TCR World and life

11 TCR shot ahead. “We signed an agreement for racing at three F1 GPs: Malaysia, China and Singapore. But motorsport is not a world in which people welcome a new series with open arms, and so there was a lot of scepticism about TCR actually starting. Then, ten days before the GP, I got a call from Bernie who asked: ‘Marcello, do you actually have the cars?’ I answered: ‘Yes they are on their way.’ And he replied: ‘Good, see you there!’ And I have to say that his visit to our paddock at Sepang was a big reward for the efforts put in by all of us, including the car manufacturers and teams that had performed miracles to get ready in time.” Looking back at the global success TCR has achieved since, Lotti admits: “Bernie’s contribution was crucial for the promotion. We believed in the potential of the TCR concept, but it needed to be launched in a way that could testify to its credibility, and he was the best person to help us. He has always been available and supportive, proving to be an important endorser.” Nunzia Corvino, WSC Sporting Director, was in Race Control during the inaugural TCR races at Sepang. “ I was flabbergasted. The people there, all with long experience in F1, including the late Charlie Whiting, were watching our races cheering like they were in a stadium. Something I didn’t expect. And they congratulated me, saying that they had fun. Then, a few days later, on the flight back to Europe, I heard a group of women who were working in F1 hospitalities commenting how much fun it had been watching our races.” But the memory that Nunzia cherishes most is about the spirit that enlivened the paddock at that inaugural event. “All the teams that have worked with us over the years know that we have always encouraged the establishment of sporting and friendly relationships amongst them. It all began in Sepang, when everybody was running late and working under a scorching sun. It was touching to see that they were helping each other in downloading the cars from the containers, setting up the working spaces and lending tools. This is the spirit we still have in TCR competitions.”