Being part of the five-strong lineup at Target Competition for the 2019 TCR Europe Touring Car Series, Josh Files was always going to be a contender for the title, with much expected from the British driver in Hungary.
And he duly delivered.
Having switched from Honda to Hyundai for 2019, anyone could forgive a driver for getting used to a new TCR model, however, Files got to work straight away.
Showing front running pace throughout both practice sessions and into Qualifying, he was rewarded with fourth on the grid for race one and seventh position for race two.
Files pushed team-mate Homola had in the first race. Credit: WSC Ltd / TCR Europe
“I’m extremely happy with my performance this weekend. The recovery was amazing in race two. I had some great wheel to wheel action, it’s just unfortunate I couldn’t start in seventh place as I feel that race could have been mine for the taking given our speed,” explained Files.
Come race day, Files maintained pressure on his team-mate Mat’o Homola in the first race to take second place, narrowly missing the win by a mere four-tenths of a second at the line.
It was his performance in race two that had everyone talking. In changeable conditions, he fought back from a pit lane start, thanks to a component failure on the grid.
Wheeled back into the pit lane for immediate repairs, the team managed to replace the component in record time.
Starting from the pit lane in race two, Files made up twenty-nine places in twenty-three minutes. Credit: WSC Ltd / TCR Europe
With drizzle falling and the track dampening, luck was turning as this played into Files’ strengths: a wet track on slick tyres.
Passing cars on every lap of the race, Files made his way up the field to finish in eighth position, having made up twenty-nine places in over twenty-three minutes.
“Coupled with my second place in race one, I really have to thank the guys at Target for their great work, and of course all the guys at Hyundai Motorsport for helping me understand my tools a little better. We will be fighting even harder in Hockenheim!”
