” he said to TouringCarTimes.

“In the end it’s very nice, it’s very good for the TCR, for the organisation. But as a driver, for me nothing changes. I have to continue working as always, and it’s only one ranking, and I have to keep the focus in my racing career. It’s not like ‘I’m P1 in the ranking and it’s done’. No, I think it’s the beginning.”

On the concept of the World Tour, he added: “I think it’s a very good decision, it’s in the right way. After having seen the WTCR this year, I think this is the best situation for every driver, and also for the brands and for the teams.

“Because now this decision will put potential in TCR Europe, TCR Italy, TCR South America, in every TCR series. Because maybe now you will have together a lot of drivers in TCR Europe and drivers who drive in WTCR, so the level of the drivers is going to be very, very high.

“And this is also very good for example for TCR South America, to show them with drivers from like WTCR to know the level, the teams, the drivers to see what they can aim for. So for me this is the most important and for me it’s one step in the right way.”

Girolami, brother of World Touring Car Cup racer Nestor Girolami, is aiming to participate at a global level next year and is likely to wrap up the TCR Europe title at Barcelona this weekend.