NEW TCR UK SERIES COULD BE CREATED

Requests to start GB series have been made but BTCC boss Gow rules out cooperation

The TCR touring car formula could come to the United Kingdom after series promoter Marcello Lotti confirmed the viability of a national series was being investigated.

Launched in 2015, TCR was designed to be a low-cost alternative touring car category and has quickly grown in popularity.

After a successful first International Series season in 2015, the formula has expanded into regional markets with series taking place in Germany and Thailand, plus Asia and the Benelux countries.

TCR regulations also form the basis of classes in other series and standalone events, while for 2017 the World Touring Car Championship will add a second class of cars that are built to modified TCR blueprints.

Current manufacturers with vehicles built to its regulations include SEAT, Honda, Volkswagen, Alfa Romeo, Opel, Ford, Peugeot and Subaru.

Lotti, who organised the WTCC until 2014, said he had initially held reservations about launching a series in the UK, with an established leader in the form of the British Touring Car Championship, but was pursuing the idea after demand from interested parties.

“We have some requests from different groups of people to establish TCR in the UK. It would not be before 2018, but nobody knows – could be never, could be 2017,” said Lotti. “When these people called us the first thing I said is ‘look, you have a fantastic touring car championship [the BTCC] – I don’t see that there is space for a different touring car championship’.

“But the BTCC has works teams and TCR is for