Lloyd claims maiden Monza podium in dramatic TCR Europe season finale

Daniel Lloyd claimed a superb fourth podium of the year during an action-packed TCR Europe season finale on Monza’s legendary Autodromo Nationale circuit, signing off his maiden season in fine style on the iconic Italian circuit (October 12/13).

The Yorkshireman’s battling performance for the Brutal Fish Racing Team concluded a superb debut year in the regional series, with Lloyd notching up 2 race wins and 4 podiums from the last three race meetings in Spain, Germany, and Italy.

With the high-speed F1 circuit known to be the weakest track on the calendar for the Honda Civic Type R, Lloyd far surpassed his and the team’s expectations in qualifying, securing P6 for the opening race.

A promising start to the weekend opener was regrettably short-lived with Lloyd battling hard with Magnus and Gavrilov on the first tour of the circuit. Moving up to take 5th on lap 5, the #123 Civic Type R later dropped back down to P8 after contact with Homola. Nursing the damaged Honda for a further three laps, a resulting puncture brought Lloyd’s race to an early end.

Starting from 5th for the final race of the year, a lightning start saw Lloyd move up into 2nd by the second lap. A race-long battle ensued against the dominant Peugeot and Hyundai machines as the duel for a podium spot unfolded. Defending hard from the fast-charging Comte, Lloyd held his nerve to take P3 at the final flag, securing his fourth podium finish of the year.

“That was a really tough weekend;” said Lloyd. “It didn’t look like it was going to go our way at all at first. We picked up a puncture in both free practice sessions so I only managed 7 flying laps. I hadn’t raced at Monza in over three years, so that put us on the back foot straight away.

“We did a great job in qualifying though. I think we surprised a few people, including ourselves taking P6.” “The racing was a real battle all weekend. Things got quite physical out on track early on. It was a frustrating first race, with the contact putting us out early. I was determined to come back in the second race and make amends.

“I got a great start in race 2, managing to get up into 2nd in two laps. The Hyundai’s and Peugeot’s were so strong though, I had to give it everything to hold onto 3rd.

“We had a lot thrown at us this weekend;” added Lloyd. “We came here not really expecting to do that well to be honest, with it being the weakest track for the Honda. To come away with another podium and finish our season with some more silverware is fantastic.

“I really can’t praise Martin Ryba and the Brutal Fish Racing Team any higher for the job they’ve done this season. I’ve loved every minute of working with them, and it’s a great end to the season for us all.

“I’d also like to thank the guys at JAS motorsport for giving us such a strong car, and for their season-long support. Last, but by no means least, a huge shout-out to my sponsors, ABRACS, Mend-A-Hose, and Propack. Without them, none of this would be possible.”

Both races can be watched in full at youtube.com/results?search_query=tcr+europe+2019