Ramírez wins the last races while the title goes to Valverde
Luis Ramírez dominated the final event of TCR Panama’s inaugural season at the wheel of his Hyundai Elantra N entered under the banner of Hyundai Petroautos. After setting his first pole position, Ramírez converted it into his maiden win in Race 1 and then encored in Race 2.
Costa Rican points leader Emilio Valverde finished twice second and becoming the series’ first ever champion after Race 1 in his CHM Motorsport-run Elantra.
Mario Bárcenas, Valverde’s only potential competitor, dropped out of contention when he finished third in Race 1 at the wheel of his Bárcenas Racing CUPRA Leon VZ and then retired in Race 2. This also meant that he slipped to third in the final standings behind Ramírez.
Race 1 – Ramírez had set the pole in a thrilling qualifying on a wet-to-dry track that saw four drivers alternating on top. Eventually Ramírez’s lap of 1:12.313 was two tenths faster than newcomer Oscar Terán’s 1:12.588, with Rodrigo Pflucker and Valverde in third and fourth places. Ramírez took the lead at the start, while Pflucker overtook Terán for second. As the leader began to pull away there was a fight for P3 between Terán, Valverde, Daniel Formal and Sebastian Ng. In lap 4, Valverde overtook Terán who was passed by Formal two laps later, while Bárcenas was recovering after starting from P8, and in lap 9 he passed Ng for sixth.
A safety car period in lap 11 erased Ramírez’s six-second lead, but as the green flag was waved, he was able to run away again. With Pflucker and Valverde running second and third, Bárcenas benefited from Formal’s retirement and the issues that slowed Terán and Ng to finish fourth and then was promoted to third when Pflucker was excluded for underweight.
Race 2 – TCR debutant Formal led from the pole in the Schubert Racing Audi, followed by Valverde and Ramírez. In lap 2, Ramírez overtook Valverde and began putting the pressure on Formal. The three leaders delivered a thrilling fight, while Pflucker passed Terán for the fourth place. Ramírez’s efforts succeeded in lap 8, when he managed to steal the lead from Formal at the last turn.
Ramírez began to build a gap, while Formal lost second place to Valverde in lap 11 and then third to Pflucker in lap 12. Ramírez went to claim his second win of the day from Valverde, Pflucker and Formal.
Race 1
- Luis Ramírez (Hyundai Petroautos, Hyundai Elantra N), 19 laps
- Emilio Valverde (CHM Motorsports, Hyundai Elantra N), 11.365
- Mario Bárcenas (Bárcenas Racing, CUPRA Leon VZ), 14.621
Race 2
- Luis Ramírez (Hyundai Petroautos, Hyundai Elantra N), 19 laps
- Emilio Valverde (CHM Motorsports, Hyundai Elantra N), 3.310
- Rodrigo Pflucker (TZ Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición), 5.836
Championship points
- E. Valverde, 302 pts; 2. L. Ramírez, 223; 3. M. Bárcenas, 205
Picture: TCR Panama
