Sweden’s WestCoast Racing team is sure that a refreshed driver line-up and an augmented management and engineering framework will make it a formidable force when the 2016 TCR International Series commences as part of the support bill for the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix (1-3 April).
WestCoast Racing now has a full year of experience on the world stage. The Swedish team showed its class and professionalism in 2015 when, despite a limited pre-season test and development programme, it accumulated several race wins, podium finishes and pole positions.
Naturally, having now had sufficient time to be thorough in its pre-season preparations, WestCoast Racing has ambitions to translate its winning form into a championship title.
The Halmstad-based team expects its upgraded ‘Step 2’ Honda Civic TCRs to be the cream of the TCR International crop, and the fact that there is some consistency in its driver line-up also inspires confidence.
Greger Petersson, Team Principal of WestCoast Racing/Sportpromotion, said: “We expect the TCR International Series to be even more competitive in 2016, with more cars and a host of new teams entering the fray. However, we believe our entire setup is very strong and can withstand the threat, because the team’s management, engineers and mechanics are truly international, with an interesting mix of Swedes and other Europeans, and all are at the top of their game.
“Of course, completing the setup are three very strong drivers. We welcome young Finnish racer, Aku Pellinen, to the fold alongside ex-F1 driver and multiple touring car Champion, Gianni Morbidelli, and Kevin Gleason, who came to us as a rookie with limited experience and developed into a race winner and a particularly impressive qualifier.”
Petersson continued: “After a fruitful, yet cold pre-season testing programme, everybody at WestCoast Racing is really looking forward to commencing the 2016 season in Bahrain. TCR is this year introducing a number of European championships. The German series seems very strong and I truly believe this formula is the future of saloon car racing worldwide, maybe also in Scandinavia. The fact that TCR International will be broadcast in the region on the Viasat Motor channel is proof of the growing interest in the series.”