Category: News

Josh Buchan made history at Mount Panorama by winning his second consecutive TCR Australia Championship.

The 29-year-old Sydneysider becomes the first two-time winner since the introduction of the TCR category to Australia in 2019, with HMO Customer Racing cementing itself as the most successful team with three titles in five years following Will Brown’s victory in the inaugural season.

Buchan’s weekend started on a high with a dominant performance in the opening practice session, but he struggled to match the front-running pace for the rest of the weekend as his Hyundai i30 Sedan TCR carried the maximum weight penalty.

His points advantage was narrowed in the opening race despite finishing third, and again in the second race when he was demoted behind his title rival following a post-race penalty for jumping the start.

That left an anxious wait to seal the title in the final race around the challenging 6.21km circuit, in which he cruised to a sixth-place finish.

Team mate Tom Oliphant also a standout weekend with two podium finishes and third outright for the final round in his Hyundai i30 N TCR. The former British Touring Car Championship race winner provided some of the highlights of the weekend; first with a brilliant three-wide pass across the top of the mountain to clinch third in race two, and then a charging drive to challenge for victory in the closing stages of the final race.

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“It’s pretty amazing to back it up and defend the crown by winning this year’s series. I felt quite a lot of pressure to deliver a result for everyone in the team, considering the amount of work they have put in this season. I felt good on Friday and we started really well out of the gate in the first free practice, but it was a struggle to maintain that speed for the rest of the weekend with the weight penalty we were carrying.

“But it’s a massive relief to bring it home, and it’s a real privilege to become the first two-time winner of the TCR Australia Championship with consecutive titles.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“It’s been a fantastic weekend for me personally and the team. My goal coming into the final round was to really attack the track and drive the mountain properly, and I was one of the fastest cars on track all weekend. The second goal was to try and win a trophy, which I achieved with third in race two.

“That created a new goal in trying to win the last race of the year, and I gave it my all. Honestly, I couldn’t have pushed any more: me and Dylan O’Keefe were putting in qualifying laps there at the end. We were right up against the walls, which I loved. To come away with second, having given it absolutely everything, I am really proud and it’s satisfying to finish the season on a high.

“On top of all that, I am really pleased that Josh won the championship. It was well deserved.”

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Race Results: Round 7, Mount Panorama, Bathurst

	Josh Buchan	Tom Oliphant
Practice 1	P1 (2:17.0924sec)	P6 2:18.8581sec)
Practice 2	P6 (2:16.7550sec)	P8 (2:17.0587sec)
Qualifying	P3 (2:137.552sec)	P6 (2:14.1126sec)
Race 1	P3 (2:16.4573sec)	P4 (2:16.4215sec)
Race 2	P7 (2:16.7759sec)	P3 (2:16.7054sec)
Race 3	P6 (2:17.0870sec)	P2 (2:15.5158sec)

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – After Round 7

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	747
2.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	729
3.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	677
4.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	654
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	651
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	649
7.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 P51	623
8.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	536
9.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	490
10.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	475

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

Josh Buchan is in the box seat to defend his TCR Australia title after a dominant performance on his home track at Sydney Motorsport Park during the sixth round of the 2024 series on the weekend.

The reigning champion scored a rare triple podium result in his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR to claim his second outright round victory of the season, with two lights-to-flag victories from pole position while charging from the back of the field to finish third in the second reverse-grid sprint.

Buchan now leads the 2024 TCR Australia Championship by 36 points from Zac Soutar heading into the final round of the series, the Bathurst International at Mount Panorama on November 8-10.

Teammate Tom Oliphant had front-running pace in his Hyundai i30 N TCR all weekend, finishing third in practice, qualifying in fifth and narrowly missed a podium finish in the opening race as he crossed the line in fourth. But his charge was undone in the reverse grid second race when he was forced to retire with driveline damage, and finished sixth outright following a charging drive to fifth from near the back of the grid in the final sprint.

HMO Customer Racing will next head to Mount Panorama for the final round of the championship, the Bathurst International, on November 8-10.

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“This has been a weekend you can only dream of, with pole position in qualifying, a couple of wins and a podium in the reverse grid race. It doesn’t get much better than that, and it is exactly what my championship attack needed heading into the last round.

“I’m very happy that we converted what we knew we could do. But executing it like that is never easy. There was carnage around me at times, and I’m very fortunate to come away from Sydney with a decent points buffer, a straight car and a some more silverware for the HMO Customer Racing trophy cabinet. Now, my sole focus is to keep the number one on my Hyundai and for the team when we head to Bathurst.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“I think this was a weekend that really got away from us. We had high hopes after a positive test day and it all started well great speed in practice. In certain conditions, I am confident we had the second quickest car, but my i30 N hatch is a lot more sensitive to heat in the track than other cars, and it didn’t quite go our way.

“Sadly, in race two when the conditions were in our favour, I made a mistake that at least cost us a podium result, if not a race win. It’s definitely a weekend of ‘could haves’. But we have made a lot of progress with the car and hopefully we can continue that positive trajectory at Bathurst, where hopefully we can end the season on a high.”

Race Results: Round 6, Sydney Motorsport Park

	Josh Buchan	Tom Oliphant
Practice 1	DNS	DNS
Practice 2	P4 (1:36.5538sec)	P3 (1:36.4296sec)
Qualifying	P1 (1:35.2037sec)	P5 (1:35.8838sec)
Race 1	P1 (1:35.7630sec) – FL	P4 (1:36.6575sec)
Race 2	P3 (1:37.8357sec)	DNF
Race 3	P1 (1:36.6055sec)	P5 (1:37.0712sec)

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – After Round 6

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

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Hyundai’s Josh Buchan is aiming to steal the championship lead
in the penultimate round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship at Sydney
Motorsport Park this weekend.

The 29-year-old enters Round 6 of the series in second position, 27 points behind
Zac Soutar, and full of confidence that he can overhaul the deficit with a strong
performance at Sydney Motorsport Park – in order to establish a successful
defensive position in his quest to secure back-to-back titles heading into the final
shootout at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, next month.

The fast and flowing 3.91km circuit has been a happy hunting ground for Buchan,
who has scored half of his TCR Australia race victories and maiden pole position at
his home circuit. It is also the most successful track for his HMO Customer Racing
team, which has taken six race wins, four podiums and one pole position since the
TCR Australia Championship began in 2019.

On the other side of the garage, Buchan’s teammate Tom Oliphant is determined to
continue the form he displayed during the previous round at Queensland Raceway
where he scored his first pole position since joining the series last year, and was
among the fastest drivers on track.

HMO Customer Racing will have two 30-minute practice sessions at Sydney
Motorsport Park on Friday ahead of qualifying on Saturday at 11:10am and the
opening race, which starts at 2:50pm. The team will return to the track on Sunday for
the two remaining races, with the top 10 finishers from Saturday’s first race reversed
for the second sprint.

Fans can catch all the action from Round 6 of the TCR Australia Championship at
Sydney Motorsport Park and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series live
and free via 7Plus.

What the drivers said:

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I have learnt over the last few years since joining the TCR Australia Championship
that, in order to stitch a successful championship challenge together, you really need
to buy yourself a ticket for these last two rounds, and then put it all on the line here,
first of all, at Sydney Motorsport Park and then at Bathurst for the final.
“Traditionally, Sydney Motorsport Park has been a very strong circuit for me, and if I
can get within a sniff of taking the championship lead this weekend then I will be in
with a shot to take back-to-back titles when we head to Bathurst next month. It’s all
to play for now. I’m excited and ready for the challenge.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“Sydney Motorsport Park is a track that should suit my driving style and the team has
an enviable record there, so I’m really looking forward to racing this weekend and
continuing the form I showed at Queensland Raceway in the last round.
“It’s a shame the TCR World Tour isn’t here again this year as I really enjoyed the
challenge of the added competition as well as racing under lights. But we’ve got our
own championships to focus on this weekend and I’m aiming to be up the front again
and challenge for race wins.”

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings:
After Round 5, Queensland Raceway

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	531
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	504
3.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	479
4.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	465
5.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	464
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	461
7.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	447
8.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	405
9.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	403
10.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	347
11.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	341

2024 TCR Australia Championship – Round 6: Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW

Track Facts
Location	Eastern Creek, NSW
Length	3.910 km
TCR Pole Record	1:32.6286sec, Josh Buchan (Hyundai i30 N TCR) – 2021
TCR Lap Record	1:34.8473sec, Will Brown (Hyundai i30 N TCR) – 2019

TCR Schedule – Round 6: Sydney Motorsport Park, NSW

Friday October 18	Saturday October 19	Sunday October 20
Practice 1: 9:30am	Qualifying: 11:10am	Race 2: 11:55am
Practice 2: 2:10pm	Race 1: 2:50pm	Race 3: 3:25pm

Josh Buchan scored Hyundai’s best results at Queensland Raceway with a double podium finish in Round 5 of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship on the weekend.

The defending series champion clawed back from a difficult start to the weekend in qualifying, his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR hampered by carrying the maximum weight penalty, to finish fourth in the opening race and then third in both the reverse-grid second race and final sprint to claim his third podium result of the season.

Buchan’s two third places are the best results – and the first ever podium finishes – for HMO Customer Racing at the 3.16km circuit, located near Ipswich on the south-western outskirts of Brisbane.

It also cemented his second place on the championship ladder heading into the final two rounds of the season at Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama at Bathurst, which have been two of the team’s strongest tracks in the past.

Teammate Tom Oliphant looked set for his best individual results since joining the TCR Australia Championship last year. Despite never having raced at Queensland Raceway before, the former British Touring Car Championship race winner scored his first-ever pole position in the series but was forced to start the opening race from sixth following a grid penalty for an engine change in the lead-up to the event.

The 33-year-old took full advantage of the pace in his Hyundai i30 N TCR during the opening race, charging his way to fourth position as the only driver to overtake in a processional opening race. He was moving through the field again in the reverse-grid second race until he was handed a contentious drive-through penalty that dropped him to 11^th when the chequered flag fell.

Oliphant was the fastest driver in the final race, consistently re-setting his own fastest laps, to come home fourth in the race and the same position for the overall round.

HMO Customer Racing will next head to Sydney Motorsport Park for the sixth round of 2024 TCR Australia Championship on October 18-20.

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“It is great to finally break our hoodoo at Queensland Raceway and score the team’s first podium results at this track. It didn’t look like it was going to happen on my side of the garage at the start of the weekend; it was pretty dismal on Saturday morning after qualifying but my guru engineer Rob Benson tuned up the car and (team boss) Barry Morcom slapped me around the head and here we are with a double podium that limited the damage at what is historically our worst track.

“Now, we’re heading to two of our better circuits and let’s hope the racing gods are on our side, and we can make a good push for back-to-back titles over the last two rounds.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“We had the fastest car, and I was the quickest driver all weekend, and we came away with nothing to show for it which is hugely disappointing. I put it on pole and took my five-place grid penalty, but the potential for podiums and wins got taken away from me for a pointless penalty that wasn’t even my fault.

“I overtook more cars this weekend than anyone else and I’m really pleased with the pace, but I leave Queensland with a sour note in my mouth.”

Race Results: Round 5, Queensland Raceway, Queensland

	Josh Buchan	Tom Oliphant
Practice 1	P3 (1:14.1560sec)	P4 (1:14.1599sec)
Practice 2	P2 (1:14.1490sec)	P7 (1:143649sec)
Qualifying	P7 (1:14.1115sec)	P1 (1:13.4314sec)
Race 1	P6 (1:14.8794sec)	P4 (1:14.7109sec)
Race 2	P3 (1:15.1695sec)	P11 (1:149923sec) – FL
Race 3	P3 (1:9789sec)	P4 (1:148355) – FL

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – After Round 5

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	531
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	504
3.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	479
4.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	465
5.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	464
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	461
7.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	447
8.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	405
9.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	403
10.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	347
11.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	341

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Hyundai’s Josh Buchan is aiming to break through for HMO Customer Racing’s first podium finish at Queensland Raceway, which hosts the fifth round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship this weekend.

The reigning series champion enters the round hoping to continue the momentum from the previous round at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, where he scored a rare triple podium result that elevated him to second place on the drivers’ championship ladder.

But the technical 3.12km circuit has never been a happy hunting ground for HMO Customer Racing and is the only circuit on the calendar where it has yet to score a top three finish from the 12 races it has hosted in four previous visits.

Buchan scored a string of top-six finishes last year in the first appearance at the circuit for the new-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR and is confident he will be among the front runners this weekend as the team has more information on how to extract the maximum from the vehicle.

However, the 29-year-old Sydneysider doesn’t underestimate the challenge ahead of him, especially considering he will carry the maximum weight penalty following his front-row qualifying position at The Bend.

Teammate Tom Oliphant will also carry a penalty into this weekend’s fifth round as the team was forced to install a new engine in his Hyundai i30 N TCR hatchback after the previous motor was damaged in the final race in South Australia.

The expat Brit, and former British Touring Car Championship race winner, will lose five places from his qualifying position but is confident he can fight back through the field despite never having raced at Queensland Raceway before.

HMO Customer Racing will have two 30-minute practice sessions at Queensland Raceway on Friday ahead of qualifying on Saturday at 8:45am and the opening race, which starts at 2:05pm. The team will return to the track on Sunday for the two remaining races, with the top-10 finishers from Saturday’s first race reversed for the second sprint.

Fans can catch all the action from Round 5 of the TCR Australia Championship at Queensland Raceway and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series live and free via 7Plus.

What the drivers said:

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“Historically, Queensland Raceway has been pretty tough on us. But I’m back in the Hyundai i30 Sedan N again this weekend and hoping to keep up the front-running form we showed at The Bend and banish the hoodoo that this track holds over us.

“I’m confident we have a great race car that can overcome the weight penalty, but I know it won’t be easy. If we can get through this weekend relatively unscathed then it puts us in a really strong position for the remaining two rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama at Bathurst, which are two of our best tracks and where we have always targeted in our push for back-to-back titles.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“Queensland Raceway is the one track I missed last year as I was getting married at the time, so I’ll be heading into the unknown again this weekend. But that doesn’t concern me, as I’m confident I’ll get on top of it quite quickly in practice.

“However, I will be racing from being the eight ball with a five-place grid penalty for an engine swap after The Bend, which is a bit frustrating. But it is a track where you can overtake and the Hyundai i30 N TCR is strong under brakes, so I’m looking to recover as much as I can and, really, I have nothing to lose considering my position in the championship and will be going for it this weekend. My only goal from now until the end of the season is to win as many races as possible.”

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – After Round 4, The Bend, SA

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	414
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	393
3.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	383
4.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	378
5.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	366
6.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	365
7.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	347
8.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	343
9.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	315
10.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	306
11.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	238

2024 TCR Australia Championship, Round 5: Queensland Raceway

Track Facts
Location	Willowbank, Queensland
Length	3.126 km
TCR Pole Record	1:12.5223sec, Tony D’Alberto (Honda Civic Type R) – 2022
TCR Lap Record	1:13.9090sec, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3 LMS) – 2022

TCR Schedule – Round 5: Queensland Raceway, QLD

Friday August 2	Saturday August 3	Sunday August 4
Practice 1: 9:00am	Qualifying: 8:45am	Race 2: 1:45pm
Practice 2: 1:40pm	Race 1: 2:05pm	Race 3: 4:15pm

HMO Customer Racing’s Josh Buchan took his first overall round victory of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship with a string of podium finishes at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia on the weekend.

Finishing with two thirds and a second place from three dramatic races, it is only the second time since Buchan joined the TCR series in 2021 that he has finished on the podium in every race during a single round.

His consistent run of form, driving the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR that took him to the 2024 TCR Australia crown for the first time this season, gave him the overall round victory by just four points and elevated the defending champion to second position on the championship ladder at the halfway point of the season.

Buchan made a cautious start to the weekend’s on-track action and forfeited most of the two 30-minute practice sessions on Friday, which were held in wet and slippery conditions, to protect to his car.

This had no detriment on his speed when it came to qualifying, with Buchan narrowly missing out on pole position by less than 0.2sec as a result of being impeded by a rival driver on his fastest lap.

He was forced to start the opening race in seventh position following a five-place penalty for changing engines mid-season as a consequence of returning to the i30 Sedan N TCR for the first time this season.

He bolted off the line, swerving around the stranded Audi of Zac Soutar just in front of him, and charged into third position during the opening laps, before maintaining a watching brief for the rest of the race over a wheel-banging battle between Jordan Cox and Tony D’Alberto in front.

Buchan got a slow start from eighth place in the second reverse-grid race and dropped positions on the opening lap but clawed his way back onto the podium in third.

Starting from pole position for the final, he again struggled to get off the line with too much wheelspin and fell back into the mid-pack by the first corner. Showcasing his exceptional race craft and the speed of his Hyundai, Buchan sliced through the field with lap record pace but ultimately ran out of laps to catch race winner Soutar by the time the chequered flag fell.

Teammate Tom Oliphant also proved to be one of the fastest drivers in the field, despite having never raced at the fast and flowing 3.4km circuit located just outside of Tailem Bend, 100km south-west of Adelaide.

Oliphant took full advantage of practice in spite of the conditions to become familiar with the circuit and topped a session for the first time since joining the TCR Australia Championship last year with the fastest lap in second practice.

In Qualifying, he missed out on a promotion to the Top Six shootout by less than 0.1sec with the seventh fastest time. However, like his teammate, Oliphant also incurred a five-place grid penalty as he switched into the race-winning i30 N TCR that Buchan had driven during the opening three rounds.

Oliphant became embroiled in a number of skirmishes with slower drivers in the opening laps. Once he cleared the mayhem, the Brit matched the leaders’ pace and put up a valiant fight to try and finish 10^th and secure a front-row start for the reverse-grid race. But a late lunge in the final stages didn’t pay dividends, and Oliphant finished 11^th.

He showed what could have been in the second race, muscling his way through the field and gained seven positions to finish fourth across the line with the fastest lap of the race. However, he incurred a five-second penalty for a collision, which later dropped him back to fifth.

Oliphant started the final race with a potential issue when he received warning light on his dashboard during the formation laps, which eventually caused him to stop on track after just a few laps and retire the car.

HMO Customer Racing will next head to Queensland Raceway for the fifth round of 2024 TCR Australia Championship on July 12-14.

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“What a chaotic weekend it’s been out on track. We’ve got some battle scars on my Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR after three hectic races, but I’ve also got a bag of trophies to take home with me, which is extremely rare in this category, and the overall round victory which is amazing.

“I’m positive the results could have been ever better – with a couple of race wins potentially – if I had started from the front row in race one and had better starts in the last two races. But we showed the i30 Sedan N TCR is mega-fast, and it’s nice to be back behind the wheel of my championship-winning car and take another step closer to the lead in the driver’s standings.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“It was a real up-and-down weekend for me at The Bend. We had some great pace in the car, and it was a shame to miss out on getting into the Top Six during qualifying, because that really put us behind the eight ball with the penalty. I’m confident we would been on the first two rows if we had made it through, and that would have had a massive outcome and potentially changed our weekend completely.

“The second race was a real highlight, coming through from 11^th to cross the line in fourth with the fastest lap. The other two races didn’t showcase our potential: we just caught up in avoidable incidents. Overall, I think there’s a lot of positives that give me confidence for better results in the next round at Queensland Raceway next month.”

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	414
2.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	393
3.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	383
4.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	378
5.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	366
6.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	365
7.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	347
8.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	343
9.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	315
10.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	306
11.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	238

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HMO Customer Racing’s Josh Buchan will resume his 2024 TCR Australia Championship campaign in the title-winning Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR for the first time this season in Round 4 of the series at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia this weekend.

The reigning champion was forced to start his title defence in the previous-generation Hyundai i30 N TCR hatchback after his HMO Customer Racing team discovered a minor technical issue with the i30 Sedan N TCR during pre-season testing.

Despite the setback, Buchan has had his strongest start to a championship season so far and currently sits third on the standings, just 22 points behind the leader, with one pole position and six podium finishes from the nine races, including his first victory of the year during the previous round at Phillip Island.

Teammate Tom Oliphant will also switch machinery at The Bend, jumping into the driver’s seat of the newer, race-winning i30 N TCR hatch that Buchan drove in the first three rounds.

The double car swap will place additional emphasis on the drivers in qualifying as the TCR regulations mandate a five-place grid penalty for any driver swapping into a different car during the season.

Amplifying the challenge is the fact that neither driver has any experience racing a TCR car at The Bend Motorsport Park, which returns to the TCR Australia Championship for the first time since the inaugural season in 2019.

However, HMO Customer Racing have race-winning pedigree at the South Australian circuit as the team clinched its first TCR Australia Championship victory at The Bend with Will Brown in 2019.

HMO Customer Racing will have two 30-minute practice sessions at The Bend on Friday afternoon ahead of qualifying on Saturday at 9:30am and the opening race, which starts at 2:45pm. The team will return to the track on Sunday for the two remaining races, with the top-10 finishers from Saturday’s first race reversed for the second sprint.

Fans can catch all the action from Round 4 of the TCR Australia Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series live and free via 7Plus.

What the drivers said:

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“It’s exciting to be back behind the wheel of the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR. I obviously have a great affinity for this car, and there’s a sticker on the dash in front of me reminding of the championship victory that I’ll be happy to see again.

I have only raced once before at The Bend in an F3 car in 2019 but know the track very well through activities like the Hyundai N Festival and driver coaching so I don’t think that will be too much of a disadvantage for us. Besides, the team has a great understanding of what’s required to be quick around there and I’m also racing in the GT4 series again, which will give me extra time to iron out any lumps and bumps in terms of getting up to speed with the circuit.

“The penalty does put us behind the eight-ball a little from the start, but The Bend is a good racetrack with plenty of overtaking opportunities so I’m confident we’ll be competitive this weekend.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“I have never been to The Bend before, which is exciting. I’ve raced on a lot of circuits around the world, and I think learning new tracks is a strength of mine. Plus, I’ve spent some time on the simulator just getting familiar with it, and it doesn’t seem too complex with plenty of overtaking spots. I think it will be a really good race with plenty of action and opportunities.

“Overall, I think it is a circuit that should suit the characteristics of the Hyundai i30 N TCR hatch. The penalty for swapping cars is a bit stupid in my opinion, but it is what it is, and we just have to knuckle down and recover from that with some good overtaking.”

2024 TCR Australia – Round 4: The Bend Motorsport Park Grand Prix Circuit

Track Facts
Location	Tailem Bend, South Australia
Length	3.41 km
TCR Pole Record	1:55.62sec, Dylan O’Keefe (Renault Megane RS) – 2019
TCR Lap Record	1:57.050sec, Nathan Morcom (Hyundai i30 N TCR) – 2019

TCR Schedule – Round 4: The Bend Motorsport Park

Friday May 31	Saturday June 1	Sunday June 2
Practice 1: 10:50am	Qualifying: 9:30am	Race 2: 11:20am
Practice 2: 2:20pm	Race 2:45pm	Race 3: 3:50pm

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings (after round 3)

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	300
2.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	293
3.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	278
4.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	277
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	265
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	257
7.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	256
8.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	242
9.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	220
10.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	215
11.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	210

HMO Customer Racing’s Josh Buchan closed in on the championship lead with a double podium finish in the third round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship at Phillip Island last weekend.

The reigning TCR Australia Champion scored his first race victory of the season in the opening race when he stole the lead on the opening, and then managed his lap-record pace advantage over the rest of the field to greet the chequered flag first.

Looking to repeat his 2023 overall round victory at the spectacular seaside circuit, Buchan was prepared for a conservative run in the second race, which starts with a reversed grid for the top 10. But his plan was foiled before half a lap was completed when a rival crashed into his Hyundai i30 N TCR, which caused severe damage to the rear suspension and an immediate retirement.

Determined to salvage a positive result after his HMO Customer Racing team heroically repaired the car in time to start the third and final race, the 29-year-old Sydneysider charged through the field to finish on the podium, which subsequently elevated him to third place on the driver’s championship ladder, just 22 points behind the new leader, Ben Bargwanna.

Teammate Tom Oliphant had a consistent run of top 10 finishes in the three races, finishing seventh, ninth and seventh respectively. His pace was hampered by carrying the maximum success ballast weight penalty following his maiden TCR Australia Championship round victory in the previous event at Symmons Plains. The former British Touring Car Championship race winner was on course for a potential podium result in the reverse grid second race, having started on the second row, but, like Buchan, was crashed into by a rival which sent him off the road and lost numerous positions.

HMO Customer Racing next returns to The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia for the first time since the inaugural TCR Australia Championship in 2019 for the fourth round of the 2024 series on May 31-June 2.

Car 1: i30 N TCR – Josh Buchan

“When you look at the results – a double podium with a race victory – is pretty good, but it was also an unfortunate case of ‘what could have been’ after being poorly taken out in race two. I get racing, but that was a bit much.

“It was a great recovery drive to finish third in the final race, and miraculously climbing to third on the championship standings which I am quite pleased about. I’m now looking forward to the next round at The Bend and another opportunity to reclaim the lead in the title race.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“We had a lot going against us on my side of the garage this weekend carrying the success ballast from Symmons Plains, which hurt us in terms of outright pace and tyre life. We had a real chance to making something from nothing in race two and I was sneaking my way into a potential podium finish, but then I was speared off the track.

“I should be leaving Phillip Island with a few more points on the scoreboard, which would be nice as I need every point I can get. I’ll take the positives though, as we finished all three races and scored a decent haul. It wasn’t spectacular, but I’m determined to create some spectacular at The Bend for the next round.”

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Race Results: Round 3, Phillip Island, Victoria

	Josh Buchan	Tom Oliphant
Practice 1	P4 (1:37.1401sec)	P9 (1:38.0104sec)
Practice 2	P3 (1:36.4139sec)	P9 (1:37.4311sec)
Qualifying	P3 (1:35.7174sec)	P8 (1:36.7756sec)
Race 1	P1 (1:36.7171sec) – FL	P7 (1:37.2998sec)
Race 2	DNF	P9 (1:36.8806sec)
Race 3	P3 (1:36.7254sec)	P7 (1:37.5507sec)

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – Provisional

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	300
2.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	293
3.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	278
4.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	277
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	265
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	257
7.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	256
8.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	242
9.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	220
10.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	215
11.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	210

Hyundai drivers Josh Buchan and Tom Oliphant are prepared for a new challenge on the resurfaced Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit this weekend during the third round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship.

Buchan dominated the previous event at the fast and flowing seaside circuit last year, scoring pole position and two race victories and is confident of repeating his front-running form this weekend. The 29-year-old Sydneysider, who sits fourth on the championship ladder, is hoping to reclaim the title lead after being robbed of a potential round victory at Symmons Plains in Tasmania.

Buchan was on course for a consecutive podium result after finishing second in the opening race at Symmons Plains but lost his pointscore when the officials declared the race didn’t complete the full distance following a lengthy red-flag period.

On the flipside, the decision allowed teammate Tom Oliphant to score his maiden overall round victory in the TCR Australia Championship – and his first race win with HMO Customer Racing. On the back of that success, the former British Touring Car Championship race winner is confident he will also be among the front runners at Phillip Island and continue his front-running momentum.

Both drivers will, however, face a new challenge at Phillip Island as the 4.445km circuit has been completely resurfaced, which is expected to offer more grip and generate faster lap times.

This will create additional pressure on the drivers and engineers to adapt to the new conditions during practice to fine-tune the cars for qualifying and then manage tyre preservation during the race.

HMO Customer Racing will have two, shortened 20-minute practice sessions at Phillip Island on Friday afternoon ahead of qualifying on Saturday at 11:25am and the opening race, which starts at 3:15pm. The team will return to the track on Sunday for the two remaining races, with the top-10 finishers from Saturday’s first race reversed for the second sprint.

Fans can catch all the action from Phillip Island and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series live and free via 7Plus.

What the drivers said:

Car 1: i30 N TCR – Josh Buchan

“The track is very different with a lot more grip than we’ve had in the past and it will be interesting to see how much faster we can go now, and how it evolves over the weekend. It will be a real test for the engineers to chase the track with the set-up, and for us drivers in how the tyres last over the race distance. We’re stepping into the unknown this weekend, which is a great challenge.

“Phillip Island has always been a track that I’ve gone well at, and scoring pole and two wins last year was a great result that really set us up for the championship victory in the end. I’m pretty motivated after what happened in Tasmania as I feel like I was robbed of a good result. I just want to have a clean run at the front to wipe that one from my memories.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“It is fantastic to come to Phillip Island off the back of a victory at Symmons Plains, and I’m looking to continue that momentum this weekend at one of the fastest and most challenging circuits. Yes, there was a bit of luck involved in our success in Tassie, but more than anything we proved we were fast, and I think we’ve unlocked the speed and I’m now really comfortable and confident in the car. I still have some improvements to make in qualifying, and that is what I’ll be focusing on at Phillip Island to ensure we’re at the front again this weekend.

“Phillip Island, along with Sydney Motorsport Park, is a track that suits my driving style the best as it is quite similar to my favourite track in the UK, Donnington, which is also very fast and flowing. If we can grab a win that would be great, but with 40kg of weight penalty on board I’ll take podiums all day long.”

2024 TCR Australia Championship, Round 3: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit

Track Facts
Location	Phillip Island, Victoria
Length	4.445 km
TCR Pole Record	1:35.8130sec, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3 LMS) – 2022
TCR Lap Record	1:37.1991sec, Will Brown (Audi RS3 LMS) – 2022

TCR Schedule – Round 3: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit

Friday April 12	Saturday April 13	Sunday April 14
Practice 1: 11:25am	Qualifying: 11:25am	Race 2: 1:25pm
Practice 2: 3:10pm	Race 1: 3:15pm	Race 3: 4:10pm

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – Provisional

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	187
2.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 R	186
3.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	186
4.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	169
5.	Clay Richards	Cupra Leon TCR	168
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	164
7.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	161
8.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	133
9.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	125
10.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	124
11.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	121