Kumho now supplying TCR Australia, South America race series

LONDON — The organizer of the Touring Car Championship (TCR) road-racing series — which struck a tire supply deal a year ago with South Korea's Kumho Tire Co. Inc. for four European series — is switching TCR championships in Australia, South America and Brazil to Kumho as well.

Kumho already supplies race tires to TCR-sanctioned road-racing series in Denmark, Europe, Eastern Europe and Spain.

The TCR class comprises front-wheel-drive sedans powered by 2-liter turbocharged engines. Cars eligible include Alfa Romeo Giulia, Audi RS3, Cupra TCR, Honda Civic, Hyundai i30N, Peugeot 308 GTi and Toyota Corolla.

In Australia, Kumho takes over the role of control tire supplier for the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia seires from Michelin, which had been the series' tire supplier since the Australian TCR series' launch in 2019.

Ben McMellan, head of category operations, Australian Racing Group, said the change is an "important step for TCR Australia to make to fall in line with other major TCR categories around the world.

"Switching to Kumho means our drivers will have exactly the same compound and construction of tire that the TCR World Tour teams will be using when they race here later this year.

"It also means that if our drivers or teams want to compete internationally, they are likely to have the same level of tyre knowledge.

McMellan thanked Michelin, calling the tire supplier a "terrific supporter" of TCR in Australia.

Kumho has assigned global distribution of race tires for the TCR series to Race Tyres International, based in Porto, Portugal. The local distributor will be European Technique Race Tyre Service.

The Australian TCR series has scheduled seven race weekends this year, starting Feb. 11-13 and wrapping up Nov. 11-13. Two of the rounds will be part of the TCR World Series, a nine-race championship that overlaps with TCR racing series on four continents.

The overlapping championships in South America have scheduled four events in Brazil — in Interlagos, Santa Cruz do Sul, Velocitta and Brasilia — as well as races at Rivera and El Pinar, Uruguay, and four races in Argentina at circuits not yet named.

There are 17 TCR-sanctioned series operating around the world, including TCR Asia (Michelin), TCR Baltic (Hankook), TCR Benelux (Yokohama), TCR Germany (Hankook), TCR Italy (Pirelli), TCR Japan (Dunlop), TCR U.K. (Goodyear) and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in North America.