Chris Smiley: Focus already on 2024 TCR UK

Chris Smiley says the remainder of this season’s TCR UK Touring Car Championship is all about putting measures in place that will make Honda’s new Civic Type R a race-winning package in 2024.

Jason Craig_1

16 Aug 2023

The Restart Racing driver has already conceded defeat in his quest to make it back-to-back titles having recorded two DNFs at last month’s triple-header at Knockhill circuit in Scotland last month.

Smiley finished the opening race down in ninth position before suspension failure on his Japanese hatch on the following day’s opening 25-minute sprint denied him a possible first win of the year. Moments before the setback he had moved past Matthew Wilson’s Cupra Leon and into the lead.

The final race of a forgettable weekend also ended in disaster for the Northern Irishman as his JAS Motorsport-developed car developed technical issues which forced him back to the garage.

Ahead of this weekend’s trip to Silverstone’s National circuit for rounds 10 and 11 – the first time the competition has visited it since 2020 – Smiley is currently ninth in the standings on 109 points, 164 behind current leader Carl Boardley, who is 36 clear of second-placed rival Bruce Winfield.

“We have had some time to dig into the troubles of the last couple of rounds and we are aiming to try some new things out this weekend at Silverstone,” the 31-year-old explained to Crash.net.

“Silverstone is obviously a very different circuit to any of the other circuits on the calendar this year. We know it is a short, power circuit – so it will help that we are light. However, it is not necessarily a strong circuit for the Honda Civic Type R – so we will just have to see how we go.

“Our plan for these last few races is just to try new things and try and get some good results to end the year on a high. There is nothing to lose now except time to develop the car and be ready for 2024,” he added.

Free Practice is due to take place on Saturday from 9.25am followed by qualifying at 11.50am to help determine the look of the grid for Sunday’s opening 25-minute sprint (1.35pm). It will be followed by race two at 4.25pm.

Following Silverstone, teams will visit Donington Park National (September9-10) and Brands Hatch Indy (October 21-22) respectively.