Gordon Shedden takes last-gasp BTCC success at Brands HatchKris Richard snatches FIA ETCC title in dramatic season finaleJosh Files takes ADAC TCR Germany crown with race winThe Honda Civic Type R has taken four key championships in 2016 after a treble title success in Europe last weekend (October 1-2).
In dramatic style in the last race of the last round of the season, and reminiscent of last year’s title decider, Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden picked up the drivers’ crown in the MSA Dunlop British Touring Car Championship. Taking the title by just two points, Shedden was in a NGTC-specification Type R, which was built and run by Team Dynamics.
On top of this, JAS Motorsport-built Civic Type R TCRs, run by numerous customer racing teams across the globe, delivered two prestigious titles in as many days, starting with British driver Josh Files securing the inaugural ADAC TCR Germany crown with the Target Competition team at Hockenheim on Saturday.
Just 24 hours after Files’ success, Kris Richard became the new FIA European Touring Car Cup winner; the Swiss emerging victorious after a pair of second-place finishes in his Rikli Motorsport Civic Type R at Imola in Italy.
The success of Richard, Shedden and Files means Civic Type Rs have now won four major touring car series in 2016 after Roberto Colciago clinched the TCR Italy title with the AGS team a week earlier.
There were two more major victories during the weekend as Colciago (Target Competition) and Kevin Gleason (West Coast Racing) claimed victories in the TCR International Series in their Type Rs at Sepang in Malaysia.
One further title could be won in the coming weeks with Stephane Lemeret leading the TCR Benelux Series after scoring several victories for Boutsen Ginion Racing during 2016.
Philip Crossman, Managing Director at Honda UK, commented: “To have this level of success in one weekend is an amazing achievement for the Civic Type R. Back to back drivers’ championships in the BTCC for Gordon was exciting enough at Brands hatch on Sunday – but to compound it with the other three successes is outstanding. The new Civic Type R, which we unveiled at the Paris Motor Show last week, is going to have a lot to live up to!”
