Jenson Brickley crowned TCR Europe champion as Junesung Park claims maiden win in Barcelona
Monlau Motorsport’s Jenson Brickley clinched the TCR Europe Series title amid late drama in the final race of the season at Barcelona, which was won by Solite Indigo Racing’s Junesung Park.
Brickley came into the reversed-grid race with a five-point margin over Team Clairet Sport’s Teddy Clairet and had looked like missing out on the crown to the Frenchman throughout the 15-lap encounter.
However, as Brickley climbed to fifth ahead of Monlau Motorsport team-mate Eric Gené and Clairet fell behind ALM Motorsport’s Ruben Volt to third in the closing laps, the title went back the way of Brickley.
It caps off one of the most competitive TCR Europe Series seasons, where some nine drivers entered the final race weekend with a shot of the title.
Junesung Park dominated the final race of the year from pole position, winning his first race in the series by just under two seconds from Volt.
Off the line, Park got a great start and maintained his advantage as Teddy Clairet held onto second place despite coming under pressure from a fast-starting Gené.
The Spaniard had to take to the escape road at turn one after trying to drive around the outside of both Teddy and Jimmy Clairet, eventually settling into third place on exit.
Further back, erstwhile points leader Jenson Brickley made up one place from his starting position to sixth, but struggled to make the sufficient progress.
Gené knew that to win the title, he needed to overtake Teddy Clairet but the Monlau Motorsport Cupra León Competición didn’t quite have the pace to seriously challenge the Audi in front.
Entering the closing stages, race one winner Ruben Volt forced his way past Jimmy Clairet for fourth and immediately glued his Honda onto the back of Gené’s Cupra as Park continued to extend his lead out front to nearly two seconds.
Volt dived down the inside of Gené at turn five to grab third place with just under seven minutes remaining, leaving Gené at risk of losing fourth place to Jimmy Clairet.
That allowed Teddy Clairet some breathing space as he went in search of the title.
As Volt and Teddy Clairet began to battle for second, Park stretched clear en route to victory as Gené’s pace dropped off significantly.
Eventually, Jimmy Clairet seized fourth from Gené with a late lunge down the inside of turn 10 which forced Gené wide and behind team-mate Brickley.
Meanwhile, Volt got ahead of Teddy Clairet for second with just under a minute remaining.
The result of these manoeuvres meant that Brickley, now up to fifth, was now in prime position to claim the title.
Away from the drama, Park claimed his maiden TCR Europe Series victory by just under two seconds from Volt and Teddy Clairte.
Jimmy Clairet finished fourth with drivers’ champion Brickley fifth ahead of Felipe Fernández Gil.
Gené dropped to eighth behind René Kircher at the end, with Marco Butti and Junui Park completing the top 10 finishers.
