Turgut Konukoğlu and Eric Brigliadori (Audi RS3 TCR – TEXACO Team AMS) secured their third victory of the season and their first at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Nevertheless, this win is a special one: it comes with the first overall title in the history of the TCR European Endurance.
After the trophies dedicated to the team, DSG cars, and Gen-1 cars, the drivers’ championship victory also goes to the Turkish team, assigned in this final round of the series promoted by Mauricio Slaviero. Brigliadori and Konukoğlu completed a perfect weekend, always leading from the first free practice session to the checkered flag, the last of this season.
The artificial lights of the Italian track illuminated the final 55 minutes plus one lap of the 2024 season. The start was less chaotic compared to Stage-1: Pinar/Çiftci (Audi RS3 Gen-1) and Nardilli/Lisi (Cupra DSG) gained a position in the first few laps over Okyay/Kaçan pair (Audi RS3 DSG). The first half of the race ignited with the duel between Alessandro Lisi and Seda Kaçan. The latter managed to complete a great overtake at the Tramonto corner, gaining the third position shortly before the pit window opened.
Ottavio Cappelli was the first driver to enter the pit, handing over the wheel to Alessandro Brigatti in the VW Golf DSG of Faro Racing. The young Italian was the fastest driver on the track in the second half of the race, a majestic performance as it was his absolute debut in a TCR car. Fabrizio Tolò, at the wheel of the other Faro Racing car, was the last to perform the pit stop among the DSG cars, completing the mandatory change of at least two tires. The team manager of the team, for this occasion at the wheel of the Golf DSG, was the only one who did not have to change the driver, having to serve an handicap time during the stop, for a total of 2 minutes and 20 seconds (5 seconds more than the other teams).
Once the pit stop window closed, the race and the positions on the track seemed frozen. Despite that, the low visibility due to the night and the low temperatures did not spare the Audi RS3 DSG number #4 of Okyay/Kaçan. Ibrahim Okyay took the place of the Turkish driver at the top of the standings dedicated to cars with DSG gearbox, but found himself into the wall in the third sector 10 minutes from the end of Stage-2, gifting the lead to the Pro Race number #18 of Nardilli/Lisi duo.
The exit of the experienced Turkish driver also took away the possibility of a triple for TEXACO Team AMS at the end of the final round, which would have been a sensational result to celebrate a triumphant season. The Turkish team has to settle for the double podium completed by Konukoğlu/Brigliadori (Audi RS3 TCR) and Pinar/Çiftci (Audi RS3 Gen-1), finishing ahead of Nardilli/Lisi (Cupra DSG). Misano continues to be a blessing for debut drivers in the TCR European Endurance, as Pro Race has been able to win in DSG class after Faro Racing did the same in the third round; both VW Golf of Faro Racing complete the DSG podium, with Cappelli/Brigatti ahead of Tablò.
In this way, the curtain comes down on the first historic season of the TCR European Endurance, an innovative formula and many emotions on and off the track, waiting to discover the news for a 2025 already around the corner.
