Reigning TCR Asia Series Teams and Drivers Champions Liqui Moly Team Engstler are the first to confirm their high profile entry into the inaugural SIC888 endurance race scheduled for Sunday, October 7 at Shanghai International Circuit.
The team will enter three of their drivers, including current TCR Asia Series points leader and reigning TCR middle East champion Luca Engstler, multiple TCR Asia race winner Diego Moran, and Frenchman Theo Coicaud who has formed part of the Engstler team in TCR Germany this year.
With the TCR Asia Series running as a support category to SIC888, it was a natural progression for Team Engstler’s Kurt Treml, however the German team-boss was quick to point out that their main priority coming into Shanghai was to wrap up the 2018 TCR Asia Series titles for a third consecutive season.
“With Luca [Engstler] leading and Mitchell [Cheah] close behind, we have two drivers capable of taking out our third consecutive Drivers championship, whilst Diego as ever will be in contention for a race win as he closes in on third in the championship,” Treml explained. “That, and securing our third Teams championship title will be our immediate focus, but once we have concluded the TCR Asia program, we will switch our attention to the SIC888 event.”
After claiming the TCR Germany ‘Rookie of the Year’ title last year, Engstler was one of the leading contenders for the TCR Germany title this year, the TCR Asia Series points leader claiming the vice-champions title at Hockenheim just a week prior to the TCR Asia final.
Engstler currently leads his team-mate – Malaysia’s Mitchell Cheah – by 11-points coming into the Chinese round, with both having recorded multiple wins this season, whilst team-mate Diego Moran sits primed to make it a Liqui Moly Team Engstler 1-2-3 for a podium whitewash this year.
Details of which of the three Engstler Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR’s will be entered into the 888-kilometre endurance race are yet to be released, however Moran did confirm the car would run in the colours of his primary sponsor Continental Tyres with the Ecuadorian admitting he was looking forward to the contest.
“I enjoy endurance racing and I love the TCR, so to have the opportunity to combine the two over 888-kiloemetres at one of my favourite circuits was an opportunity too good to miss.”
