MPC hopes to attack 2023 with upgraded Audi’s and Supercars star

Melbourne Performance Centre will tackle the 2023 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series with three upgraded Audi’s.

Audi’s official customer support team has expanded to three new Audi RS 3’s and hopes one of them will have Erebus Motorsport Supercars driver Will Brown behind the wheel.

MPC is currently in negotiations with potential sponsors to lock in Brown for 2023, who is expected to sign a contract extension “shortly”.

In addition to winning the inaugural TCR Australia Series, Brown fell just short in another productive 2022 season, finishing runner-up to Tony D’Alberto by nine points.

The team, which won the 2021 title with Chaz Mostert, plans to field the one-time Supercars race winner in the new for 2022 RS 3 raced by Jay Hanson in last year’s series with great success.

Jay Hanson leads the TCR Australia field through the opening sequence of corners at Simmons Plains in the upgraded Audi last year.

The new car proved to possess a lot of pace with Hanson scoring wins at Queensland Raceway, Sydney Motorsport Park and Phillip Island, plus three pole positions on his way to 10th in the championship where incidents proved costly.

MPC is also on the hunt for two more drivers, including the car Brown drove in 2022 and its spare chassis, last raced by Michael Clemente at the Bathurst International.

Privateer Iain McDougall, who runs his RS 3 car from MPC’s Eastern Melbourne facility has committed to a second season.

Will Brown celebrates winning the 2019 TCR Australia title. Image: Daniel Kalisz Photographer

MPC director Troy Russell said he would love to see Brown fight at the front and lead what is hoped to be a “competitive” three-car team.

“We are really very confident that we are going to have a competitive line-up for the 2023 TCR Australia season,” he said.

“We still have a number of elements to lock away, and there are some time pressures, but interest has been positive.

“Locking away Will (Brown) in the new-specification RS 3 is a priority, and we hope to be able to make a firm announcement on that shortly.

“Jay Hanson proved the capabilities of that car, and with Will’s extra experience, we feel that will be a title contender.

“Not that the other two cars are lacking for speed, though. Will showed how good his Audi was, finishing second in the title. That chassis also won the 2021 series. We suspect that chassis is the most successful that we have here in Australia.”

The 2023 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series begins with the Race Tasmania event on February 24-26.

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