André Couto returns to racing podium in TCR China

Local race driver André Couto returned to circuit racing last weekend after almost four years out of the competitions due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

The local racer has joined with the local MacPro Racing Team to enter a new Honda Civic Type R TCR FL5 in the 2023 TCR China Touring Car Championship.

In his first race of the season, Couto achieved his best score finishing second in Race 1 on a very difficult weekend at Ningbo International Circuit, in Zhejiang Province, where the rain took the main role, falling all weekend long.

Still, after the great result, the Macau racer expressed his feelings through his official channels saying, “Very happy with the result (P2) in my first race of the season. It was under very difficult conditions, aquaplaning and visibility was an issue [particularly] when cars were running close [to each other on track].”

Races 1 and 2 were won respectively by Shell Teamwork Lynk & Co Racing’s Jason Zhang and Hyundai N’s Martin Cao, Couto and Jack Young finished second in both races.

Finishing third in Race 1 was Zhang Zhen Dong in another Team Hyundai N, Hyundai Elantra N, while the Race 2 third-place finisher was David Zhu who currently leads the championship with 71 points, seven more than Zhang and nine ahead of Cao.

Couto finished ninth in Race 2.

The next event is at the Zhuzhou International Circuit, in the Province of Hunan in mid-July.