Category: News

HMO Customer Racing’s Josh Buchan scored a sensational lights-to-flag victory in the Guia Street Race – considered the Monaco of touring car races – during the iconic Macau Grand Prix last weekend.

The two-time TCR Australia Champion and HMO Customer Racing became the first Australian driver and team to win at Macau since Paul Morris behind the wheel of a BMW in 1999.

In what could potentially be his last start in a TCR event, the 30-year-old Sydneysider put on a masterclass in defensive driving against China’s Ma Quin Hua to greet the chequered flag just 0.4sec ahead of the Lynk&Co driver.

Buchan’s Macau victory is his second in just four rounds of the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour, following a dominant win in the opening race at Inje Speedium in South Korea last month.

The Macau victory was set-up in qualifying when Buchan set the 10^th fastest time in the shootout for pole position, as the starting order for the Guia race saw the grid positions reversed for the top 10.

He won the holeshot against Ma Quin off the start line into the opening Reservoir Bend, who lost a position to his teammate Santiago Urrutia into the super-fast Mandarin corner.

Buchan and Urrutia went toe-to-toe for the next five laps as the Argentine tried valiantly to pass the Australia into Lisboa corner at the end of the main straight.

On lap 7, Urrutia tried to undercut Buchan through San Francisco bend and the pair made slight contact and the Argentine lost pace with a puncture and was subsequently re-passed by Ma Quin, who continued to pile on the pressure for the last three laps.

But the Aussie ace defended his position and crossed the finish line to take his second victory of the TCR World Tour season.

In the opening race around the challenging 6.12km street circuit, which was won by Hyundai’s Nestor Girolami from pole, Buchan charged from 10^th position to finish seventh.

His teammate, 18-year-old Ryan MacMillan, bounced back from a tough start to the weekend after crashing his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR in second practice and qualifying, to improve from his starting position in both 10-lap races.

The Queenslander, who had never driven on a street circuit before Macau, finished 13^th in race one and charged through from 16^th on the grid to finish the Guia Street Race in ninth.

The Macau Grand Prix was the final round of the 2025 TCR World Tour, and the fourth event entered by HMO Customer Racing.

With Buchan’s two victories, two top-five finishes at The Bend in September, another two top five finishes for Will Brown in the previous round at Zhuzhou in China, and consistent performances from MacMillan against the best touring car drivers in the world, HMO Customer Racing finished fifth on the TCR World Tour teams’ championship.

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“To win the Guia Race at the Macau Grand Prix is amazing. It is going to take a while for that to sink in and sound normal. I really have no words to explain how I’m feeling at the end of the race. It was our dream to win at Macau – and it has been my focus for the whole year – but it was always something we thought was going to be just that…

“I hope the team enjoys this as much me, because they deserve this so much. To everyone at HMO Customer Racing, Hyundai Australia and all our fans and supporters, this is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement for me. Let’s hope we can try again next year.”

Car 5: i30 Sedan N TCR – Ryan MacMillan

“Wow, that was the biggest challenge of my motor racing career so far. I had never raced on a street circuit before this weekend, and Macau would have to be the most difficult track in the world to experience racing between the walls for the first time. It was definitely a baptism of fire.

“I found that out the hard way in practice two and qualifying with a couple of crashes that put me down the back of the grid. But I’m super happy with my performances in both races and managed to make up positions in each. The highlight was a great pass on Lo Sze Ho in the second race and coming home to finish ninth.

“It’s been amazing to make my touring car debut in the TCR World Tour with HMO Customer Racing, and I’m proud of what we have achieved in just four rounds. We have punched well above our weight and surprised a few with our performances. I really hope we can come back and do it again next year.”

Race Results: Round 8, TCR World Tour, Guia Street Circuit, Macau

	Josh Buchan	Ryan MacMillan
Practice 1	P15 (2:34.577sec)	P13 (2:33.166sec)
Practice 2	P11 (2:31.169sec)	P16 (2:32.676sec)
Qualifying	P10 (2:30.955sec)	P16 (2:34.959sec)
Race 1	P7 (2:31.600sec)	P13 (2:33.031sec)
Race 2	P1 (2:31.773sec)	P9 (2:32.530sec)

Josh Buchan and Ryan MacMillan will complete a four-round international adventure with HMO Customer Racing in the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour during this weekend’s final round at the iconic Guia Street Circuit in Macau.

Buchan will return to the team after missing the last round at Zhuzhou International Circuit in China, where reigning Supercars champion Will Brown substituted and raced hard to finish as the leading Hyundai driver in fourth overall while teammate Ryan MacMillan scored his best result in his rookie season with sixth position in the final race.

Without any confirmed plans yet for HMO Customer Racing in 2026, the Macau Grand Prix could be the last TCR race for Buchan after five seasons, which has netted him nine race victories, including a sensational win at Inje Speedium in South Korea last month, 33 podiums and two TCR Australia championships.

In any case, both drivers are optimistic of finishing the World Tour season on a high and continuing their strong form on the 6.12km street circuit that traverses around the harbour and through the tight city streets of Macau. At the same time, they are also extremely conscious of the daunting track layout and the potential advantage their main rivals have with previous experience.

The Macau Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious racing events on the global motorsport calendar, with this weekend hosting its 72^nd running. Previous winners of the blue-ribbon open wheel race include the likes of Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard, as well as Australians David Brabham, Vern Schuppan and Kevin Bartlett.

Touring cars have been on the support card bill with various championships since 1972, including the TCR class since 2015.

The FIA TCR World Tour has been a key category for the past two years as the final round of the championship.

During that time, Hyundai has scored one pole position in 2023 and one race win in 2024 – both with defending world champion Norbert Michelisz – and three other podium finishes.

HMO Customer Racing is the first Australian team to compete at the Macau Grand Prix in the TCR World Tour.

Buchan and MacMillan will have two 30-minute practice sessions to learn the circuit and fine-tune the set-up on their matching Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR machinery ahead of a 30-minute qualifying session, and 15-minute top 10 shootout, on Friday, and then 10-lap races on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Australian fans can watch qualifying and both races live from Macau and catch up on highlights from previous rounds of the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour on the TCR TV YouTube channel.

What the drivers said:

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“Without any confirmed plans in TCR for 2026, this could potentially be my last TCR race. And, whether it is or it isn’t, there’s probably no better place in the world than Macau for my swansong. I have achieved everything I can in TCR at this point now other than win a world championship, so to race at Macau is another highlight that few in Australia can say they have done.

“To be honest, I’m as excited as I am terrified about the race because it’s such a daunting circuit with a lot of high-speed sections and little margin for error. It’s probably the first track I’ve been to in a very long time that I haven’t expected to qualify on the front row and win the race. I think that’s probably unrealistic this weekend because experience counts for so much around Macau.

“My goal is just to be as quick as I can in each and every session, and the be the quickest of the non-World Tour regulars. If I can be somewhere in the top 10 in the first race and then, maybe if the tea leaves fall my way, I can nab a decent result in the reverse top 10 second race on Sunday. That would be the dream.”

Car 5: i30 Sedan N TCR – Ryan MacMillan

“Macau is considered one of the toughest street circuits in the world, and a genuine bucket list track for most drivers. So, I’m extremely excited, and privileged, to be able to race there in only my fourth ever touring car event.

“It is also the first time I have ever raced on a street circuit, so that’s going to be a new challenge for me. Obviously, the main thing is to stay out of the walls and build up with each session. It is a track that demands a lot of respect to be fast and, because there’s not a lot of overtaking opportunities, track position is important. So, there’s a lot to be gained in qualifying up the front.

“I’ve done a lot of homework to prepare for this weekend, watching on-board footage, practising on the simulator and talking to the other drivers during the previous rounds in South Korea and China. And I’m getting more and more confident with the car, which I think we showed at Zhuzhou in the last race.”

2025 TCR World Tour, Round 8: Guia Street Circuit, Macau

Track Facts
Location	Macau
Length	6.12km
Corners	27
Top Speed	260km/h
TCR Pole Record	2:27.966sec
TCR Lap Record	2:29.768sec

2025 TCR World Tour Schedule, Round 8: Guia Street Circuit, Macau (AEST)

Thursday November 13	Friday November 14	Saturday November 15	Sunday November 16
Practice 1: 2:05pm	Qualifying: 3:10pm	Race 1: 4:20pm	Race 2: 2:00pm
Practice 2: 5:20pm

Reigning Supercars Champion Will Brown was the leading Hyundai driver, in fourth position on overall points, during his one-off return with HMO Customer Racing in the penultimate round of the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour at Zhuzhou International Circuit in China.

The 27-year-old Queenslander substituted for Josh Buchan in China while the two-time TCR Australia champion made his debut in the GT World Challenge, driving a Ferrari 296 GT3, at Hampton Downs in New Zealand.

Despite never having driven the latest generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR, Brown, who won the inaugural TCR Australia Championship in 2019 driving an i30 N TCR hatchback for HMO Customer Racing, was among the fastest drivers all weekend. Brown finished the three action-packed 30-minute races with two fourth places and sixth in the dramatic reverse grid sprint, which was held in wet conditions.

Teammate Ryan MacMillan scored his best result so far in only his third round of TCR competition, finishing sixth in the final race, ahead of all three factory Hyundai drivers from the world championship-winning BRC Squadra Corse outfit.

Brown was quick to re-acclimate with the front-wheel drive TCR machinery, and adapt to the i30 Sedan N TCR, setting the fifth fastest time in both practice sessions on Friday before improving to fourth in qualifying.

In Saturday’s opening race, Brown dropped a couple of positions off the start but quickly recovered back to fourth following a momentous battle with series leader Yann Erlacher driving a Lynk&Co.

MacMillan improved from his starting position to cross the line in 12^th, narrowly missing out on pole position for the second race which started with the top 10 finishers in reverse order.

The reverse grid sprint turned out to be one of the standout races of the entire 2025 TCR World Tour season as rain began falling just as the drivers left the grid on the formation lap.

Brown made a conservative start during the opening laps and lost several positions from seventh on the grid, falling to as low as 12^th at one stage, while MacMillan charged through up to seventh. Brown gradually moved back through the field before a mid-race safety car neutralised the race for two laps.

The restart created even more chaos as Brown banging doors with the front runners on his way through to sixth position at the chequered, while MacMillan crossed the line in 10^th with a heavily damaged car following a last-corner incident.

While his team of mechanics scrambled heroically to repair the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR in time for the final race, MacMillan was handed a 10-second post-race penalty for an unsafe re-entry to the circuit that dropped him to 13^th in the final classifications.

The 3.774km circuit was dry again for the final race, with Brown once again dropping a few places off the start line before recovering to challenge for the final podium position, ultimately ceded a close fourth place.

Following a fast getaway, MacMillan made ground on the opening lap and was involved in a race-long battle for 10^th position. Then, on the final corner of the last lap, the 18-year-old rookie sliced past four cars to claim his best finish yet in sixth place.

HMO Customer Racing will next head to Macau for the final round of the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour on the iconic Guia Street Circuit on November 13-16, with Buchan returning to the team following his sensational victory in the previous round at Inje Speedium in South Korea. 

What the drivers said

Car 301: i30 Sedan N TCR – Will Brown

“It was an awesome weekend to be back at HMO Customer Racing. When team owner Barry Morcom offered me the chance to fill-in for Josh and race in China, I definitely couldn’t turn that down and great to be back in the TCR World Tour and race against the factory teams.

“It’s fantastic to be part of what is a privateer team giving it to the big guys. I had some great battles over the weekend with Yann, banging doors and giving him a fright or two -especially in race one.

“I made a few set-up changes for the second race, but they didn’t work in the rain so that hurt us a little bit. And then the last race, I felt like if I had got a better start, we could have raced for a well-earned podium. But still, super happy with what we achieved and glad to hand the car back over to Josh in one piece for Macau.”

Car 5: i30 Sedan N TCR – Ryan MacMillan

“We started the weekend on the back foot and struggled with the balance of the car, which was sliding a lot in practice. We made some good changes for qualifying and I woke-up knowing what I had to do to find some speed, but couldn’t get it to work when it counted.

“The races were much better; I improved in each one and was involved in some great battles with the TCR World Tour drivers that have much more experience with these cars than I do. The second race was crazy, and I probably had the most action in one race than I will for the rest of my life. I had good speed in the wet and was stoked to cross the line in 10^th, full ’Ricky Bobby’-style with my front left wheel hanging off after a clash with Michelisz on the last corner of the last lap. But then I copped a penalty, which was a shame.

“The boys did an amazing job to get it fixed in time for the last race, where I had a ripper of a start and was catching up to the guys in front, looking good for another top 10. And then, bizarrely, all three BRC Hyundais were trying to let each other past in the last few corners and just stood on the brakes and, with a Lynk&Co also coasting, I gained four positions between the final turn and the chequered flag. It was a great way to finish after a slow start to the weekend and I’m now looking forward to carry that momentum to Macau in a couple of weeks’ time.”

Race Results: Round 7, TCR World Tour, Zhuzhou International Circuit

Session	Will Brown	Ryan MacMillan
Shakedown	P7 (1:42.054sec)	P15 (1:42.953sec)
Practice 1	P5 (1:45.050sec)	P12 (1:46.551sec)
Practice 2	P5 (1:44.990sec)	P12 (1:45.636sec)
Qualifying	P4 (1:44.553sec)	P13 (1:45.757sec)
Race 1	P4 (1:45.527sec)	P12 (1:47.001sec)
Race 2	P6 (1:57.773sec)	P13 (1:58.244sec)
Race 3	P4 (1:46.075sec)	P6 (1:47.252sec)

Reigning Supercars Champion Will Brown will make a one-off return to HMO Customer Racing substituting for Josh Buchan in next weekend’s seventh round of the TCR World Tour at Zhuzhou International Circuit in China on October 31-November 2.

The 27-year-old Queenslander has been drafted into the Hyundai Australia-backed outfit for the penultimate round as Buchan has a prior commitment and is due to make his debut in the GT3 Australia series, driving a Ferrari at Hampton Downs in New Zealand, on the same weekend.

Buchan will return for the final round of the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour at the Guia Street Circuit in Macau on November 13-16.

Brown is no stranger to TCR competition or HMO Customer Racing, having won the inaugural TCR Australia Championship in 2019 with the team driving a Hyundai i30 N TCR hatchback, and has 15 race victories and 30 podium appearances to his name.

He was also the first driver from a domestic series to win in the TCR World Tour when he took two victories at Sydney Motorsport Park in 2023.

Following on from Buchan’s most recent success in South Korea, where the two-time Australian champion scored a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the opening race at Inje Speedium, Brown is confident of continuing HMO Customer Racing’s front-running form at the tight and technical 3.77km circuit.

As is his teammate, 18-year-old fellow Queenslander Ryan MacMillan who showed massive potential with top 10 results in practice and battled amongst world champions during the three races at Inje Speedium.

Both drivers will have ample time to learn the Zhuzhou circuit with a shakedown and two 30-minute practice sessions on Friday ahead of qualifying and the first 30-minute races on Saturday with two more races on Sunday.

Australian fans can watch the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour from Zhuzhou International Circuit live on the TCR TV YouTube channel.

What the drivers said:

Car 301: i30 Sedan N TCR – Will Brown

“First of all, I want to congratulate Josh and the entire team on their performance in South Korea – that was an incredible achievement, and another fantastic showcase for the talent that exists in Australia.

“I am stoked to be joining HMO Customer Racing again for the TCR World Tour round in China and hopefully continue that front-running form. While it will be the first time I have driven the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR, I am confident the team will give me a rocket ship and hopefully bring home another trophy for them.”

Car 5: i30 Sedan N TCR – Ryan MacMillan

“The Zhuzhou circuit looks like a totally different type of circuit to what I’ve raced on so far at The Bend and Inje Speedium, with a lot more heavy braking zones and slow-speed corners which should allow for more overtaking opportunities.

“The team did a fantastic job developing a new set-up direction at Inje which has transformed the car, and I know we’ve got the speed on my side of the garage as well to run at the front, just as Josh did in South Korea. My weekend there was hampered from the outset by starting outside the top 10 when a red flag spoiled my fastest lap in qualifying. But I learnt a lot during the races with some good, hard battles against some of the best touring car drivers in the world, and plan to take another step forward again in China.

“It’s exciting to be sharing the garage with Will for the weekend too. He brings an enviable record with him, and another opportunity to benchmark myself against a TCR Australia championship winner.”

Driver Information

	Will Brown	Ryan MacMillan
Car	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR
Number	301	5
TCR seasons competed	2019-2023	2025
TCR Poles	5	0
TCR Podiums	30	0
TCR Wins	15	0
TCR World Ranking	NA	NA

2025 TCR World Tour, Round 7: Zhuzhou International Circuit

Track Facts
Location	Hunan, China
Length	3.774 km
TCR Pole Record	1:44.684sec
TCR Lap Record	1:45.118sec

2025 TCR World Tour Schedule, Round 7: Zhuzhou International Circuit (AEST)

Friday October 31	Saturday November 1	Sunday November 2
Practice 1: 5:00pm	Qualifying: 1:00pm	Race 2: 3:00pm
Practice 2: 7:00pm	Race 1: 6:00pm	Race 3: 7:40pm

Hyundai’s two-time TCR Australia champion Josh Buchan will spearhead a three-car attack for HMO Customer Racing at this weekend’s Australian round of the 2025 TCR World Tour championship at The Bend Motorsport Park, near Tailem Bend in South Australia.

The 30-year-old Sydneysider will be joined by teenage rising star Ryan MacMillan in a pair of the latest-specification Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCRs, with international guest driver, China’s Lo Sze Ho, driving the team’s race-winning Hyundai i30 N TCR hatch for one round.

The Race Australia round of the 2025 TCR World Tour is the first of four international events that HMO Customer Racing will compete in this year, including races in South Korea, China and the iconic Macau Grand Prix.

The TCR World Tour pits 11 of the world’s fastest touring car drivers against local competitors at eight events around the globe.

This weekend’s race will be the first World Tour event held at The Bend Motorsport Park, following two previous visits at Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama in 2023.

It will also be the first time the TCR category races on the challenging 4.95km International Circuit configuration as the local championship has used the shorter West Circuit for the domestic TCR series.

Buchan is confident he can be among the front runners at The Bend following a series of successful pre-race test sessions in his brand-new Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR. And, while MacMillan will be making his touring car debut in a world championship event, the 17-year-old reigning Australian Formula Open champion is not daunted by the prospect and aiming for top 10 results as a springboard into the flyaway rounds.

Lo Sze Ho, a native of Hong Kong, has competed in 45 TCR races driving a Hyundai Elantra N TCR across the TCR Asia and TCR China championships, including four rounds of the TCR World Tour, twice each at the Shanghai International Circuit and Macau Grand Prix.

Australian fans can watch the local round of the 2025 TCR World Tour at The Bend Motorsport Park on September 12-14 live on Fox Sports and 7Plus as part of the Supercars broadcast, while highlights of the remaining rounds at Inje Speedium, Zhuzhou International Circuit and the Macau Grand Prix can be viewed live and free on the TCR TV YouTube channel.

What the drivers said:

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I can’t wait to race against the TCR World Tour competitors again – it’s been something I’ve been looking forward to ever since 2023 when Australia hosted its first rounds at Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama.

“The line-up of drivers is much the same as it was back then, so it will be great to catch up with a few old friends. But, more importantly, I’m really excited about swapping paint with the best touring car drivers in the world and I’m determined to bring home a strong result for the amazing team and our supporters.

“The Bend is a fantastic circuit for racing and, even though we haven’t raced on the International Circuit configuration here in Australia before, we certainly have a head start in terms of track knowledge that we intend to use to our advantage.”

Car 5: i30 Sedan N TCR – Ryan MacMillan

“I am really excited to finally go racing again after a delayed start to the season and make my touring car debut with HMO Customer Racing.

“I don’t underestimate the challenge of jumping in the deep end, with my first race being in a world championship against some of the best drivers in the world. To be honest, it’s a little bit daunting. But, at the same time, I am ready for it and, as much as the racer in me would like to win straight away, I’m looking forward to the competition.”

Driver Information

	Josh Buchan	Ryan MacMillan
Car	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR	Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR
Number	1	5
TCR seasons competed	2021 – 2025	2025
TCR Poles	4	0
TCR Podiums	32	0
TCR Wins	8	0
TCR World Ranking	156	NA

2025 TCR World Tour, Round 5: The Bend Motorsport Park

Track Facts	International Circuit
Location	Tailem Bend, South Australia
Length	4.95 km
TCR Pole Record	NA
TCR Lap Record	NA

2025 TCR World Tour Schedule, Round 5: The Bend Motorsport Park

Friday September 12	Saturday September 13	Sunday September 14
Practice 1: 8:55am	TCR Grid Walk: 8:40am	TCR Grid Walk: 11:30am
Practice 2: 12:00pm	Race 1: 8:55am	Race 3: 11:50am
Qualifying: 2:30pm	TCR Grid Walk: 1:50pm
	Race 2: 2:05pm

HMO Customer Racing is excited to announce that young racing talent Ryan MacMillan will join the team for the 2025 TCR Australia Series. The reigning Australian Formula Open Series champion will step up to touring car racing, piloting a Hyundai i30 N TCR hatchback as part of our championship-winning squad.

MacMillan has demonstrated exceptional skill and determination, securing six victories on his way to claiming the Australian Formula Open title last season. His standout performance at Queensland Raceway, where he won the prestigious Errol Gilmour Memorial Cup, caught the attention of our then-chief engineer, Rob Benson, earning him the opportunity to test with HMO Customer Racing.

Since then, Ryan has been refining his front-wheel-drive racing technique at ONE Raceway, the venue for the season-opening round of the 2025 TCR Australia Series. He will compete in the same Hyundai i30 N TCR driven by teammate Josh Buchan at the start of his championship-winning season last year, later handed over to Tom Oliphant.

HMO Customer Racing remains the most successful team in TCR Australia history, having secured three championship titles, including back-to-back victories with Buchan. As Ryan embarks on this exciting new challenge, he will benefit from Buchan’s mentorship, ensuring a smooth transition into the highly competitive touring car format.

We are proud to have the support of our valued partners—SP Tools, FleetTrac, Centre 45, Rondo Building Services, Direct Plasterboard Outlet, and Hyundai—as we welcome MacMillan to the team.

The journey begins at ONE Raceway in Goulburn, New South Wales, as the 2025 TCR Australia Series kicks off at this new venue, setting the stage for another thrilling season.

HMO Customer Racing looks forward to seeing MacMillan take on the next step in his racing career and to continuing our pursuit of championship success.

Josh Buchan made history at Mount Panorama by winning his second consecutive TCR Australia Championship.

The 29-year-old Sydneysider becomes the first two-time winner since the introduction of the TCR category to Australia in 2019, with HMO Customer Racing cementing itself as the most successful team with three titles in five years following Will Brown’s victory in the inaugural season.

Buchan’s weekend started on a high with a dominant performance in the opening practice session, but he struggled to match the front-running pace for the rest of the weekend as his Hyundai i30 Sedan TCR carried the maximum weight penalty.

His points advantage was narrowed in the opening race despite finishing third, and again in the second race when he was demoted behind his title rival following a post-race penalty for jumping the start.

That left an anxious wait to seal the title in the final race around the challenging 6.21km circuit, in which he cruised to a sixth-place finish.

Team mate Tom Oliphant also a standout weekend with two podium finishes and third outright for the final round in his Hyundai i30 N TCR. The former British Touring Car Championship race winner provided some of the highlights of the weekend; first with a brilliant three-wide pass across the top of the mountain to clinch third in race two, and then a charging drive to challenge for victory in the closing stages of the final race.

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“It’s pretty amazing to back it up and defend the crown by winning this year’s series. I felt quite a lot of pressure to deliver a result for everyone in the team, considering the amount of work they have put in this season. I felt good on Friday and we started really well out of the gate in the first free practice, but it was a struggle to maintain that speed for the rest of the weekend with the weight penalty we were carrying.

“But it’s a massive relief to bring it home, and it’s a real privilege to become the first two-time winner of the TCR Australia Championship with consecutive titles.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“It’s been a fantastic weekend for me personally and the team. My goal coming into the final round was to really attack the track and drive the mountain properly, and I was one of the fastest cars on track all weekend. The second goal was to try and win a trophy, which I achieved with third in race two.

“That created a new goal in trying to win the last race of the year, and I gave it my all. Honestly, I couldn’t have pushed any more: me and Dylan O’Keefe were putting in qualifying laps there at the end. We were right up against the walls, which I loved. To come away with second, having given it absolutely everything, I am really proud and it’s satisfying to finish the season on a high.

“On top of all that, I am really pleased that Josh won the championship. It was well deserved.”

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Race Results: Round 7, Mount Panorama, Bathurst

	Josh Buchan	Tom Oliphant
Practice 1	P1 (2:17.0924sec)	P6 2:18.8581sec)
Practice 2	P6 (2:16.7550sec)	P8 (2:17.0587sec)
Qualifying	P3 (2:137.552sec)	P6 (2:14.1126sec)
Race 1	P3 (2:16.4573sec)	P4 (2:16.4215sec)
Race 2	P7 (2:16.7759sec)	P3 (2:16.7054sec)
Race 3	P6 (2:17.0870sec)	P2 (2:15.5158sec)

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – After Round 7

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	747
2.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	729
3.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	677
4.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	654
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	651
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	649
7.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 P51	623
8.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	536
9.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	490
10.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	475

Hyundai’s Josh Buchan is aiming to make history at Bathurst this weekend and become the first driver to secure back-to-back championship victories in the TCR Australia Championship.

The 29-year-old Sydneysider enters the final round of the 2024 TCR Australia Championship, the Bathurst International at Mount Panorama, with a 36-point lead following a dominant triple-podium performance in the previous round at Sydney Motorsport Park last month.

While his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR will carry the maximum 40kg success penalty at Bathurst, Buchan is confident he can maintain his top-of-the-table position and defend the crown he secured in the same event last year.

If successful, he will become the first two-time series champion since the introduction of the TCR Championship to Australia in 2019.

On the other side of the garage, teammate Tom Oliphant is looking to complete his first season with Hyundai on a high and cement his top 10 position in the drivers’ standing while also supporting HMO Customer Racing in securing its fourth TCR Australia teams’ championship

HMO Customer Racing will have two 30-minute practice sessions at Mount Panorama on Friday ahead of qualifying on Saturday at 9:10am and the opening race, which starts at 2:05pm. The team will return to the track on Sunday for the final two races of the season, with the top 10 finishers from Saturday’s first race reversed for the second sprint.

Fans can catch all the action from the Bathurst International, Round 7 of the TCR Australia Championship and the Motorsport Australia Shannons Speed Series at Mount Panorama, live and free via 7Plus.

What the drivers said:

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I’ve been very fortunate to be a championship contender going into a last round title decider, so that doesn’t feel foreign to me which is a positive in terms of dealing with the pressure. The feelings are pretty similar but, in reality, there is nothing more I can do than just go out there and do my best, hit apexes, maximise the speed we have in the Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR, and the points will take care of themselves. In any case, it’s always exciting to have the championship decided at Bathurst.

“I’m under no illusions that although we have the points lead, nothing’s certain until the last lap of the last race. So, I’m going to go out there and do the best I can. If I look at the title picture, I won’t be looking at the road ahead. My full focus is on trying to get the best results possible rather than just points.

“The potential to become the first driver to secure two TCR Australia Championships has been a great motivation for me since the start of the year. At the same time, I’m not looking at defending a title, I’m looking to go out and win one. Whether it’s the first, second or fifth title, it doesn’t really matter: it’s the championship this year, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“Bathurst is the pinnacle of our race season, and I always look forward to competing at what is undeniably one of the greatest circuits in the world. As we don’t know yet whether TCR will be racing again at Mount Panorama, I really want to make the most of this and enjoy every moment of it.

“I have a lot of confidence in my Hyundai i30 N TCR and we have been among the quickest at the last two events, so I’m looking forward to throwing it around the mountain and finish the season on a high. I would love to add a Bathurst trophy to my achievements. I’ve got a trophy from Le Mans, and a number of other circuits that are on my bucket list, and I would love to add some Bathurst silverware to that collection. That’s my aim this weekend.”

2024 TCR Australia Championship: After Round 6, Sydney Motorsport Park

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	640
2.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	604
3.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	579
4.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 P51	555
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	548
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	546
7.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	529
8.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	490
9.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	475
10.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	418

2024 TCR Australia Championship – Round 7, Mount Panorama, Bathurst

Track Facts
Location	Bathurst, NSW
Length	6.213 km
TCR Pole Record	2:12:1640sec, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3) – 2022
TCR Lap Record	2:14.2621sec, Jay Hanson (Audi RS3) – 2022

TCR Schedule – Round 7, Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW

Friday November 8	Saturday November 9	Sunday October 20
Practice 1: 11:20am	Qualifying: 9:10am	Race 2: 10:05am
Practice 2: 4:40pm	Race 1: 2:05pm	Race 3: 2:10pm

Josh Buchan is in the box seat to defend his TCR Australia title after a dominant performance on his home track at Sydney Motorsport Park during the sixth round of the 2024 series on the weekend.

The reigning champion scored a rare triple podium result in his Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR to claim his second outright round victory of the season, with two lights-to-flag victories from pole position while charging from the back of the field to finish third in the second reverse-grid sprint.

Buchan now leads the 2024 TCR Australia Championship by 36 points from Zac Soutar heading into the final round of the series, the Bathurst International at Mount Panorama on November 8-10.

Teammate Tom Oliphant had front-running pace in his Hyundai i30 N TCR all weekend, finishing third in practice, qualifying in fifth and narrowly missed a podium finish in the opening race as he crossed the line in fourth. But his charge was undone in the reverse grid second race when he was forced to retire with driveline damage, and finished sixth outright following a charging drive to fifth from near the back of the grid in the final sprint.

HMO Customer Racing will next head to Mount Panorama for the final round of the championship, the Bathurst International, on November 8-10.

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“This has been a weekend you can only dream of, with pole position in qualifying, a couple of wins and a podium in the reverse grid race. It doesn’t get much better than that, and it is exactly what my championship attack needed heading into the last round.

“I’m very happy that we converted what we knew we could do. But executing it like that is never easy. There was carnage around me at times, and I’m very fortunate to come away from Sydney with a decent points buffer, a straight car and a some more silverware for the HMO Customer Racing trophy cabinet. Now, my sole focus is to keep the number one on my Hyundai and for the team when we head to Bathurst.”

Car 15: i30 N TCR – Tom Oliphant

“I think this was a weekend that really got away from us. We had high hopes after a positive test day and it all started well great speed in practice. In certain conditions, I am confident we had the second quickest car, but my i30 N hatch is a lot more sensitive to heat in the track than other cars, and it didn’t quite go our way.

“Sadly, in race two when the conditions were in our favour, I made a mistake that at least cost us a podium result, if not a race win. It’s definitely a weekend of ‘could haves’. But we have made a lot of progress with the car and hopefully we can continue that positive trajectory at Bathurst, where hopefully we can end the season on a high.”

Race Results: Round 6, Sydney Motorsport Park

	Josh Buchan	Tom Oliphant
Practice 1	DNS	DNS
Practice 2	P4 (1:36.5538sec)	P3 (1:36.4296sec)
Qualifying	P1 (1:35.2037sec)	P5 (1:35.8838sec)
Race 1	P1 (1:35.7630sec) – FL	P4 (1:36.6575sec)
Race 2	P3 (1:37.8357sec)	DNF
Race 3	P1 (1:36.6055sec)	P5 (1:37.0712sec)

2024 TCR Australia Championship Standings – After Round 6

Position	Name	Car	Points
1.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	640
2.	Zac Soutar	Audi RS3 LMS	604
3.	Brad Harris	Honda Civic Type R	579
4.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 P51	555
5.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	548
6.	Ryan Casha	Peugeot 308 TCR	546
7.	Dylan O’Keefe	Lynk & Co 03 TCR	529
8.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	490
9.	Aaron Cameron	Peugeot 308 TCR	475
10.	Tom Oliphant	Hyundai i30 N TCR	418

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