TCR / 04 November 2024
Triple title success for Civic Type R TCR
The Honda Civic Type R scored a magnificent treble title success last weekend to bring the JAS Motorsport-built touring car's record to 18 major championship crowns in 2024.
TCR Chinese Taipei
Gao Zilong and Liming Racing claimed the big prizes at Lihpao as they secured the Drivers' and Teams' Championships in the final race of the season.
Zilong qualified on pole position but suffered a poor opening race, coming home only sixth while his only title rival, Team AAI's Shi Shiwei, won in his Civic to prolong the championship battle into Sunday's finale.
While Shiwei won again, this time Zilong sat behind him by a few seconds for the entire duration and took a comfortable second-place finish to seal not only the Drivers' title, but also settle the Teams' Championship in Liming's favour.
Liming had already celebrated on Saturday when Wu Yizhan finished second overall to wrap up the Class B crown. Yizhan won again on Sunday; this time in third overall right behind team-mate Zilong. Chen Guoping was second in Class B both times.
Border Racing’s You Yihao sprinted from the back of the grid into second place by half-distance in Race Two, but saw his efforts thwarted by a puncture that dropped him to seventh.
Super GT
Team UPGARAGE took advantage of wet weather in qualifying to set themselves up for their first GT300 podium finish of the year at Motegi.
Drivers Takashi Kobayashi and Syun Koide combined to qualify third in a wet Saturday session and used that to propel them to a competitive showing in a dry race.
Despite losing several places through the opening phase of the race, Kobayashi and Koide used a clever strategy to vault back into third spot and a podium finish by the chequered flag.