TCR / 08 July 2024
JAS Development Driver Montenegro wins in Civic Type R TCR
A maiden TCR Europe victory for Ignacio Montenegro and a podium for fellow JAS Motorsport Development Driver Levente Losonczy highlighted a terrific weekend for both the Honda Civic Type R TCR and NSX GT3 Evo 22.
TCR Europe
Ignacio Montenegro was in a class of his own in Saturday's closing race at Spa-Francorchamps as the Argentinian stormed to his first series win aboard his Honda Civic Type R TCR.
The ALM Motorsport racer, who has joined the JAS Motorsport Driver Development Programme this year after claiming the 2023 TCR South America crown, climbed to second at the start and then passed team-mate Levente Losonczy next time around.
Once in the lead he was unchallenged, despite a late-race safety car, while Losonczy put on a showcase of exceptional defensive driving to seal third spot.
They had been fifth and 11th in Race One; Montenegro moving up to third in the points and taking a double win in the Rookie Championship - which he can now clinch at the next round at Brno.
Their ALM team-mate, Ruben Volt, scored a commanding victory in Race One. He passed first-time polesitter Felipe Fernandez, of GOAT Racing, midway round the opening lap and drove flawlessly for his second series win of 2024.
His seventh spot in Race Two means that although he remains fourth in the points, he has closed the gap to the series lead to just 30 points with 180 still to play for. ALM increased their lead in the Teams' standings.
Fernandez drove superbly to finish third in Race One - equalling his career-best result and winning the Diamond Trophy class - and then to take fifth in Race Two from 10th on the partially-reversed grid.
Team-mate Santi Concepcion war second in the Rookie class in both races and took a best overall finish of ninth. Ruben Fernandez did not finish either race.
Thailand Super Series
Singha Motorsport Team Thailand scored a podium treble with their NSX GT3 Evo 22s as the series made its annual trip to the Bangsaen street circuit.
Having paced practice, Voravud Bhirombhakdi and Carlo van Dam qualified second and third for the two races; the former dropping to third early in the opener, but remaining in the hunt for a strong finish.
Van Dam emerged from the mandatory pitstops second, having taken over driving duties from Bhirombhakdi, and, despite having to manage his brakes in the latter stages, held off a charging Kantasak Kusiri - in the sister NSX - to the flag.
It was Kusiri's co-driver, Piti Bhirombhakdi, who was on a charge in Race Two. Having run fourth for most of the race, he passed Voravud for second place just before the safety car came out with six minutes of the hour remaining.
Released for two racing laps at the end, and with the field tightly bunched, he defended resolutely to take second - and the points lead for himself and Kusiri - with Voravud Bhirombhakdi/van Dam fourth.
