TCR / 18 September 2023

Double-doubles for Civic Type R TCR in Europe

Double wins for Niels Langeveld and Kasper H Jensen launched the Civic Type R TCR drivers into the lead of two major European TCR series on a weekend of huge success for the JAS Motorsport-built car on the continent.

 

TCR Italy

Dutchman Niels Langeveld is the new championship leader after a near-perfect weekend at Monza that also featured a milestone result for his MM Motorsport team.

His Race-Two win on Sunday was the 42nd for MM with the Civic Type R TCR - an all-time record - and came after he passed team-mate Paolo Rocca on lap two and then remained calm through two long safety-car periods to sprint to victory.

He'd inherited victory the day before many hours after the chequered flag after a raft of penalties moved him up from third on the road and now heads the Drivers' Championship aboard his new FL5 Civic.

Team-mate Rocca was the Under-25s division winner in Race Two in fourth place overall with ALM Motorsport's Ruben Volt sixth. Volt had been second in Race One before a penalty for cutting a chicane dropped him to 10th.

TCR South America Trophy Champion Fabio Casagrande, making his Italian debut with MM, was 26th in Race Two after being eliminated in a multi-car accident the previous day.

 

TCR Denmark

It was a similarly superb weekend for GMB Motorsport as the series visited Padborg Park for its annual night race.

Kasper H Jensen made it four poles in a row and five from this year's six events so far aboard his GMB Civic and then dominated Races One and Three to make it seven wins in 2023 - more than any other driver racing a Civic Type R TCR anywhere in the world this year.

Sixth in the reversed-grid race means he has re-taken the lead of the Drivers' Championship while also helping elevate Honda to the lead of the Makes' rankings and to increase GMB's advantage in the Teams' title race.

Team-mate Gustav Birch took a best result of fourth in Race One and twice won the Under-25s division to increase his lead in that class with one round to go. TPR Motorsport's Kevin Brandsborg was the Under-25s winner in Race Two.

JAS Motorsport Development Driver Philip Lindberg was an excellent third overall in Race Two - his third podium in the past two events - while Kim Konig was third in the Trophy class in Race One for Team Bundgas.

 

IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge

With LA Honda World Racing withdrawing its pair of FL5 Civics during the build-up to the race, HART was the only Honda representative at Indianapolis as Tyler Chambers joined team regulars Steven Eich and Chad Gilsinger.

Gilsinger started strongly to run in an eight-car battle for the lead, but a wheel-gun malfunction at the first pitstop cost valuable time and a holed hose under the bonnet caused the car to retire in the final hour as the car fought back.