New for 2023 is the TCR World Ranking, where drivers score points via a dedicated system, which at the end of the year, will see the top 45 drivers in the TCR World Ranking, join the top 15 drivers who have completed in the TCR World Tour.
All 60 drivers will then compete in the TCR World Ranking Final at a location to be confirmed early next year to crown the TCR World Champion Driver, Team and Manufacturer.
Lets take a look at how the TCR UK Touring Car championship drivers have progressed after rounds three and four took place at Croft last weekend.
Bruce Winfield climbs two spots to P16 in the TCR World Ranking
While Bruce Winfield didn’t have as strong a round as the Snetterton opener, the Area Motorsport Hyundai driver had a good enough of a weekend to gain two positions in the ranking, and also move ahead of British driver Rob Huff, who had a comparative disaster with a DNF in his 24H SERIES race at Spa-Francorchamps over the same weekend.
Bruce dropped his two oldest scores which were of almost equal value to his results from Croft, hence relative lack of movement in the ranking.
He’s now the second-best placed UK driver in the ranking, with only Jack Young placed higher (P14).
Adam Shepherd is now a Final qualifier
Despite concerns that he wouldn’t even be racing this weekend, Adam Shepherd’s strong weekend at Croft means the Hyundai driver is now in the qualifying positions for the TCR World Ranking Final, after climbing 31 positions to 47th overall.
With the KUMHO TCR World Tour drivers qualifying for the final based on their series points, this means Shepherd is easily within the next 45 transfer positions for the final, should he hold this position until September.
Meanwhile the absent Josh Files (at least on track), dropped three spots due to other drivers progress to 58th, and is now out of the transfer positions for the final.
Chris Smiley stumbles after challenging weekend
Reigning champion Chris Smiley dropped eight places after a tough weekend at Croft.
A DNF in Race 1, followed by a fight through to ninth, means he rescued some points and is still well-placed in the ranking in 31st position, and maintains his position as the second-best placed of all the series’ drivers.
Jac Constable into the top 50
The winner of the first race, Jac Constable, recovered ground after a terrible opener at Snetterton, and moved up six places in the ranking to 50th place overall.
The Rob Boston Racing Audi driver is also in the qualifying positions for the TCR World Ranking Final as a result.
Big gains further down the order
A series of strong results for the championship newcomers saw some very large leaps in the ranking.
Race 2 winner Jenson Brickley climbed 152 places to 277th, while podium finisher Joe Marshall is already up to 267th of the more than 1,000 ranked drivers, with a 143 place climb.
Carl Boardley, who just missed out on a win in the first race, is up to 250th overall with a 122-place leap.
16-year-old Audi driver Oliver Cottam was the biggest mover of all, climbing 161 places thanks to a steady weekend, which recovers him from the very lowly position he was after Snetterton which was a problematic weekend – the leap moving him from 610th to 449th.
TCR UK Drivers movements in the TCR World Rankings
Next: Oulton Park!
The 2023 TCR UK Touring Car Championship is back in action in 4 weeks time, all in one day on Saturday 10th June, where rounds 5 & 6 will take place at Oulton Park in Cheshire, using the Island layout.
We’ll provide another update on TCR UK driver progress in the World Ranking after that event.
You can purchase tickets for this event at the following link: https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/2023-calendar/
