TCR Europe enters its final three races of the season this weekend with the series’ maiden visit to the TT Assen circuit in the Netherlands. After a dramatic weekend at the Hungaroring last month, the championship is closer than ever, with Mikel Azcona (PCR Sport Cupra) leading Target Competition’s Dusan Borkovic by just one point.

Azcona managed to cling onto his slender points lead in Hungary thanks to an astute tyre gamble in a drying qualifying session to claim pole. The additional five points secured proved all important, after a pair of tricky races for the Spaniard.

While Borkovic claimed his third win of the season in his Hyundai i30 N TCR in the opening race, Azcona finished fourth following contact early on with the KCMG Honda Civic Type R FK8 of Josh Files. The championship leader then finished a lowly 14th in the second race, as Borkovic failed to finish after his own contact with Files.

The leading pair’s up-and-down weekend means Azcona remains on top in the standings on 112 points, with Borkovic a solitary point behind on 111. M1RA Hyundai driver Dániel Nagy sits just 25 points behind Azcona in third (on 87 points) following a strong home round in Budapest.

Azcona was the first to admit in Hungary that chances to take a strong points haul were missed in both races, and is concerned his Cupra will struggle for out-right pace in the remaining races.

The Hyundai is its strongest on the high-speed circuits, of which two (at Monza and Barcelona) make up the final races in the 2018 calendar. This weekend in Assen may prove to be a pivotal turning point in how the title is decided.

The Dutch circuit – renowned for its TT motorcycle races – has a bit of everything. A long back-straight, long radius corners, tight chicanes and two heavy stops. The car that finds the best compromise across each sector will likely be the top scorer come Sunday.

As for the circuit itself, it is the first time the TCR Europe series has visited the Assen track. There are a few genuine overtaking spots, most notably into the final corner, the Geert Timmer Bocht chicane, provided the driver gets the car alongside under braking.

Tyres will be pushed to their limits on this corner, so expect to see some struggling as the races wear on.

No doubt the action will be lively, which means the championship battle for fourth promises to be equally as exciting.

Just 24 points separates Josh Files (4th in the standings) and ninth placed Stian Paulsen. The latter enjoyed a positive weekend in Hungary, claiming his maiden TCR Europe podium with a charging drive in the wet from 14th to second.

Files however, had a difficult round and copped a three-place grid penalty – alongside Borkovic – following contact. Snapping at the heels of Files’ fourth place along with Paulsen are Team WRT’s Jean-Karl Vernay (Audi RS 3 LMS), Files’ KCMG team-mate Attila Tassi, Target Competition’s Kris Richard and M1RA driver Francisco Mora.

Target Competition currently hold a comfortable 40 point lead in the Teams’ Championship, while M1RA closed the gap on second-placed PCR Sport to just 12 points.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR is the lightest of the serious contenders for points after the compensation weights were announced. That car is slightly less heavy than the Hyundai i30 N TCR, Honda Civic Type R FK8, while the Cupra TCR and Peugeot 308TCR are the heaviest.

The Cupra and Peugeot each have a compensation weight of 60kg, while the Volkswagen only receives 20kg.

The weekend will start on Friday with free practice, with the first session scheduled for 12:10 CEST and the second for 14:40, both lasting 30 minutes. Qualifying will be held on Saturday at 08:55, with the usual Q1-Q2 format.

Race one takes place on Saturday afternoon, starting at 14:50 CEST and lasting 25 minutes. The second race will start at 11:00 on Sunday.

Timetable

Friday 17th August

12:10 – Free practice 1

14:40 – Free practice 2

Saturday 18th August

08:55 – Qualifying

14:50 – Race 1

Sunday 19th August

11:00 – Race 2

All times CEST