After a stunning debut in the 2015 TCR Asia Series at home in Thailand, local hero Tin Sritra has confirmed an entry into the 2016 TCR Asia Series in a self-run Team Thailand Honda Civic TCR, the very marque which claimed the inaugural title in the hands of Hong Kong’s Michael Choi.
Debuting for the Asia Racing Team in a Seat Leon TCR at the penultimate round of the 2015 TCR Asia Series, Sritrai immediately impressed, the 26 year-old mixing it with the established international stars, before claiming a second and a victory in the two Buriram races to finish second for the round overall behind compatriot Munkong Sathienthirakul.
A four-time winner of the Asian Touring Car Series (2011-2014) and a two-time winner of the Super 2000 class of the Thailand Super-Series, Sritrai is one of Thailand’s most experienced young stars, something he confirmed only too well with his TCR Asia Series debut, the first time he had driven a front-wheel-drive, turbo-charged touring car.
“It was the first time for me in a car like that at Buriram, but it was an experience I enjoyed very much,” Sritrai said at the time.
“Tin drove brilliantly and showed he was the prefect fit for the TCR concept,” WSC Asia’s David Sonenscher, the promoter of the TCR Asia Series said.
“To see the Tin and Team Thailand already confirm their entry for this season amongst some of the top teams in Asia, proves the benefit of the internationally-linked series for rising young stars in the Asian region.
“We believe it’s the perfect platform for drivers looking to launch themselves onto the international touring car stage and a perfect opportunity to shine against the best touring car drivers in the world.”
Details of the team sponsors and the engineering team for the car are yet to be released, but based on Sritrai’s pace at Buriram in the TCR Asia Series at the new Thai venue, you could be forgiven for penciling the experienced touring car driver in as one of the early favourites for the 2016 series.
The opening round of the 2016 TCR Asia Series will get underway on 14-15 May at the former Formula 1 venue in South Korea, ahead of a return to Sritrai’s ‘home’ circuit in Thailand three weeks later.
