Rounds 3 & 4 – PREVIEW
Donington Park – 28th & 29th May 2022
TCR UK gets set to break more records as the championship welcomes even bigger grids at Donington Park
This weekend’s TCR UK rounds three and four at Donington Park will play host to the championship’s biggest grids ever, with 27 cars lining up after more teams and drivers have signed up following a spectacular opening two rounds at Oulton Park on Easter Monday.
Indeed, the season could not have gotten off to a better start, with two fiercely fought races delivering action-packed touring car competition from start to finish, with two worthy winners emerging from each of the 25-minute encounters.
Former BTCC front-runner Chris Smiley made a seamless transition to the TCR UK grid, by taking his Restart Racing Honda Civic Type R TCR FK7 from pole position to victory in round one. The second of the day’s two races witnessed history in the making as current W Series competitor and F1 TV presenter Jessica Hawkins became the first British woman to claim overall victory in a touring car race, the Area Motorsport by FastR driver taking her CUPRA TCR from second on the grid to an emphatic win ahead of the 24-car field.
Claiming third in qualifying and finishing second in both races, driving his JamSport Racing Hyundai i30N TCR, Irishman Max Hart left Oulton Park leading the championship having amassed 74 points, ahead of Chris Smiley in second with 71. A third place in race one followed by a fourth in race two sees Isaac Smith third on 62, the Race Car Consultants VW Golf GTi TCR driver another who made his intentions clear in the opening two rounds.
Hawkins’ historic win elevated her to fourth in the drivers’ table, closely followed by Callum Newsham who claimed a podium position in round two, the Power Maxed Racing CUPRA TCR driver, unfortunately, having to withdraw from this weekend’s meeting due to illness.
Only one point behind Newsham is 2020 and 2021 TCR UK winner Lewis Kent. Driving his Essex and Kent Motorsport-prepared Hyundai Veloster N TCR – the only car of its kind currently competing in the UK – and with his two titles at stake, he is undoubtably one to watch this weekend.
In addition to the battle for overall honours, 2022 has seen the introduction of the Tom Walker Memorial Trophy for drivers who have yet to set foot on the podium or are new to the championship this season. Having not competed in the championship previously, race winners Smiley and Hawkins collected the spoils for rounds one and two respectively.
Adding to the line-up of silverware, the Goodyear Diamond Trophy for drivers aged 40 and over has also been introduced this season, with Power Maxed Racing CUPRA TCR driver Russell Joyce securing the awards on both occasions at Oulton Park.
In keeping with the first meeting of the year, this weekend’s two races take place as part of the Intelligent Money British GT programme. The TCR action gets underway around Donington Park’s International configuration circuit with a 30-minute Qualifying session at 13.50 on Saturday, followed by the two 25-minute races at 10.43 and 18.25 on Sunday.
The action can be watched live on the following platforms:
Facebook: @tcrukseries
You Tube: @TCRUK
TCR UK is supported by Goodyear, Maximum Networks, Liqui Moly, Corbeau, MaxiCloud Hosted Telephony, Co-ordSport, Berkshire Turbo, Joyce Design, Shepherd Compello Motorsport Insurance, Sunoco UK and Woya Digital. The Championship is administered by Club Time Attack.
