# 2023 Race Sydney

2023 Race Sydney will be the seventh round of nine in the 2023 TCR World Tour. It is scheduled to be held on 3–4 November 2023 at Sydney Motorsport Park in Eastern Creek, New South Wales, Australia. The event will also be the sixth round of seven in the 2023 TCR Australia Touring Car Series.

## Report
### Background

The event will be the first staging of an international touring car championship in Australia since the 1987 Calder Park 500, held as part of the 1987 World Touring Car Championship for Group A.
In the TCR World Tour standings, Norbert Michelisz led Yann Ehrlacher by 4 points in the drivers' championship, and Cyan Racing led BRC Racing Team by 116 points in the teams' championship. In the TCR Australia standings, Bailey Sweeny led Joshua Buchan by 30 points in the drivers' championship.

### Entry list

A total of 25 cars have been entered, including entries from TCR World Tour and TCR Australia.
| Team | Car | No. | Drivers | Class |
| Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | 1 | Tony D'Alberto | A |
| Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 4 | Jimmy Clairet | A |
| Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 9 | Will Brown | A |
| Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | 14 | Lachlan Mineeff | A |
| Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 18 | Aaron Cameron | A |
| Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | 22 | Iain McDougall | A |
| HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 30 | Josh Buchan | A |
| Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 33 | Jordan Cox | A |
| Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 41 | Kody Garland | A |
| Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 71 | Ben Bargwanna | A |
| Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | 74 | Brad Harris | A |
| Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | 76 | Will Harris | A |
| BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 105 | Norbert Michelisz | W |
| Team Soutar Motorsport | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 110 | Zac Soutar | A |
| Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 111 | Thed Björk | W |
| Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 112 | Santiago Urrutia | W |
| Ashley Seward Motorsport | Lynk & Co 03 TCR | 115 | Tom Oliphant | A |
| Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 122 | Frédéric Vervisch | W |
| Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | 129 | Néstor Girolami | W |
| HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 130 | Bailey Sweeny | A |
| Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 155 | Ma Qinghua | W |
| Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 168 | Yann Ehrlacher | W |
| Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 179 | Robert Huff | W |
| BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 196 | Mikel Azcona | W |
| Source: |||||
| Icon | Status |
| W | TCR World Tour entries |
| A | TCR Australia entries |

#### Entry changes

* Michael Clemente had withdrawn from the event due to budget issues.
* Kody Garland did not compete in the races as a result of excessive damage to his car following a technical failure-caused accident during the practice session.

### Race 1

The first race was held in wet conditions at night. Local driver Will Brown claimed victory having led the vast majority of the race, which had to be red-flagged just shy of halfway after a number of cars went off following a deluge of rain. World Tour drivers Mikel Azcona and Ma Qinghua completed the podium, with championship challenger Yann Ehrlacher penalised for a Safety Car infringement.

## Results
### Practice summary

| Session | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time |
| Warm Up | 30 | Joshua Buchan | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 1:34.5825 |
| Practice 1 | 111 | Thed Björk | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 1:35.2179 |
| Practice 2 | 111 | Thed Björk | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 1:34.7565 |

### Qualifying

| Pos. | Cat. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Times | Times | Points | Points |
| Pos. | Cat. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Qualifying 1 | Qualifying 2 | W | A |
| 1 | A | 71 | Ben Bargwanna | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | +3.6770 | 1:37.8033 | 15 | 10 |
| 2 | A | 9 | Will Brown | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | +0.8491 | +0.7921 | 10 | 7 |
| 3 | W | 196 | Mikel Azcona | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 1:40.8794 | +1.0413 | 8 | |
| 4 | A | 130 | Bailey Sweeny | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai i30 N TCR | +1.3978 | +1.5546 | 6 | 5 |
| 5 | W | 179 | Robert Huff | Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | +2.4923 | +3.8706 | 4 | |
| 6 | W | 155 | Ma Qinghua | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | +0.9856 | +4.3068 | 2 | |
| 7 | A | 30 | Joshua Buchan | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | +2.6810 | +5.3960 | | 3 |
| 8 | W | 105 | Norbert Michelisz | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | +2.0434 | +5.4137 | | |
| 9 | A | 4 | Jimmy Clairet | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | +3.3295 | +7.0083 | | 2 |
| 10 | A | 110 | Zachary Soutar | Team Soutar Motorsport | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | +2.6699 | +7.2923 | | |
| 11 | A | 22 | Iain McDougall | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | +4.1280 | | | |
| 12 | W | 129 | Néstor Girolami | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | +4.3419 | | | |
| 13 | W | 168 | Yann Ehrlacher | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | +4.7326 | | | |
| 14 | A | 1 | Tony D'Alberto | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | +5.2848 | | | |
| 15 | W | 111 | Thed Björk | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | +5.3777 | | | |
| 16 | W | 112 | Santiago Urrutia | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | +5.9688 | | | |
| 17 | A | 18 | Aaron Cameron | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | +6.6882 | | | |
| 18 | A | 115 | Thomas Oliphant | Ashley Seward Motorsport | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | +6.8936 | | | |
| 19 | W | 122 | Frédéric Vervisch | Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | +7.8618 | | | |
| 20 | A | 74 | Bradley Harris | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | +8.6676 | | | |
| 21 | A | 33 | Jordan Cox | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | +9.7104 | | | |
| 22 | A | 76 | William Harris | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | +10.2376 | | | |
| 23 | A | 14 | Lachlan Mineeff | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | +15.0488 | | | |
| Sources: ||||||||||

### Race 1

| Pos. | Cat. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time / Retired | Grid | Points | Points |
| Pos. | Cat. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time / Retired | Grid | W | A |
| 1 | A | 9 | Will Brown | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | 51:07.3619 | 2 | 30 | 50 |
| 2 | W | 196 | Mikel Azcona | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 17 | +7.3892 | 3 | 25 | |
| 3 | W | 155 | Ma Qinghua | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +11.6553 | 6 | 22 | |
| 4 | W | 179 | Robert Huff | Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | +15.6957 | 5 | 20 | |
| 5 | W | 122 | Frédéric Vervisch | Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | +15.9925 | 19 | 18 | |
| 6 | W | 168 | Yann Ehrlacher | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +16.4280 | 13 | 16 | |
| 7 | A | 18 | Aaron Cameron | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +16.6877 | 17 | 14 | 46 |
| 8 | W | 105 | Norbert Michelisz | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 17 | +19.4938 | 8 | 12 | |
| 9 | W | 111 | Thed Björk | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +19.9734 | 15 | 10 | |
| 10 | W | 129 | Néstor Girolami | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | 17 | +20.6692 | 11 | 8 | |
| 11 | A | 33 | Jordan Cox | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +20.9922 | 21 | 6 | 44 |
| 12 | A | 115 | Thomas Oliphant | Ashley Seward Motorsport | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +27.8268 | 18 | 4 | 42 |
| 13 | A | 14 | Lachlan Mineeff | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | 17 | +28.6374 | 23 | 3 | 40 |
| 14 | A | 130 | Bailey Sweeny | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | +30.0708 | 4 | 2 | 38 |
| 15 | A | 1 | Tony D'Alberto | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | 17 | +31.6319 | 14 | 1 | 36 |
| 16 | A | 30 | Joshua Buchan | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 17 | +32.4393 | 7 | | 34 |
| 17 | A | 74 | Bradley Harris | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | 17 | +37.2872 | 20 | | 32 |
| 18 | A | 71 | Ben Bargwanna | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +38.1428 | 1 | | 30 |
| 19 | A | 4 | Jimmy Clairet | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +39.7776 | 12 | | 28 |
| 20 | A | 22 | Iain McDougall | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | 17 | +43.6663 | 10 | | 26 |
| 21 | A | 76 | William Harris | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | 17 | +53.7850 | 22 | | 25 |
| DNF | W | 112 | Santiago Urrutia | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 12 | | 16 | | |
| DNF | A | 110 | Zachary Soutar | Team Soutar Motorsport | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 2 | | 9 | | |
| Fastest lap: Ma Qinghua (Cyan Racing), 1:37.0422 |||||||||||
| Sources: |||||||||||
* ^1 – Ehrlacher received a 5-second post-race time penalty for a safety car infringement.

### Race 2

| Pos. | Cat. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time / Retired | Grid | Points | Points |
| Pos. | Cat. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time / Retired | Grid | W | A |
| 1 | A | 9 | Will Brown | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | 30:22.5969 | 10 | 30 | 40 |
| 2 | W | 179 | Robert Huff | Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | +3.4963 | 7 | 25 | |
| 3 | W | 122 | Frédéric Vervisch | Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | +3.9116 | 6 | 22 | |
| 4 | W | 105 | Norbert Michelisz | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 17 | +4.9157 | 3 | 20 | |
| 5 | A | 30 | Joshua Buchan | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 17 | +5.4325 | 16 | 18 | 36 |
| 6 | A | 130 | Bailey Sweeny | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | +7.4825 | 14 | 16 | 34 |
| 7 | A | 115 | Thomas Oliphant | Ashley Seward Motorsport | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +8.0442 | 12 | 14 | 32 |
| 8 | A | 18 | Aaron Cameron | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +8.1952 | 4 | 12 | 30 |
| 9 | W | 168 | Yann Ehrlacher | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +12.8564 | 5 | 10 | |
| 10 | W | 112 | Santiago Urrutia | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +14.1491 | 22 | 8 | |
| 11 | A | 14 | Lachlan Mineeff | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | 17 | +17.4328 | 13 | 6 | 28 |
| 12 | A | 1 | Tony D'Alberto | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | 17 | +18.8901 | 15 | 4 | 26 |
| 13 | A | 74 | Bradley Harris | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | 17 | +19.8984 | 17 | 3 | 24 |
| 14 | A | 33 | Jordan Cox | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +21.0085 | 11 | 2 | 22 |
| 15 | A | 76 | William Harris | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | 17 | +23.0228 | 21 | 1 | 20 |
| 16 | A | 110 | Zachary Soutar | Team Soutar Motorsport | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | +25.8094 | 23 | | 18 |
| 17 | A | 4 | Jimmy Clairet | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +28.5379 | 19 | | 16 |
| 18 | A | 22 | Iain McDougall | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | 17 | +35.4432 | 20 | | 15 |
| 19 | W | 196 | Mikel Azcona | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 16 | +1 lap | 8 | | |
| DNF | A | 71 | Ben Bargwanna | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 15 | Misfire | 18 | | |
| DNF | W | 111 | Thed Björk | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 7 | Crash damage | 2 | | |
| DNF | W | 155 | Ma Qinghua | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 7 | Crash damage | 9 | | |
| DNF | W | 129 | Néstor Girolami | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | 2 | | 1 | | |
| Fastest lap: Joshua Buchan (HMO Customer Racing), 1:36.0981 |||||||||||
| Sources: |||||||||||
* ^1 – Cameron and Bargwanna received five-second post-race time penalties for false starts.
* ^2 – Soutar and Clairet received five-second post-race time penalties for exceeding track limits.

### Race 3

| Pos. | Cat. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time / Retired | Grid | Points | Points |
| Pos. | Cat. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time / Retired | Grid | W | A |
| 1 | W | 179 | Robert Huff | Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | 27:33.0141 | 2 | 30 | |
| 2 | W | 105 | Norbert Michelisz | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 17 | +4.3310 | 4 | 25 | |
| 3 | A | 9 | Will Brown | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | +7.3299 | 1 | 22 | 50 |
| 4 | W | 122 | Frédéric Vervisch | Comtoyou Racing | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | +9.4385 | 3 | 20 | |
| 5 | A | 30 | Joshua Buchan | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 17 | +12.9729 | 9 | 18 | 46 |
| 6 | W | 196 | Mikel Azcona | BRC Racing Team | Hyundai Elantra N TCR | 17 | +24.9618 | 7 | 16 | |
| 7 | W | 168 | Yann Ehrlacher | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +25.1915 | 5 | 14 | |
| 8 | W | 129 | Néstor Girolami | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | 17 | +25.9300 | 19 | 12 | |
| 9 | W | 155 | Ma Qinghua | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +25.9717 | 11 | 10 | |
| 10 | A | 1 | Tony D'Alberto | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FL5) | 17 | +26.0663 | 13 | 8 | 44 |
| 11 | A | 130 | Bailey Sweeny | HMO Customer Racing | Hyundai i30 N TCR | 17 | +26.2050 | 8 | 6 | 42 |
| 12 | W | 112 | Santiago Urrutia | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +26.6346 | 22 | 4 | |
| 13 | A | 115 | Thomas Oliphant | Ashley Seward Motorsport | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +26.9020 | 10 | 3 | 40 |
| 14 | A | 14 | Lachlan Mineeff | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | 17 | +27.3049 | 12 | 2 | 38 |
| 15 | W | 111 | Thed Björk | Cyan Racing | Lynk & Co 03 FL TCR | 17 | +28.9423 | 15 | 1 | |
| 16 | A | 33 | Jordan Cox | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +33.2414 | 16 | | 36 |
| 17 | A | 110 | Zachary Soutar | Team Soutar Motorsport | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2021) | 17 | +33.6504 | 23 | | 34 |
| 18 | A | 18 | Aaron Cameron | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +34.0631 | 6 | | 32 |
| 19 | A | 74 | Bradley Harris | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | 17 | +34.7797 | 14 | | 30 |
| 20 | A | 4 | Jimmy Clairet | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 17 | +35.2755 | 17 | | 28 |
| 21 | A | 22 | Iain McDougall | Melbourne Performance Centre | Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (2017) | 17 | +54.5130 | 21 | | 26 |
| 22 | A | 76 | William Harris | Wall Racing | Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8) | 17 | +1:21.9377 | 20 | | 25 |
| DNF | A | 71 | Ben Bargwanna | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Peugeot 308 TCR | 11 | Turbo | 18 | | |
| Fastest lap: Mikel Azcona (BRC Racing Team), 1:36.0279 |||||||||||
| Sources: |||||||||||
* ^1 – Brown and Vervisch received five-second post-race time penalties for false starts.

## Championship standings

| Pos | Pilot | Pts | Gap |
| 1 | Norbert Michelisz | 327 | |
| 2 | Robert Huff | 326 | -1 |
| 3 | Yann Ehrlacher | 306 | -21 |
| 4 | Mikel Azcona | 289 | -38 |
| 5 | Frédéric Vervisch | 257 | -70 |
| Pos | Driver | Pts | Gap |
| 1 | Cyan Racing | 727 | |
| 2 | BRC Racing Team | 626 | -101 |
| 3 | Comtoyou Racing | 610 | -117 |
| Pos | Driver | Pts | Gap |
| 1 | Bailey Sweeny | 708 | |
| 2 | Joshua Buchan | 679 | -29 |
| 3 | Aaron Cameron | 659 | -49 |
| 4 | Tony D'Alberto | 612 | -96 |
| 5 | Jordan Cox | 598 | -110 |
* Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of drivers' standings.