Engstler beats Huff in TCR Malaysia Race 1

Luca Engstler pipped pole sitter Rob Huff at the start of TCR Malaysia’s first race at Sepang International Circuit and went on to secure victory in the series’ inaugural round.
The young German and his Liqui Moly Team Engstler Hyundai i30 N sprinted from the second spot of the grid and took the lead from Huff’s TeamWork Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTI. Behind them, Engstler’s teammate Théo Coicaud maintained his third position, while Martin Ryba overtook Paul Ip for fourth after the pair made contact at T2. On lap 2, Ip dropped two more places after another contact with Kai Jordan.
Engstler was able to build a small leading margin, while Ip was trying to defend the seventh position as he was closely chased by Henry Kwong, Charlie Kang and Adam Khalid. On lap 4, Kang and Khalid collided and the Hyundai of the reigning TCR Korea champion finished stranded in the gravel. On lap 5, Coicaud retired from third due to an electric issue and then Ip’s Honda Civic stopped with a broken front suspension, which prompted the safety car into action.
When the race resumed on lap 8, Huff attacked Engstler’s lead; they run abreast and clashed, but the German was able to resist and then pulled away once again. He eventually crossed the finishing line with a 1.8 seconds margin, while Ryba completed the podium in the Brutal Fish Racing Golf GTI, beating Douglas Khoo’s CUPRA by inches; they also finished first and second in the Cup class. The Liqui Moly Team Engstler Golf GTI cars of Jordan, Khalid and Kwong ranked from fifth to seventh, followed by the Prince Racing Honda cars of Michale Choi and David Lau.
Race 2 will start at 15:50 local time (08:50 CET) with Khoo and Jordan filling the front row of the top-eight reverse grid; live streaming at www.tcr-series.com.

TCR Malaysia – Race 1
1) Luca Engstler (Liqui Moly Team Engstler, Hyundai i30 N TCR), 11 laps
2) Rob Huff (TeamWork Motorsport, Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR), 1.804
3) Martin Ryba (Brutal Fish Racing, Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR), 9.539
4) Douglas Khoo (Viper Niza Racing, CUPRA TCR), 10.178
5) Kay Jordan Liqui Moly Team Engstler, Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR), 12.528
6) Adam Khalid (Liqui Moly Team Engstler, Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR), 13.529

Championship points

1. Engstler 29 pts; 2. Huff 23; 3. Ryba 15; 4. Khoo 12; 5. Jordan 10; 6. Khalid 8