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Josh Buchan starred on Hyundai’s home soil with a historic victory in the sixth round of the FIA TCR World Tour at Inje Speedium in South Korea.

The 30-year-old two-time TCR Australia Champion took a dominant lights-to-flag win in the first of three races on the challenging 3.9km circuit from pole position, becoming only the second driver from a domestic series to win a TCR World Tour race since its inception.

The sensational victory was also significant for HMO Customer Racing as the first Australian team to win an international touring car race on foreign soil since Paul Morris took the chequered flag first at Macau in 1999.

Buchan was among the fastest drivers all weekend, setting the fourth quickest time in opening practice and improving to second position in the final session.

He then set the second quickest time in the Top 10 Shootout qualifying session, held in wet conditions, and was later promoted to pole position when championship contender Thed Bjork was delivered a three-place grid penalty for causing a collision.

With the track still damp – but drying quickly – at the start of the first race, Buchan won the holeshot from pole and was never challenged throughout the 30-minute sprint, crossing the line 5.85 seconds ahead of Honda’s Esteban Guerrieri.

Even though the top 10 finishers reversed for the start of race two, Buchan was confident of moving through the pack on a dry track. However, he was forced to start from pitlane after a clutch issue arose on the formation lap.

Still, he made excellent use of his speed advantage and charged back to finish in ninth.

Starting from fourth position in the final race, Buchan had a conservative getaway off the line and dropped to sixth position by the first corner, a position he maintained for the rest of the processional race.

Teammate Ryan MacMillan showed massive potential in practice with top 10 results for both sessions. But his weekend was derailed during the wet qualifying session when a red flag interrupted his final attempt at a push lap, leaving him in 15^th position.

In all three races, the 18-year-old rookie battled hard against former world champions and regular front runners in the TCR World Tour, improving to finish 12^th in the opening two races and then dropped back to 15^th in the last race after almost stalling on the start line.

HMO Customer Racing will next head to China to continue in the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour for the seventh round of the championship at the Zhuzhou International Circuit on November 1-2.

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“To win a race in the TCR World Tour at my first international race is amazing, and to win with Hyundai in South Korea is truly incredible. We certainly made a very positive impression and we made a whole lot of new fans along the way.

“We worked so hard in between our last round at The Bend in September, and the team has done such an incredible job to turn the car around with a new set-up direction. We definitely deserve the result we got for the huge effort everyone put in. I’m super grateful for the opportunity, and humbled with the victory.”

Car 5: i30 Sedan N TCR – Ryan MacMillan

“We threw some big changes at the car this weekend and it was looking extremely positive during practice. But then the weather turned on us during qualifying, and I had never driven the Hyundai i30 Sedan TCR in the wet which was a bit of an eye-opener. But we had more pace than our starting position as a red flag ruined my last flying lap.

“That put me behind the eight ball for the races, but I was determined to improve. And, although we had good pace, it was extremely difficult to pass the World Tour guys. Ultimately, I should have been a little further up than my results showed, but I learned a lot and I’m now looking forward to putting those lessons to good use in China in a couple of weeks.”

Race Results: Round 5, TCR World Tour, The Bend Motorsport Park

	Josh Buchan	Ryan MacMillan
Shakedown	P6 (1:42.054sec)	P13 (1:42.953sec)
Practice 1	P4 (1:41.821sec)	P8 (1:42.141sec)
Practice 2	P2 (1:41.100sec)	P9 (1:42.171sec)
Qualifying	P1 (1:52.239sec)	P15 (1:55.208sec)
Race 1	P1 (1:44.861sec)	P12 (1:47.366sec)
Race 2	P9 (1:43.061sec)	P12 (1:45.347sec)
Race 3	P6 (1: 42.464sec)	P12 (1:43.623 sec)

Hyundai’s two-time TCR Australia champion Josh Buchan is aiming to continue his front-running form against the world’s best touring drivers as HMO Customer Racing makes its international debut in this weekend’s sixth round of the 2025 FIA TCR World Tour at Inje Speedium in South Korea.

The 30-year-old Sydneysider scored two top five finishes – and clinched the TCR Australia Cup as the highest-placed local driver – in the previous round of the TCR World Tour at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia last month.

And he is looking to improve on that position this weekend, driving his brand-new Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR (facelift), as Inje Speedium makes its first appearance on the TCR World Tour calendar.

Buchan will be joined by teenage rising star Ryan MacMillan, who made his touring car debut at The Bend, behind the wheel of his multiple Australian championship-winning Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR.

The 18-year-old reigning Australian Formula Open champion from the Gold Coast is aiming to improve on his results from The Bend, where he finished 15^th and 12^th in the two races, and progress into the top 10 at Inje Speedium.

The South Korean round of the FIA TCR World Tour coincides with the fourth round of the domestic Hyundai N Festival series with an exclusive support card that includes one-make races for the groundbreaking Hyundai IONIQ 5 N, as well as race-prepped and production-spec variants of the Elantra N (i30 Sedan N)

Australian fans can watch the 2025 TCR World Tour at Inje Speedium live on the TCR TV YouTube channel.

2025 TCR World Tour Schedule – Round 6: Inje Speedium (AEDT)

Friday: 17 October	Saturday: 18 October	Sunday: 19 October
Practice 1: 12:50pm	Qualifying: 12:05pm	Race 2: 12:55pm
Practice 2: 3:25pm	Race 1: 18:05pm	Race 3: 18:40pm

WHAT THE DRIVERS SAID

Car 30: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“I am super excited to race again in the FIA TCR World Tour and represent Hyundai and Australia on the international stage at the home of Hyundai. It’s an amazing opportunity and I’ll be giving it all I can to fight among the front runners again.

“I’m not underestimating the challenge though, as we were a little exposed at The Bend in terms of where we are in the development of our car relative to the World Tour Hyundais. But it highlighted the areas we need to focus on, and the team has been working tirelessly to extract more performance.

“The track looks really exciting with a mixture of fast and technical sections, with lots of kerb riding. These cars are really cool in that respect, and it’s kind of childish really but any time you can steamroll a kerb is a great day in sport. So, we’ve put a lot of focus on improving compliance to ensure we’re up there with the front guys again.”

Car 5: i30 Sedan N TCR – Ryan MacMillan

“I am really looking forward to racing in South Korea, the home of Hyundai, and experiencing all that comes with an international adventure; the countryside, the culture, the food and the passionate fans. It’s an amazing privilege in only my second ever TCR event.

“But my focus is on the racing, and I’ve been diligently studying the layout of Inje Speedium through on-board footage and on the simulator as well, so that I’m best prepared as soon as we roll out for the first practice session. It looks like an exciting circuit, with plenty of overtaking opportunities. I reckon it’s going to be entertaining with some good action.

“The Bend showed we were a little way off the factory cars in terms of set-up, but we’ve been working hard since then on developing a new direction that we believe will make us more competitive. So, my goal is to make a step-up in South Korea and be right there within the top 10 all weekend.”

2025 TCR World Tour – Round 6: Inje Speedium

Track Details
Location	Inje County, South Korea
Length	3.908 km
TCR Pole & Lap Record	NA

HMO Customer Racing will compete in the final four rounds of the 2025 TCR World Tour.

Following the cancellation of this year’s planned TCR Australia Championship, HMO Customer Racing will race against the world’s best touring car teams and drivers in the final four rounds of the 2025 TCR World Tour.

Reigning two-time TCR Australia Champion Josh Buchan will spearhead the international attack driving a brand-new “facelifted” Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR.

Racing alongside Josh will be rising star, 17-year-old Formula Open Champion Ryan Macmillan, who will drive Buchan’s championship-winning Hyundai i30 Sedan TCR that has been recently upgraded with the latest bodywork and components.

The HMO teammates will not only have to battle against world class drivers but also tackle some of the most daunting and technical racetracks across Asia-Pacific, including the iconic Guia Street Circuit during the Macau Grand Prix weekend.

2025 TCR World Tour Schedule: HMO Customer Racing

• The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia (September 12-14)
• Inje Speedium, South Korea (October 17-19)
• Zhuzhou International Circuit, China (November 1-2)
• Guia Street Circuit, Macau (November 13-16)

While MacMillan will compete in all four WTCR events, a prior commitment means Buchan will miss the Chinese round at Zhuzhou International Circuit.

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 on Stan Sport.

What the drivers said:

Car 1: i30 Sedan N TCR – Josh Buchan

“With two championships in the bag, my focus this year has always been on making a big impression during the international rounds at The Bend and Macau. While it’s unfortunate that I’ll have to miss the race in China, it’s exciting to have another shot against the World Tour drivers at Inje Speedium in South Korea, the home of Hyundai.”

“It’s a shame we haven’t been able to race this year, but I’ve tested the new car recently and I’m confident we have the best machinery and the team at HMO Customer Racing to fight at the front.”

“I really enjoyed the competition when the TCR World Tour last visited Australia in 2023 – at Sydney Motorsport Park and Mount Panorama – when we debuted the Hyundai i30 Sedan TCR. With more experience behind the wheel of that car now, and brand-new machinery, I have some unfinished business against the best in the world.”

Car 15: i30 Sedan N TCR – Ryan MacMillan

“It definitely wasn’t part of the original plan, but it is mind-blowing to think that I’ll now be making my touring car debut in a world championship. That is amazing!

“I’m really looking forward to challenge of racing against world-class drivers and learning from Josh and the awesome team at HMO Customer Racing under an intense spotlight. I’m excited by the pressure. It’s the best competition I can have, and a great opportunity to accelerate my career.”

MOUNT PANORAMA, BATHURST: HMO Customer Racing will unleash its latest-generation Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR at Bathurst this weekend in a bid to claim its second TCR Australia championship.

Josh Buchan will switch from his i30 N TCR hatchback to debut the all-new four-door sedan racer in the Bathurst International at Mount Panorama.

Buchan enters the final round of the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Championship in fourth position, 83 points behind the series leader. With 50 per cent more points on offer in each of the three, 50-minute ‘endurance’ races this weekend, Buchan remains one of six drivers in genuine title contention.

HMO Customer Racing heads to Bathurst with strong form, as Buchan and teammate Bailey Sweeny both scored double podium finishes in the third round of the 2022 Super Series earlier this year, which included Sweeny’s breakthrough maiden TCR victory. The rookie sensation also holds the current TCR lap record at Mount Panorama.

Nathan Morcom, in the #11 Hyundai i30 N TCR, is hoping to play his own role in Buchan’s championship aspirations at the front of the field, having the experienced Aaron Grech as his dedicated race engineer for the first time at Bathurst.

The iconic Mount Panorama circuit is one of the world’s most challenging racetracks with its blend of long, fast straights with heavy braking zones mixed with the section of high-speed flowing undulations across the top of the mountain.

HMO Customer Racing claimed the inaugural TCR Australia Championship in 2019 with Will Brown.

What the drivers said:

Car 11 – Nathan Morcom

“We had a test day at Winton a couple of weeks ago and tried some new ideas on the Hyundai i30 N TCR with my engineer Aaron Grech that felt really good. I didn’t have a dedicated engineer on my car at Bathurst earlier this year, so I’m feeling confident we can run at the pointy end this weekend and finish off the season on a high. I just want to have a red hot go and I’m aiming for the podium and wins at Bathurst.”

Car 30 – Josh Buchan

“There is a lot of excitement and anticipation with the debut of the new Hyundai i30 Sedan N TCR this weekend. We think the car has the potential to be a very fast car at Mount Panorama, but Bathurst is such a unique circuit, and we need to learn quickly how to unlock its potential. The championship is still alive and there is a lot to be gained if everything goes right for us and take away a trophy or two. But, if anything, it is a great opportunity to get a head start on the championship for 2023.”

Car 130 – Bailey Sweeny

“I can’t wait to get back in the car this weekend at Bathurst and hopefully repeat the success we had earlier this year. Obviously, the conditions will be a lot different compared to the cooler weather when we competed here in April, and the races are significantly longer. But I think both of those elements will play into our hands, as the Hyundai i30 N TCR is very good on its tyres and we should be faster than our rivals at the end of the race.”

BATHURST INTERNATIONAL – TRACK SCHEDULE

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11	SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12	SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13
PRACTICE 1: 10:15AM	QUALIFYING: 8:50AM	RACE 2: 9:25AM
PRACTICE 2: 4:05PM	RACE 1: 4:00PM	RACE 3: 3:50PM

2022 SUPERCHEAP AUTO TCR AUSTRALIA CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS – after Round 6, Sandown Raceway

1.	Tony D’Alberto	Honda Civic Type R	648
2.	Jordan Cox	Peugeot 308 TCR	602
3.	Will Brown	Audi RS3 LMS	581
4.	Josh Buchan	Hyundai i30 N TCR	565
4.	Zac Soutar	Honda Civic Type R	565
6.	Jay Hanson	Audi RS3 LMS	533
7.	Dylan O’Keefe	Peugeot 308 TCR	506
8.	Ben Bargwanna	Peugeot 308 TCR	481
9.	Nathan Morcom	Hyundai i30 N TCR	471
10.	Bailey Sweeny	Hyundai i30 N TCR	466