HANSON TO RACE NEW AUDI TCR IN 2022

Next Year, Audi’s new WTCR race-winning machine, the latest RS3 LMS TCR will be driven by youngster Jay Hanson in the national TCR Australia Series.

Audi Sport’s Martorell factory in Spain has opened up to global customer orders, with Australian TCR outfit Melbourne Performance Centre already securing one of the machines.

The new RS3 LMS TCR is the latest evolution of the front-running machine currently raced by Chaz Mostert and Luke King in this year’s TCR Australia Series, with the pair placing first and second in the standings.

The RS3 LMS TCR is Audi Sport’s most produced TCR car, with more than 180 built since 2016.

In that time, it has won over 300 races globally, including seven in TCR Australia – five for Chaz Mostert in 2021, and one apiece for Garth Tander and Frenchman Jean Karl Vernay in 2019.

The new RS3 has taken two victories in WTCR, the world TCR series, this has got Hanson excited to see what he can achieve in the latest spec machine.

“I’m just keen to see what they can do with that little beast,” Hanson said.

“We’ve been committed (to TCR) for a couple of years, but in 2022 we’re ready to give it a red hot crack and see what we can do.

“We have some goals set. We’ll need to see how we go with the team and then we’ll work forward from there.

“I mean we were nearly on the podium this year, so that will be my main goal to start off with.

“Hopefully we can start the year off well, be consistent at the top end and see where we end in the later stages of the year.

“I’m aiming to get as many miles as I can so I’ll be in full swing for when the season commences.”

Hanson started the year with Ash Seward Motorsport in an Alfa Romeo, however elected to depart the team to join MPC.

The 18-year-old will contest the remainder of the season in his Alfa Romeo before stepping into the new Audi in 2022.

“I’ve always liked the look of the Audi, I think it’s a tough, clean looking car,” he said. “Hopefully it goes as well as it looks.

“For Melbourne Performance Centre to have its hands on another Audi is going to work great for the team and myself.

“They know those cars inside out and back-to-front due to working with Audi Sport products for many years.

“It (TCR) is just going to keep on growing as a category, with all these new cars including the Audi and Hyundai now available, I think it’s just going to keep on rising.”

The Audi Sport factory has improved the new model in several areas with tunability being a focus of the new model, providing high variability and quick adjustments.

As well as this, the interior ergonomics have been altered by grouping buttons on the steering and to the right of the driver so they are easier to access, while safety was further enhanced by Audi Sport’s own six-point fixation Protection Seat.

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