TCR World and life

8 INTERVIEW WillBrown: thequicklearner TCR AUSTRALIA’S FIRST CHAMPION IS ALL SET FOR TITLE DEFENCE IN 2020 The inaugural TCR Australia Drivers’ title went to HMO Customer Racing’s Will Brown, who started his season in style by winning two of the three races at the year’s opening weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park. In total, Brown recorded seven race victories and no fewer than fifteen podium finishes on his way to securing the title with one round still to go. “It was absolutely awesome to win TCR Australia in its first year,” Brown commented. “I knew a bit about TCR, but not in any great detail like what car to have. To win in the very first year was incredible and the team was great. I’d seen one or two TCR races, but to be completely honest I didn’t know that much. We’re a little out of things here in Australia as we’re a long way away from Europe, so that meant that I didn’t really know which cars were competitive, for example. ” And yet he quickly adapted himself to the driving style required to be competitive at the wheel of TCR cars. “It was a very steep learning curve. I’d never driven a front-wheel drive car, only rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, so learning the car was the first step. From that early start to lifting the title six months later was an incredible feeling.” Brown is fulsome in his praise of the series and its appeal to Australian fans, who quickly grew to enjoy the kind of exciting action that has been thrilling their counterparts around the world since the TCR International Series first appeared in 2015. “People who love motorsport love motorsport! The Australian fans were definitely won over during the year. It was a really good start in terms of media and the great TV coverage has the potential to be even better in 2020 thanks to the Seven Network deciding to show TCR Australia. It was a good show for the fans because it delivered exactly what they wanted to see - close racing, passing and loads of door-to- door contacts.” The competition was very close thanks to the top-level of the drivers who took part in the season, including some renowned guests from the international TCR stage. “I think the level of competition was great. Some of the drivers came from overseas, so they had that experience behind them. The Volkswagen, Honda, Audi, Alfa Romeo and Hyundai cars were up front right from the word go, so we had to work hard and things got even tougher as the season went on.”0 Brown’s focus is now firmly on the 2020 season, which gets underway with the TCR Asia-Pacific Cup at the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne in mid-March and concludes with the TCR Bathurst 500 at the iconic Mount Panorama circuit in November. “I’ll be defending my title in 2020 with HMO Customer Racing again. I think we’ll have some cool rounds, particularly the Bathurst 500 and the TCR Asia-Pacific Cup at the Australian Grand Prix. I’d also love