The 2015 TCR Asia Series turns to Thailand for the third event of the season, the Asian championship once more competing alongside the TCR International Series with a record field of entries confirming the success of the new 2-litre touring car formula introduced earlier this year. For the Asian region’s drivers, Buriram comes as a new experience for many of them, although the addition of two local drivers – Tin Sritrai for the returning Asia Racing Team, and Munkong Sathienthirakul subbing for Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Frank Yu – will add an interesting element to the series.
Whilst the points leader has a championship victory on his mind, so too the returning Asia Racing Team who are still holding a narrow Team’s Championship points lead. Opening round winner Philippe Descombes has taken back the Team Manager’s role this weekend, but he has two hot young stars to look after including local driver Tin Sritrai, and Chinese star Kevin Pu who has just returned from his maiden season in the hotly contested European Le Mans Series.
ART might be leading the Team’s points, but they will be under pressure from the two Prince Racing Honda’s this weekend, as well as the three car Roadstar Racing operation which sees another new face behind the wheel of the Top Speed Racing Seat Leon. Johnson Huang is no stranger to Asian competition, having raced against some of his rivals in a variety of categories over the last couple of years, notably as a regular on the Audi R8 LMS Cup one-make program, the Taiwanese driver taking over from his compatriot George Chou who was one of the front-running contenders during the most recent round in Singapore.
Another of the regulars in the TCR Asia Series has stepped out of the driver’s seat to concentrate on the development of his team – FRD Racing Hong Kong’s Kenneth Ma. Another of the new driver’s into the TCR Asia Series, is Malaysia’s Douglas Khoo, the new Niza Racing recruit receiving his brand new Seat León TCR car just days ahead of the Buriram round. Teams will have just one two-hour session on Friday to acclimatise themselves with the 4.554-kilometre, 12-turn Buriram circuit before two more 30-minute sessions on Saturday morning ahead of qualifying, with the TCR Asia Series competitors a part of a 25-car TCR International Series field this weekend.
The two 13-lap TCR Asia Series races will be streamed live via the TCR Asia Series website www.asia.tcr-series.com, make sure you tune in five minutes before the start of each scheduled race to catch the coverage – just remember to check the time zone you’re in against Thailand time [GMT +7:00]!
