The aerodynamically efficient Opel Astra TCR racer will make its debut at the start of the Touring Car Racing (TCR) International Series in Bahrain on April 2 and 3. The purpose-built race car is to be piloted by 39-year-old Italian veteran Andrea Belicchi, and 19-year-old Spanish rookie Jordi Oriola of the Italian Target Competition Team.
Opel Motorsport Director Jörg Schrott is very excited for the Astra TCR’s competitive debut, but he’s keeping his expectations realistic.
“We are a newcomer to the TCR series with our Astra and will definitely need a bit more time to further optimize the vehicle,” said Schrott. “Furthermore, the conditions in the desert are unique. Therefore, we should treat the two races in Bahrain as another important test. We aim to learn as much as possible to have a fine-tuned the Astra TCR as soon as possible after the races.”
So there you have it, in the midst of the excitement surrounding the Astra TCR debut and the start of the season, Opel Motorsport keeps its eyes on the prize. With expected temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius, you can expect the heat to take its toll on the engine cooling system, turbocharger, transmission, brakes, and tire wear. The key thing here is that the folks at Opel Motorsport and Target Competition are not worried, as they’ve made significant progress on the vehicle set-up during the final tests on the Spanish Valencia circuit. And we can’t wait to see how it all unfolds during the competition next week.
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