TCR / 23 July 2018

Honda Civic Type R TCR makes Russian debut

The Honda Civic Type R TCR entered yet another new series last weekend as Neva Motorsport gave the car its TCR Russia Cup debut at the Kazan Ring.

Driver Oleg Kharuk qualified seventh of the competitors aiming for the TCR Trophy for gentleman drivers, and 16th overall, but started the opening race from the pitlane; the standard penalty handed out by the series to drivers that switch cars between events.

Kharuk drove a solid race to finish 16th overall in and seventh of the Trophy contenders in the JAS Motorsport-built car.

He started Sunday’s race from his rightful 16th spot and, despite nearly stalling on the line, came home 14th – once again seventh of the Trophy candidates.

He lies seventh in the Trophy standings while Neva Motorsports hold fifth in the overall Teams’ points table.

Mads Fischer, JAS Motorsport TCR Project Leader, said: “When we launched the Civic Type R TCR last October, we said we wanted to see it racing in more territories than the old car, which won 12 titles last year. We have achieved this with the expansion of our customer TCR programme to include North America and now Russia too. Neva Motorsports and Oleg Kharuk have a pretty steep learning curve with the car, but they’re a well-run team and I’m sure they’ll unlock their potential soon. Having been in Kazan this weekend, I’m extremely impressed with TCR Russia; its organisation and media programme and the variety of cars and quality of drivers. I’d like to see more Civic Type R TCRs racing here very soon.”