Reunited with the #21 Hyundai Elantra N TCR run by Eurasia Motorsport, Red Diwa delivered a standout performance during Round 3 of the TCR Asia Series. The lone Filipino driver on the grid secured his first-ever podium finish on only his second race weekend in the series at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
Despite missing Round 2 at Ningbo due to prior commitments, Red was quickly up to speed at the 5.543 km Grade 1 circuit—where he had previously tested, but never raced competitively. The team spent most of Free Practice dialing in his setup, which translated well into Qualifying.
Backed by NanoMoly, Red clocked a superb lap of 2:16.545, just 0.552 secs off pole sitter Diego Moran—a proven race winner in the series, driving a Honda Civic TCR. It was especially impressive given Red’s limited experience in TCR machinery, and it earned him a front-row start for Race 1.
Saturday’s race saw Red get off to a clean start, holding position behind Moran while fending off teammate Andy Liang in another Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Although Moran pulled away out front, Red maintained a consistent gap to those behind and drove a clean, composed race over 12 laps to finish 2nd overall—his maiden podium finish in TCR Asia. He was also classified 1st in the Cup Class for rookie drivers.
Race 2 on Sunday was a different story. Starting once again from P2, Red suffered a mechanical issue during the launch and was unable to get off the line. With the entire field passing him at the start, he was eventually pushed back into the pit lane and forced to retire.
Still, the weekend was a success. Even after missing a round, Red currently sits 6th in the TCR Asia Cup standings and has clearly shown that he belongs on the grid. Red’s next chance to impress will come at Round 4, scheduled for October 17/19 at the Inje Speedium in South Korea.
Red Diwa: “I’m happy with my performance especially during Qualifying. Being able to set a lap just half a second off from Moran gave me a huge confidence boost. Also made me feel proud to carry the Philippine flag on the podium in Race 1. Just got a bit unlucky in Race 2 and hope we can fix the issue before the next round.”
Mark Goddard, Eurasia Motorsport Team Principal: “Red is improving a lot and getting to closer to pace all the time. We’re happy to see him finish on the podium and we hope to see more from him in the coming races. He’s investing a lot of time and effort to race internationally and he needs to be applauded for what he’s doing.”
Red Diwa is sponsored by Nanomoly, TonCars, Oakley, and Mango Suites.
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