Ashley Seward Motorsport has achieved a major coup for the 2022 Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, securing the services of accomplished racer Michael Caruso to drive its Alfa Romeo Guilietta Veloce, to be backed by Autoglym Australia at the opening round.
Caruso is a name familiar to motorsport fans, thanks to his 11 seasons as a full-time Supercars driver from 2008 to 2018. Last year, Caruso made his debut in the TCR Series with Garry Rogers Motorsport, winning a race at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The 38-year-old said the ASM squad’s proven race-winning form made it a highly attractive proposition for this year’s series.
“When TCR first started in 2019, Ash Seward Motorsport was one of the teams that was immediately on the pace and winning races,” Caruso said.
“Last year, the ASM Alfas also showed strong form with Lee (Holdsworth) scoring race wins and podiums.
“At the end of 2021, we had some very strong momentum – I finished on the podium in four of the last five races.
“Heading into 2022, the goal is to find the consistency we need to be able to fight for the championship and with ASM, I’m confident we can make that happen.
“Ash is a racer at heart – he’s super-competitive. His crew are all very motivated and it’s really invigorated me to get stuck into the season.”
Seward said Caruso is an exciting inclusion on the team’s 2022 driving roster.
“Michael is a talented driver who has been fast in every car he has ever raced,” Seward said.
“Last year, he showed some great speed in TCR, especially in the second half of the season. He’s already familiar with the Alfa Romeo product, so we’re thrilled to have him on board.
“I’m really looking forward to the first round of the season at Symmons Plains; our cars performed very strongly there last year, so we should be able to hit the ground running.”
The opening round of the TCR Australia Series will be held as part of the Race Tasmania event, 11-13 February.
TCR Australia 2022 Calendar
Round 1 – Symmons Plains, 11-13 February
Round 2 – Phillip Island, 18-20 March
Round 3 – Mount Panorama, 15-17 April
Round 4 – Sydney Motorsport Park, 27-29 May
Round 5 – Queensland Raceway, 5-7 August
Round 6 – Sandown Raceway, 16-18 September
Round 7 – Mount Panorama, 11-13 November