TCR: Liqui Moly Team Engstler granted authorisation to use two Audi TT cars in TCR International Series

By Johan Laubscher

It has been revealed that Liqui Moly Team Engstler has been granted authorisation to temporarily run new Audi TT cars in the newly formed TCR International Series.

The German team will be running three cars at the opening round of the series in Malaysia. The line-up includes two Audi TT cars with drivers Franz Engstler and Mikhail Grachev, alongside a SEAT León driven by Lorenzo Veglia.

Liqui Moly Team Engstler announced its TCR campaign last November with the planned entry of three new Volkswagen Golf GTI race cars. Unfortunately these cars are not ready for the beginning of the 2015 TCR season. The team originally planned to run three SEAT León race cars whilst its Golfs are completed, but the team's Liqui Moly sponsorship agreement specifically dictated the use of German cars, thus the SEAT-only option was not plausible.

A solution to Liqui Moly Team Engstler's problem came in the form of the new Audi TT. The possibility of temporarily running Audi TT race cars was evaluated.

Special authorisation has been granted by WSC Ltd and the TCR Technical Committee to allow the Audi TT cars to take part. Surrounded by much secrecy, one Audi TT took part in the TCR balance of performance test days at Barcelona-Catalunya last week (9-10 March).

It was concluded that the Audi TT can conform to the TCR rules with the most notable difference being the coupé body layout which is not normally permitted by the TCR rules.

This has been a special decision to allow and support Liqui Moly Team Engstler to compete in the series whilst the team's Volkswagen Golf GTI race cars are completed.

The TCR press release can be seen HERE.

The 2015 TCR International Series will get underway at Sepang in Malaysia on 29 March.

Photo credit:
TCR International Series
Audi Communications - Motorsport