TCR added to Bahrain GP

Manama : Leading touring car championship, the TCR International Series, has been added to the support race programme of the 2017 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix to take place at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir from April 14 to 16.

The weekend’s support programme now features a pair of top-class international series, namely the FIA Formula 2 Championship and TCR; to go along with the leading one-make regional championship, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.

TCR will be holding the second of 10 rounds in its 2017 season at Bahrain.

The championship kicks off on April 1 and 2 at Rustavi International Motorpark in Tbilisi, Georgia, with other events scheduled for Spa (Belgium), Monza (Italy), Salzburgring (Austria), Budapest (Hungary), Oschersleben (Germany), Sochi (Russia), Buriram (Thailand), Zhejiang (China), and Yas Marina Circuit (Abu Dhabi).

There are 13 teams competing this season, led by defending champions Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing.

Now in its third year, TCR International Series was conceived and launched by Marcello Lotti, the man who revived the FIA World Touring Car Championship back in 2005. He envisioned a new class that could fill a gap at the bottom of the Touring Car pyramid, one that was affordable for car manufacturers and independent teams alike and was capable of offering close and exciting
races.

Seven leading brands of car manufacturers are to be represented at in the series’ races in Bahrain – Audi, Volkswagen, Honda, SEAT, Alfa Romeo, Opel and Kia.

The addition of the TCR International Series adds to the many attractions already lined up for this year’s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.