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WORLD AND LIFE
TCR CHAMPIONS 2016
NEWS
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DRIVERS TEAM
Dmitri Bragin
by Vadim Nikishev
After an evaluation season in 2015,
the SMP Russian Circuit Racing Series
has embraced the TCR concept for
the Touring class, its main category.
Before the season kicked off, many
were convinced that it would be easy
for Lukoil Racing to defend the title
won by Aleksey Dudukalo last year,
especially because the team had
entered a trio of SEAT cars with
experienced drivers like Nikolay
Karamyshev and Roman Golikov
alongside the reigning champion.
However, Dmitry Bragin upset the
predictions. The TAIF Motorsport
driver soon proved to be the fastest
of the field and claimed the title in
dominant fashion.
“I am very pleased to see that the
level of our championship is growing,
year after year. We are moving
forward, which should always be the
goal in any challenge for both drivers
and promoters.”
Incidentally, Bragin also won the
title in the Touring Light class.
“Next year I will continue racing with
TAIF Motorsport in the Touring class,
but more likely I won’t participate in
the Touring Light. I have won the title
twice in the last two years and the
LADA Sport team is due to leave that
class to focus on Touring and
Super Production. I have already been
invited to drive the Vesta for
LADA Sport, but for the time being
I have a contract with another team,
so during next season I’ll just
watch the Vesta progress. Then we will
see for 2018. For sure I would be
tempted to drive a Russian car…”
You won a European Touring Car
title back in 2014; are you thinking
about further international
experience?
“As for 2017 I’m not sure. This year
we opened the score in the TCR Trophy
Europe at Smolensk Ring, as it was
the first event. But to stay in
contention it was necessary to take
part in further events while my main
goal was to win the two titles in the
RCRS.”
In the Touring class you had to face
the Lukoil Racing trio of experienced
drivers.
“The competition was tough. It was
my first year in TCR and I had to
adapt to the SEAT León, while my
competitors from Lukoil Racing were
already well acquainted with it. But