MUGELLO (27 March, 2022) – BBR taken secured its second consecutive win of the 2022 24H SERIES powered by Hankook season after a commanding performance at the Hankook 12H MUGELLO. 

BBR (#159, Chariya Nuya / Kantadhee Kusiri / Kantasak Kusiri / Tanart Sathienthirakul) led the TCR class almost uninterrupted during the second half of the event on Sunday, and after issues struck early division leader Valluga on Saturday, the Thai team was able to control the pace and cruise to its second TCE division win following its season-opening victory in Dubai. The win was BBR’s first with its brand-new CUPRA Leon Competición TCR.

Tanart Sathienthirakul drove the CUPRA across the line to complete 304 laps of the 5.245km Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello. 

“This win means a lot!” Tanart explained to radiolemans.com’s Diana Binks. “We worked really hard this weekend, and the team truly gave us a perfect car for the whole race. Every pit stop was spot on, and every tactic was spot on. So, for me as a driver, I just had to make sure we brought the car home. It’s my first time here [in Mugello], and it took me a few sessions to get used to the track, but in the end, we did it!”

Having led the division at the very start of the race, the NOKER racing team Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR (#104, Kestutis Stasionis / Sten-Dorian Piirimägi / Jonas Karklys / Antti Rammo) held on to finish 2nd in TCE on its maiden 24H SERIES outing. Wolf-Power Racing – one half of the reigning Overall TCE Teams’ champion – had also been in contention for TCE victory early on, but lost significant time when its new Audi RS3 LMS (#116, Jasmin Preisig / Marcus Menden / Ivars Vallers) beached itself in the gravel trap in the closing stages. The Swiss team managed to return to the track and complete the TCE podium. 

The Holmgaard Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR (#102, Magnus Holmgaard / Jonas Holmgaard / Roy Edland / Martin Vedel Mortensen) had looked set to finish in the top three for the first time, but lost time in the garage to a detached front splitter. The Danish team was nevertheless able to finish 4th in the division following the repairs.  

Incredibly, the SK Racing Ligier JS2 R (#215, Franck Eburderie / Franco Lemma / Jérôme Dacosta / Franck Lavergne) secured TCX class victory with less than an hour to go in Mugello when the Valluga Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS (#205, Bradley Ellis / Leo Loucas / Rhea Loucas / Charles Hollings) was forced to retire with a broken radiator. The result marked an exceptional comeback from SK Racing, which collided with Herberth Motorsport’s Porsche 991 GT3 R on Saturday and was also in the barriers early on Sunday as well. 

Counting the non-championship Hankook 6H ABU DHABI in January, this is the third successive TCX win for a Ligier JS2 R in the 24H SERIES this season. 

Both Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport BMWs also went the distance in Tuscany, the #332 entry (Michael Mayer / Volker Piepmeyer / Jürgen Meyer / Michael Bonk) leading the #331 sister M2 CS Racing home (Rainer Partl / Hermann Bock / Martin Kroll / Michael Bonk) for TC-class victory. 

The 24H SERIES powered by Hankook will be back in action on 22-23-24 April as the Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps makes its return to the CREVENTIC calendar. One month after that, the 24H SERIES heads to Germany for the Hankook 12H HOCEKENHEIMRING on 13-14-15 May. Further details regarding the 2022 24H SERIES calendar and championship standings can be found HERE.