Photo: Tamara Aller

Josh Buchan: “It was just crazy”

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HMO Customer Racing driver Josh Buchan won the final race of the FIA TCR World Tour finale in Macau after a relentless defensive drive against the Lynk & Cos of Santiago Urrutia and ultimately Ma Qing Hua.

Buchan started from the reverse grid pole position and knew that the start would be key to getting a good result.

“I really didn’t’ have the choice as what I could do, really,” Buchan told TouringCarTimes. “I knew that, if we were side-by-side, and I was on the inside at Mandarin, I’d probably have the position for me.

“The big issue was the start, I really struggled to get our car off the line at the start. The first 20 metres were important and, from then on, if I could avoid the side draft, give another car the tow so he could help with Ma, that was the plan.”

Buchan then focussed on defending hard, knowing his FIA TCR World Tour rivals would not make it easy for him.

“I knew that getting into the lead was going to be the issue, because these guys are super tight and super quick,” Buchan said.

“Once I got into the lead, I wasn’t going to let that get away, they would have to put me in the wall, luckily it didn’t come to that.”

The Australian threw all thoughts of a strategic drive out of the window in order to stay ahead.

“Normally I plan my race very diligently with race strategy, but that race there was no plan,” Buchan explained.

“Just attack, it was just crazy, the pressure that was put on me caused me to overheat the tyres a lot sooner than what I have wanted to.

“I was playing with brake bias, and with everything I could to bring that back, and the car was very responsive, so that helped but, ultimately, the main issue for me was Sector 1 and the car was fantastic everywhere else.”

Buchan is now uncertain about his plans for next season, but would gladly take another opportunity to compete in the FIA TCR World Tour.

“Speak to Hyundai, see if they’d like me back, if there is a TCR opportunity for me, whether World Tour or whatever, I’ll be happy to take it,” said the Australian.