Bathurst winner Chaz Mostert late inclusion for the TCR’s opening round at Symmons Plains

Supercars ace headed for Tasmania’s opening round of Australian TCR championship at Symmons Plains - but there’s a catch. FULL REPORT >>

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IN a major boost for Race Tasmania in two weeks, Bathurst champion and supercars star Chaz Mostert will start his “side hustle” racing by racing in the TCR at the opening round in Tasmania.

Mostert joins recently “delisted” supercars driver Lee Holdsworth as two big inclusions in the Symmons Plains round of the championship on January 24-26.

Mostert, of Queensland, will race an Audi RS3, campaigned by husband and wife duo Leanne and Garth Tander in selected rounds last year.

Mostert tested the turbo-charged Audi at Phillip Island yesterday along with 14 other turbo-charged TCR cars ahead of the Symmons Plains opener.

While Mostert is regarded as one of the stars of the supercars championship, he is no stranger to competition outside supercars.

He has driven in GT events in Australia and around the world, and also tested a Hyundai i30 N TCR car in 2018.

“It’s great to get back into a race seat and start the season nice and early down at Symmons Plains,” Mostert said.

“Melbourne Performance Centre have put this deal together for me, and it’s great that I will have the chance to get some early miles for 2021.

“TCR is a cool series. Racing door to door is what all drivers want to be involved in, so I’m excited to drive the Audi.”

Mostert wants more Audi action if his schedule allows.

“At this stage, I’m locked in for the test at Phillip Island and the first round at Symmons Plains,” he said.

“We’ll see how the year pans out, but as a driver, you want to be in car, so excited to come down and get some laps and kick off the New Year driving a new race car.”

The Symmons Plains event will see practice held on Sunday, followed by qualifying and races on Monday and Tuesday, which is also Australia Day.

The series heads to Baskerville Raceway for round two the following weekend.