Opel Motorsport has confirmed that its latest race car, the Astra TCR, has successfully completed a five-day test session at the Circuito do Estoril, Portugal.
“It was a very good test,” explained Opel Motorsport director, Jörg Schrott. “The timetable is still tight, but we are on schedule. The car worked reliably in recent tests at Zandvoort and Estoril, and the performance is right. Now we are simply honing the details before the end of February, when the first vehicles will be delivered to our customer teams.”
The development program with the Opel Astra TCR saw it complete around 250 laps, over the five-day event, with particular attention being paid to the Astra TCR’s front suspension arrangement.
“All the longitudinal and transverse forces in a TCR-vehicle, in addition to the braking and steering, are acting on the front wheels,” added Dietmar Metrich, Opel Motorsport’s technical director. “It’s not just about the pure lap time, but also to tire wear. Whichever car has a well-functioning front axle, will have a competitive advantage.
Opel’s TCR-specification Astra is based on the latest ‘K’-generation car, and featuresa high-output, two-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which transfers its power through a Sadev sequential six-speed gearbox.
“We have to our TCR debut still plenty of work to do,” concluded Schrott. “But I am already looking forward to the upcoming season. The TCR arrives precisely the interests of teams and fans. Thrilling, close motorsport with vehicles that the audience can identify – this is a concept with guaranteed success “.
The TCR International Series season begins in Bahrain, on April 3rd 2016.
