Thai team BBR finishes 1-2 at Barcelona and secures the title

BBR took its fifth win of this year’s 24H Series at the 24H Barcelona, a result that crowned the Thai team as TCE Teams’ European champions. 

Despite overheating concerns, the #158 BBR CUPRA Leon Competición driven by Dechathorn Phuakkarawut, Kantadhee Kusiri, Kantasak Kusiri, Grant Supaphongs and Nattanid Leewattanavalagul ran consistently in the category top two throughout the event, eventually extending its lead to more than three minutes at the flag. Supaphongs drove the CUPRA over the line to complete 642 laps of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya en-route to victory.

Behind its sister entry, the #159 BBR CUPRA TCR of Chariya Nuya, Sandy Stuvik, Munkong Sathienthirakul, Tanart Sathienthirakul and Pasarit Promsombat came through to take the runners-up spot. With its two principal rivals having already retired, second was enough to secure BBR the TCE Teams’ European championship.

The AC Motorsport Audi RS 3 LMS of Stéphane Perrin, Mathieu Detry, Vincent Radermecker and Charles Dawson finished second on the road, but was dropped to third by a 60-second penalty for a scrutineering discrepancy.

Terminal gearbox problems eliminated the championship contender Audi RS 3 LMS run by Wolf-Power Racing for Jasmin Preisig, Ivars Vallers, Marlon Menden and Rob Huff that had looked good for victory after leading much of the opening 16 hours. 

The final 24H Series round will be the 12H Kuwait on 30 November/2 December.

Championship standings
1. BBR 90 pts; 2. Wolf-Power Racing 68; 3. AC Motorsport 48 

Picture: Creventic/Petr Frýba