Schaeffler enters Australian TCR Championship
Automotive and Industrial supplier, Schaeffler Australia, today announced a major sponsorship deal with TCR competitor Dylan O’Keeffe. The company will back the young star for the remainder of the 2021 season with the option to continue its support. Schaeffler Australia’s Automotive manager, Warren Barnett, said the move will help promote the brand locally while expanding its global motorsport presence.
“We want to showcase the technological and engineering expertise behind the Schaeffler brand,” said Barnett. “People are familiar with the brands we have within the organisation like LuK, INA and FAG, but they’re not as familiar with Schaeffler as the global brand. We think the TCR sponsorship will help people make that connection with our trade brands, and know Dylan is an excellent fit for the brand given the high level of technical expertise gained at Garry Rodgers Motorsport.”
Schaeffler also sponsors drivers in the Formula E, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), and is quick to recognise the connection Australians have with the sport. The Australian TCR series is the latest in a worldwide factory-derived motorsport program based on four and five-door production models from the small car segment. The series includes sporty iterations of models popular with the Australian market, including the Honda Civic, Hyundai i30, Mazda3, Renault Megane, and Volkswagen Golf.
“There is definitely a desire within Schaeffler to get more involved in motorsport within the Asia-Pacific region,” added Barnett. “Because TCR has a connection and presence in the region, we feel this series could become to us what DTM is to our European colleagues, and I think Australian motorsport fans feel the same way. I think the fans appreciate the excitement, and the willingness TCR drivers have to push themselves to the edge.”
O’Keeffe ranks 15th outright in the Australian TCR series. A Bathurst stalwart, O’Keefe has competed in the Australian and World TCR series, and boasts a Class B win at the 2017 Bathurst 12 Hour, an 11th-place finish at the 2020 Bathurst 1000 and a sixth-place finish in the 2019 250km Super 2 Series race. Schaeffler livery will appear on O’Keeffe’s car through the remainder of the 2021 TCR Championship.