Brad Thurston will make his debut in this year’s TCR UK Touring Car Championship, driving a Sport77-run Audi RS3 LMS TCR, which is eligible to compete in the new-for-2024 Gen 1 Cup Trophy.
Sport77 has already announced that both Will Powell and Alex Jones will be driving Honda Civic Type-R TCR machinery this season with the support of J.A.S Motorsport. Thurston joins fellow teammate Cedric Bloch in the sister Gen 1 squad, who will both run examples of the Audi RS3 LMS TCR.
Having already driven TCR machinery in his motorsport career, Thurston expects no issues adapting from the RWD Porsche to the FWD Audi this year.
Brad’s TCR UK campaign will begin with the opening three rounds of the season taking place at Brands Hatch on 13-14 April, where the Indy circuit will play its part as the season premiere for 2024.
Ahead of his debut this weekend, Brad is excited to get underway.
“I’m looking forward to joining the TCR UK grid for the first time and going racing in a new paddock. I had no plans to race this year and have done no testing, but sometimes you have to create opportunities,” said Brad.
“With my good friend Will launching his new team Sport77, my long-standing passion for touring car racing and the encouragement of Stewart Lines, it’s the right time to go for it. We will have to see how the weekend goes but I hope to be battling for the Gen 1 Cup honours.”
Team boss Will Powell is delighted to have Brad on board and be working with his former co-driver once more.
“I’m pleased to welcome Brad Thurston as a Sport77 driver for the opening round of TCR UK. We’ve got history, having raced together previously and Brad has since gone on to win a national championship in GTs. It’s come together late and is a bold move by Brad, but we’ll do everything to ensure he has a fun weekend,” explained Will.
“With Cedric Bloch and Alex Jones starting later in the season, we’re building up to run four entries, two Audi RS3 Gen1s and two Go-Fix Honda FK7s, by the end of the year which is in line with the organic growth of our challenger team.”
Championship Promoter Stewart Lines welcomes Brad to TCR UK and comments on the expanded lineup of Sport77 ahead of the Brands Hatch weekend.
“It’s great to have Brad in a TCR car and I wish him all the best for his first weekend with us in the TCR UK Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch.”
You can now purchase tickets for the opening event of the 2024 season, at Brands Hatch, from their website: https://www.brandshatch.co.uk/2024/april/tcr-uk-touring-car-championship
To find out more about the TCR UK Touring Car Championship visit https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/ for more information and how to get involved.
To find out more about the events on the 2024 TCR UK Touring Car Championship Calendar, visit https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/2024-calendar/ for more information.
