Hyundai’s Josh Buchan is aiming to make history at Bathurst this weekend and become the first driver to secure back-to-back championship victories in the TCR Australia Championship.
The 29-year-old Sydneysider enters the final round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship, the Bathurst International at Mount Panorama, with a 36-point lead following a dominant triple-podium performance in the previous round at Sydney Motorsport Park last month.
While his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR will carry the maximum 40kg success penalty at Bathurst, Buchan is confident he can maintain his top-of-the-table position and defend the crown he secured in the same event last year.
If successful, he will become the first two-time series champion since the introduction of the TCR Championship to Australia in 2019.
On the other side of the garage, teammate Tom Oliphant is looking to complete his first season with Hyundai on a high and cement his top 10 position in the drivers’ standing while also supporting HMO Customer Racing in securing its fourth TCR Australia teams’ championship
HMO Customer Racing will have two 30-minute practice sessions at Mount Panorama on Friday ahead of qualifying on Saturday at 9:10am and the opening race, which starts at 2:05pm. The team will return to the track on Sunday for the final two races of the season, with the top 10 finishers from Saturday’s first race reversed for the second sprint.
Fans can catch all the action from the Bathurst International, Round 7 of the TCR Australia Championship and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series at Mount Panorama, live and free via 7Plus.
What the drivers said:
Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan
“I’ve been very fortunate to be a championship contender going into a last round title decider, so that doesn’t feel foreign to me which is a positive in terms of dealing with the pressure. The feelings are pretty similar but, in reality, there is nothing more I can do than just go out there and do my best, hit apexes, maximise the speed we have in the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR, and the points will take care of themselves. In any case, it’s always exciting to have the championship decided at Bathurst.
“I’m under no illusions that although we have the points lead, nothing’s certain until the last lap of the last race. So, I’m going to go out there and do the best I can. If I look at the title picture, I won’t be looking at the road ahead. My full focus is on trying to get the best results possible rather than just points.
“The potential to become the first driver to secure two TCR Australia Championships has been a great motivation for me since the start of the year. At the same time, I’m not looking at defending a title, I’m looking to go out and win one. Whether it’s the first, second or fifth title, it doesn’t really matter: it’s the championship this year, and that’s what I’m focused on.”
Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant
“Bathurst is the pinnacle of our race season, and I always look forward to competing at what is undeniably one of the greatest circuits in the world. As we don’t know yet whether TCR will be racing again at Mount Panorama, I really want to make the most of this and enjoy every moment of it.
“I have a lot of confidence in my Hyundai i30 N TCR and we have been among the quickest at the last two events, so I’m looking forward to throwing it around the mountain and finish the season on a high. I would love to add a Bathurst trophy to my achievements. I’ve got a trophy from Le Mans, and a number of other circuits that are on my bucket list, and I would love to add some Bathurst silverware to that collection. That’s my aim this weekend.”
2024 TCR Australia Championship: After Round 6, Sydney Motorsport Park
| Position | Name | Car | Points |
| 1. | Josh Buchan | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 640 |
| 2. | Zac Soutar | Audi RS3 LMS | 604 |
| 3. | Brad Harris | Honda Civic Type R | 579 |
| 4. | Ben Bargwanna | Peugeot 308 P51 | 555 |
| 5. | Jordan Cox | Peugeot 308 TCR | 548 |
| 6. | Ryan Casha | Peugeot 308 TCR | 546 |
| 7. | Dylan O’Keefe | Lynk & Co 03 TCR | 529 |
| 8. | Tony D’Alberto | Honda Civic Type R | 490 |
| 9. | Aaron Cameron | Peugeot 308 TCR | 475 |
| 10. | Tom Oliphant | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 418 |
2024 TCR Australia Championship – Round 7, Mount Panorama, Bathurst
| Track Facts | |
| Location | Bathurst, NSW |
| Length | 6.213 km |
| TCR Pole Record | 2:12:1640sec, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3) – 2022 |
| TCR Lap Record | 2:14.2621sec, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3) – 2022 |
TCR Schedule – Round 7, Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW
| Friday November 8 | Saturday November 9 | Sunday October 20 |
| Practice 1: 11:20am | Qualifying: 9:10am | Race 2: 10:05am |
| Practice 2: 4:40pm | Race 1: 2:05pm | Race 3: 2:10pm |