Newsham is the first TCR UK leader after Brands Hatch’s opening
Viktor Andersson, Adam Shepherd, and Callum Newsham all took one win each at the first weekend of TCR UK at Brands Hatch. By adding the points of the win in the last race to those of the pole, fourth in Race 1 and second in Race 2, Newsham left Brands as the early leader of the standings, eight points clear of Shepherd.
The next round of the championship will take place at Snetterton on May 18th/19th.
Race 1 - Newsham had scored the pole but lost out at the fast-starting Andersson, who was making both his and Lynk & Co’s debut in the series. Since then, Andersson was fighting to defend against the chasing pack, with Newsham attempting to get past the Swede at Druids on lap 7 but with no success. A lap later, Carl Boardley deposed Newsham of second at Druids and then took the fight to Andersson but couldn’t find a way past. Shepherd, recovering from a mixed qualifying, worked his way up to fourth by lap 18 and got past Newsham to take the final podium spot. Boardley made one final lunge at Andersson at Druids on the final lap but then had to defend against Shepherd; they made slight contact but continued and completed the podium behind Andersson who secured his first TCR race victory.
Race 2 - With the top ten reversed, there were a number of slower cars to the fore. It was Shepherd who had an incredible start from P8, launching his way around the outside into Paddock Hill to take the lead, while pole-sitter Rick Kerry settled into second before going wide at Graham Hill bend. This promoted Luke Sargeant to second, until Newsham made his way past at Druids on lap 3. Boardley, Joe Marshall and Andersson were also on the move, up to fourth through sixth, before lap 6, when Marshall overtook Boardley at Druids and set chasing the top three. Marshall passed Sargeant two laps later on the straight. Andersson overtook Boardley who picked up a five-second penalty for track limits, but he was able to build a large enough gap to Bradley Hutchison behind, so it made no difference. Shepherd took a comfortable win ahead of Newsham and Marshall.
Race 3 - Newsham again started from the pole of the grid based on the second fastest laps from qualifying, with Andersson alongside. This time the Swede had a lot of wheelspin off the line and lost out to Boardley on the run up to Druids; Newsham began to pull away while a five-car train began to form behind Boardley, with Andersson eventually making his way past on lap 10. Shepherd, who had started from the back, quickly made his way up to sixth and was in a long battle with Hutchison, taking fifth on lap 8, before Hutchison took it back three laps later. Shepherd then retook the spot with a move at Paddock Hill on the penultimate lap. Boardley was fighting to hold back a frustrated Marshall for third, with the latter receiving a five-second penalty which would drop him to sixth at the end, while Shepherd and Hutchison were promoted to fourth and fifth. Newsham claimed an easy win, nine seconds clear, with Andersson second and Boardley third. After the race, Andersson was excluded for failing the ride height check, with Boardley and Shepherd moving up to second and third.
Brands Hatch – Race 1
1. Viktor Anderssson (MA:GP, Lynk & Co 03), 25 laps
2. Carl Boardley (CBM Hart GT, CUPRA Leon Competición), 0.269
3. Adam Shepherd (Area Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición), 0.646
Brands Hatch – Race 2
1. Adam Shepherd (Area Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición), 25 laps
2. Callum Newsham (JH Racing, Hyundai i30 N), 2.801
3. Joe Marshall (Rob Boston Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS), 8.069
Brands Hatch – Race 3
1. Callum Newsham (JH Racing, Hyundai i30 N), 22 laps
2. Carl Boardley (CBM Hart GT, CUPRA Leon Competición), 10.475
3. Adam Shepherd (Area Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición), 11.064
Championship points
1. C. Newsham, 109 pts; 2. A. Shepherd, 101; 3. C. Boardley, 98
Picture: TCR UK/Jakob Ebrey
