Thai racer Kantadhee Kusiri and Sino-Ecuadorian racer Diego Moran will race for Liqui Moly Team Engstler in the 2017 TCR Asia Series season.
The German team will field an all-new line-up for the coming season, having guided Hong Kong racer Andy Yan Cheuk Wai to the overall drivers’ championship in 2016.
The defending drivers’ and teams’ title holders will taken on young talent in the coming year, as 23-year-old Thai driver Kusiri joins their line-up.
Kusiri has previous experience of TCR machinery, having raced in TCR Thailand and the TCR International Series in 2016, scoring a strong sixth-place finish in his home round of the latter.
China-based Ecuadorian driver Moran will also join the team, and has experience from racing in the Super Touring 2000 class of the Colombian Road Racing Championship in 2014 and 2015, where he has been a race winner and finished as runner-up in the championship.
“I am looking forward to TCR Asia,” said Moran. “I will learn a lot from my team-mate and the experience of the Liqui Moly Team Engstler.”
Engstler Motorsport’s Sport and Marketing Director Kurt Treml says that the challenges of a European team racing in Asia are made up for by the strong rewards the championship offers.
“There was no question about whether we would sign up for the TCR Asia season in 2017,” said Treml. “The Series has been an integral part of our motorsport program for many years, and TCR Asia provides a good marketing platform for our sponsors, whilst many of the Asia’s best Touring Car pilots can also be found competing.
“With the support of our sponsors Liqui Moly, Remus, VW Motorsport, Hella, Pagid, Drexler drivetrain, Motec rims, Recaro and Eibach, we were able to develop a strong package for Asia once again.
“For us, as a European team it’s always a great challenge to race in Asia, but the rewards are there and the media package extensive, so it provides great value for our partners and drivers.”
WSC Asia Limited’s David Sonenscher praised the professionalism of the Engstler Motorsport team, who were one of the earliest adopters of the TCR concept.
“We’re excited by the return of Liqui Moly Team Engstler, and the introduction of two new drivers,” added Sonencsher. “Franz Engstler and Liqui Moly Team Engstler have been invaluable partners, with us since the unveiling of the TCR concept, and their addition to TCR Asia last year certainly raised the bar of the championship forcing their rivals to learn quickly to be able to compete.
“Their professionalism and commitment is second to none, and will again push the Asian Series into exciting new territory, although this year, they will certainly have their work cut out for them, with a big list of successful Asian Touring Car teams entering the 2017 championship.”