Paul Jeffrey
Premium
It was a wild weekend of thrills and spills for the TCR International series finale that saw Target Competition driver Stefano Comini crowned the inaugural Champion at the final race of the year.
Heading into the Macau weekend with a slender points advantage, Comini managed to navigate his was around the carnage to bring home the title honours in style with a victory in the final race, denying Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Pepe Oriola the spoils in what has been a highly successful debut year for the rapidly expanding TCR regulations.
With Jordi Gene an outsider for the championship the weekend was always about the fight between Macau rookie Comini and Spaniard Oriola to see who could best steer clear of trouble on the notoriously difficult street circuit.
With the first race wrapped up convincingly by TCR debutant and WTCC driver Rob Huff the title protagonists were left to scrap over the more minor placings, finishing race one third (Comini) and fourth (Oriola) to take the fight down to the final race.
Despite a sizeable accident early in the race eliminating over half the field, both drivers found themselves disputing the same pieces of tarmac when the race was restarted. However fans were left to rue a case of 'what could have been' when Oriola had to retire his car, and the championship opportunity, after mild contact led to a race ending broken radiator.
“We knew that it would be really hard after qualifying,” said Oriola to TouringCarTimes.
“(In the race) I was faster but it was just impossible to overtake him. He was closing all the doors. It was an extremely close fight at the end, but he braked a little bit earlier than I expected and I just pushed him and I broke my radiator.”
“I’m really happy for my season as a whole as I had about 12 podiums. It was a really close fight and we proved we were both good drivers. Of course I wanted to win, everyone wants to win, but he deserved it, there’s nothing I can say, and all year we had a good clean fight between the both of us.”
Comini meanwhile was left somewhat speechless as the end of the race as the title victory began to sink in “I am proud to be in the history of the TCR International Series, which is the future. I would like to be back next year. I am also very happy to have won in Macau on my first visit to this fantastic track, I fell in love with it at first sight and it adds to the sweet taste of this fantastic day.”
"He knew (Oriola) he had to pass me, but so did I, so I defended and it worked out. Honestly I think that this psychological strength is what gave me the title. Pepe did push me a couple of times, and in the end retired because he hit me at Lisboa. I wouldn't have done the same, but on the other hand I understand his position and I know why he did it. I have no problem with that, it was an element I had to take into consideration during the race.”
After a highly successful debut season, and various national series already announced, the TCR concept of touring car racing looks like it is very much here to stay. I for one could not be happier about that.
Do you think the new TCR concept has been a success in its debut season? Let us know in the comments section below!
Met the man at the Zurich car show. Such a great guy to talk to.
