Huff has Macau TCR entry rejected due to rule change

The Honda WTCC factory driver was set to compete in this year’s race in a Civic TCR, as he had last year when he took pole position and won the qualifying race competing with WestCoast Racing in the TCR International Series finale.

The 36-year-old was set to race again in a car run with support from JAS Motorsport, but has been caught out by a rule change which required him to have raced a 2.0-litre turbocharged touring car during the 2016 season to be eligible to compete in the Macau Grand Prix support event.

As his regular car, the Honda Civic WTCC, is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, his experience in this car doesn't qualify.

The Briton attempted to ensure an entry by racing a BAIC Senova D60 in the China Touring Car Championship's Super Cup 2.0T class at the Shanghai WTCC weekend, but this wasn’t deemed eligible.

The new rule in the Guia Race 2.0T sporting regulations states:

5.2.1 Drivers will be selected under the following conditions: a.) Drivers who have participated in any FIA or ASN sanctioned international or zone races of 2.0T category in 2016 and having been classified.

“It’s very frustrating and a silly situation I’ve never heard of before,” said Huff.

“I’ve got the budget, the car, engineer, mechanics, sponsor, hotels and flights all booked, but no entry. It's an unfortunate sequence of events."

Huff’s WTCC teammate Tiago Monteiro will take part in the Guia Race in a Civic TCR with support from JAS and WestCoast Racing, the Portuguese driver having met the criteria after competing in two rounds of the TCR Benelux series at Spa and Zandvoort in the summer.

While Huff is absent, two British drivers will be on the grid in the form of BTCC regular Adam Morgan, who is racing a CTCC-spec Mercedes C2000, and TCR points leader James Nash, who holds a buffer of 17 points over defending champion Stefano Comini heading into the season finale.

Neil Hudson / TouringCarTimes