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Few may have picked Zac Soutar to be the shock star of final yr’s TCR Australia season.
His maiden marketing campaign in 2021 was removed from flashy. A season-best end of sixth was the spotlight in a yr the place high 10s have been onerous to return by.
Then, on the 2022 season opener, Soutar got here out swinging.
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He took back-to-back high six finishes at Symmons Plains earlier than successful the weekend’s ultimate race, establishing himself as a bonafide title contender.
Extra podiums got here throughout the yr, however the age of his Honda Civic Kind R proved to be a hindrance as rivals in newer vehicles edged previous him within the collection standings.
Sixth was the place he landed within the standings, a marked enchancment on his sixteenth place effort a yr earlier.
Ultimately, the group determined to ditch the Honda in favour of a brand new Audi RS 3 LMS for 2023.
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“The Honda we had was chassis 001, so it was the very first Honda FK7 that JAS Motorsport constructed, so it was getting fairly outdated,” Soutar advised Broad World of Sports activities.
“It was 5 years outdated and as a lot because it’s an amazing automotive and we have maintained it properly, it was simply getting drained.
“So it was both refurbish that automotive or have a look at one thing new and sadly the timing had it that we could not get a brand new (FL2-spec) Honda in time for the primary spherical.
“We actually wished to hit the bottom operating with a brand new automotive after which across the similar time the chance to leap into an Audi come up.
“The Audi that was obtainable was going to make it for the primary spherical and that is simply the way in which we went.
“Clearly there’s strengths and weaknesses in each the Honda and Audi. The Honda, on its day, is a improbable automotive and so is the Audi.
“So we could not actually go flawed both means and as I mentioned, simply the chance to leap into new gear was too good to show down and it made sense and the sponsors have been all eager. In order that’s the way in which we went.”
Soutar is considered one of three drivers with new vehicles anticipated to be close to the entrance.
Will Brown additionally has a brand new Audi whereas Josh Buchan has introduced the most recent Hyundai i30 N sedan to the Symmons Plains season-opener.
Given Soutar’s relative profile to the likes of 2022 champion Tony D’Alberto and Supercars common Will Brown, he is pleased to be given the ‘underdog’ tag.
“I believe I undoubtedly embrace the underdog tag,” he mentioned.
“Generally we are able to discover ourselves somewhat bit behind the eight ball and take somewhat bit longer to catch up, however I believe now we’re at a degree – despite the fact that it is a new automotive – we have discovered a lot and we might be proper up with the large groups and we are able to actually take it to them.
“Clearly it is not gonna occur simply, it is gonna be very tight, however the purpose for us is to try to end clearly within the high 5 and as usually as potential. We need to be there within the championship combat on the finish of the season, so that is the purpose.”
Maybe what makes Soutar’s achievements most spectacular is the make-up of his group.
In contrast to the Wall Racing and Melbourne Efficiency Centre sorts, the Soutar squad is a household affair.
“Though it seems like we have a number of individuals right here, they’re all volunteers and so they’re all household and buddies mainly,” Soutar defined.
“Principally it is made up of my dad, who’s the group principal, Ben is my mate from highschool and the engineer, my brother is on the pc and the remainder are simply doing odd jobs.
“We’re very a lot a household underdog group. All people continues to be very expert at what they do and there is no purpose why we will not take the combat to whoever’s round us.”
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