GARRY Rogers Motorsport is set to resist the temptation of drip-feeding its brand-new Peugeot TCRs into action, in favour of a later all-at-once deployment.
Last February, GRM won the contract to be the exclusive designer, builder and distributor of the next-generation Peugeot 308 TCR.
Supply delays have seen the project’s timeline progressively pushed back, and now the target is Round 4 of the 2024 TCR Australia season – May 31 to June 2 at The Bend.
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“When we first started, our plan was to have the cars ready for the start of the season,” GRM boss Barry Rogers told V8 Sleuth.
“It hasn’t worked out that way and a lot of that is due to the supply of componentry.
“We have got a couple of cages ready to start putting those cars together. The first car will start getting put together over the next few weeks and we have got two more shells on their way now from Europe.
“We want to launch all four cars together mid-season, so that’s still the plan. If we get supply as we think we will, we should be right to launch all four together.
“There’s a little bit to work through with WSC and the homologation of the cars.
“I think Round 4 is what we’re looking at. You have got to put a deadline there somewhere and have something to aim towards, so that’s what we’re aiming at.”
Rogers hopes the homologation process can be as straightforward as possible along the way.
“Certainly we’ll have to send an engine over there (to Europe) but whether the car itself needs to go, there may be the option of being able to do the chassis side of it locally,” he said.
“That’s the preference of both them and us. We’re just working through that at the moment.”
GRM has announced half of its four-pronged line-up for the 2024 TCR Australia season, which will open at Sandown on February 9-11.
Aaron Cameron and rookie Ryan Casha have been confirmed to drive Valvoline-backed entries; Jordan Cox and Ben Bargwanna are expected to round out the roster.
