Enric Bordás and Álvaro García share wins in TCR Spain at Jerez

Enric Bordás and Álvaro García won the two races held at Jerez de la Frontera for the penultimate round of TCR Spain, with Bordás leading from lights-to-flag in Race 1, while García made the most of his front row start in the reversed grid Race 2.

Race 1 - Bordás topped both parts of qualifying to put his CUPRA Leon on pole ahead of newcomer Scott Sumpton’s Honda Civic. At the start, Bordás led the way while Sumpton dropped behind the fast-starting Lewis Brown, who went from fourth to second, with Daniel Tkachenko holding on to third. At the first corner, Igor Urien and Alex Lahoz made contact, with Urien spinning out, causing an early safety car. At the restart, Brown was battling hard to try and pass Bordás, while Sumpton made his way past Tkachenko. Brown couldn’t find a way past Bordás, who began to build a gap, while Tkachenko started to fall down the order. The Ukrainian found himself in a battle with Amelia Vinyes for sixth in the last part of the race, with the two coming together on lap ten and both of their races ended with damage. Bordás went on to win the race ahead of Brown and Sumpton.

Race 2 - Vinyes started from pole in her repaired Audi, but she was passed at the start by García who quickly pulled away. Victor Fernández then went wide at Turn 4, allowing Urien through to third, while Brown was already up to fourth after starting eighth on the grid. Brown then passed Urien before the opening lap was complete, and then overtook Vinyes for second place at the start of lap three. Bordás and Sumpton were the next to break through, both passing Urien and Vinyes over the next two laps to move up to third and fourth, before Sumpton made an error at Turn 9 on lap seven and ran wide into the gravel. Sumpton would rejoin in tenth and would work his back forward again, eventually recovering to seventh place. Up front the top three settled down, with García going on to claim his first win of the year, with Brown and Bordás completing the podium.

The final event of the season takes place on December 1/2 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with Bordás leading the standings, 50 points clear of García and 59 of Casalins. Brown too is still in contention, 68 points behind when 90 are still on offer.

Jerez – Race 1

1. Enric Bordás (Monlau Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición), 14 laps
2. Lewis Brown (Comtoyou Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS II), 5.562
3. Scott Sumpton (ALM Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 10.142

Jerez – Race 2

1. Álvaro García (Comtoyou Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS II), 15 laps
2. Lewis Brown (Comtoyou Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS II), 5.739
3. Enric Bordás (Monlau Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición), 6.749

Championship points

1. E. Bordás, 227 pts.; 2. Á. García, 177; 3. S. Casalins, 168

Picture: TCR Spain