TCR / 19 April 2016

Kirsch Records First Pole of ADAC TCR Series in Germany

Key ETCC Success for Rikli Team

Honda driver Steve Kirsch is now in the history books, having secured the first ever pole position in the new ADAC TCR Germany series at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. Kirsch showed the competitive nature of his JAS Motorsport-prepared Honda Civic TCR with a time of 1: 35: 589 minutes, five thousandths ahead of his nearest competitor.

"I am very happy to have won Honda's first pole in the ADAC TCR Germany. It was not easy, as some parts of the track were still wet. My fastest lap I wanted to cancel, did but then continued anyway, and everything worked. it's great to be the first pole sitter for ADAC TCR Germany," says Kirsch.

“I want to congratulate Steve and his team for a brilliant qualifying session," says Mads Fischer, Customer Racing Manager at JAS Motorsport who build the TCR Germany  Honda Civics."The weather was variable and the track conditions also but they found the balance quickly and Steve drove a great lap. I believe we don’t have the strongest engine in the field presently so we have to work hard at set-up and driving.”

Meanwhile in the FIA European Touring Car Cup newcomer Kris Richard and the JAS Motorsport-built Civic starred in just their second event in the series to win both races at the Slovakia Ring.

It was a perfect day for Richard’s Rikli Motorsport team, with his fellow Swiss Peter Rikli finishing second on both occasions in his identical TCN2-specification Civic and now leading the Super 2000 standings by a single point over opening-round double victor Petr Fulín with 21-year-old Richard five points further back.

“I am impressed with both the results and the way the Rikli Motorsport team operates,” says Mads Fischer, Customer Racing manager JAS Motorsport. “Rikli tried various set-ups to really find out how to Make the Honda Civic perform. We are happy with the car but missing some speed especially in a straight line. We will work hard on this to get on even terms. Both drivers impressed with good starts and sensible trackcraft.”