Azcona takes over at the top of the KUMHO TCR World Ranking

Mikel Azcona, last year’s WTCR champion, has now taken over at the top of the KUMHO TCR World Ranking following the latest calculation.

The Spanish driver moves to the lead ahead of Ma Qing Hua, who had held the top spot since the start of November last year. The Chinese driver’s results in the TCR Asia series in 2021 had been primarily responsible for his high points score, but with Ma now not having competed in a race since July last year, in accordance with the ranking’s rules, his oldest classified result has been dropped.

The same rule has affected 2021 world champion Yann Ehrlacher, who drops from third to fifth, falling behind 2021 TCR Italy champion Salvatore Tavano, and last year’s TCR Europe champion Franco Girolami.

The opening round of the TCR Australia series at Symmons Plains also saw plenty of movement in the ranking this week.

A fairly strong scoring weekend for Tony D’Alberto means the Honda driver is still the best-placed Australian in the ranking, although he actually drops one spot overall in the classification to 23rd.

Will Brown was only able to take part in one race at the weekend, and as that result was a DNF, his tally has dropped by two points, but he’s been able to hold on to 25th and move ahead of TCR Australia rival Jordan Cox, who dropped nearly three points after a below average weekend for the Peugeot driver and slipped from 24th to 26th.

Kody Garland, who scored his first podium, was the highest climber, moving up 42 places to 213rd, while Bailey Sweeny, who won two races at the weekend, breaks into the all-important top 45, in 44th position, a climb of 12 places.

Picture: WTCR