2023 of Turismo su Strada kicks off: Canapino’s absence, make changes and driver records for the top title

In Viedma, more than 9,000 kilometers from the new residence of Agustín Canapino, He Turismo Carretera will start the season without its four-time champion but with a record 55 drivers entered. Despite the absence of the greatest exponent of national motorsport, who will make his debut in IndyCar on March 5, the country’s most important category will have a guaranteed show with a figure that hasn’t been recorded since October 2011.

In this break from that December 11th in which Manu Urcera established himself and gave Turin the Scudetto after 51 years, the champion decided not to make any changes -despite the possibility of getting into a Toyota- but there were many other negotiations that ensued returns, promotions, farewells and changes of teams and even brands.

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In the latter element, Leonel Pernia he joined the select group of riders who raced with the four historical brands of the TCleaving Turin de Las Toscas to get on the Ford that you will no longer have Giovanni Battista De Benedictis (now in Catalan Magni Motorsport) in the Gurí Martínez Competition.

The others who have passed Dodge, Chevrolet, Ford and Turin and will play the 82nd TC Championship Emiliano Spatar AND norbert fountain, which changed its structure in 2023. The first will continue with a Ford but now his team, Buenos Aires Racing, is present, while the man from Reef has left Chevrolet to race with a Torino of the RUS Med Team. Mauro Medina’s team also joins Facundo Ardusso (Turin) AND Nicola Bonelli (Ford).

In an election year and in the midst of an economic crisis – the drought has had a strong influence on the agricultural sector, which supports several drivers -, there have been many changes, even if not all the protagonists have changed brands.

For example, Diego Ciantini will continue with a Chevrolet, even if now it will be busy Canapino’s place in the JP Carrera. While Maurice Lambris (Ford) castling with Julian Santero (Ford): the Uruguayan moved to Alifraco Sport while the man from Mendoza moved to LCA Racing.

Just like Chevrolet lost its flagship and category that rivalry between Canapino and Mariano Werner, winners of five of the last six championships-, Ford’s most important victim has the name of John Paul Gianinipresent in the TC since 2002, but after 314 races he decided not to leave for work and personal reasons.

Adding to his absence are the highlights of Emanuele Moriatis -who will dedicate himself to managing his team even if he could participate in some tests-, Martin Bridge, Matthias Nolesi, Paul Costanzo, John Martin Bruno and the one already consumed in April Guglielmo Ortelli.

Others, for now, are pauses like the one in Frederick Iribarne, who used his social media to say he won’t be in Viedma even if he has “the intention to return”. And also, of course, there have been refusals from the ACTC, such as the one placed on the Cordovan Facundo Chapur.

In this new role of head of the Competition Emanuel Moriatis, the president of the National Tourism entered in the TC eight fritzlers, the TC Track champion. From the opening category also came the runner-up Santiago Álvarez, Marcos Quijada -TC Mouras 2021 champion-, Gustavo Micheloud, Cristian Di Scala, Juan Garbelino, Martín Vázquez, Humberto Krujoski and Elio Craparo.

On the other hand, the TC has recovered one of its historians: Carlos Okulovichwho made his debut in 2006 but left the category with three races to go in the 2021 season and focused on TN last year.

It is one of the outgoing returns, like that of Caito Risatti. The missionary will get on the Torino that Ardusso led at Maquin Sports but which he now plots with the yerba mate brand that has accompanied him for nine years.

“This season will be very difficult due to the number of cars. This generates high expectations for both the show and the audience and for us on the track, because It’s not the same to run between 30 or 35 as with 55. It’s a big challenge because if you look at the names, the vast majority are able to fight and win a race. It will be a great show and an honor to be able to compete among those 55 drivers,” said the Oberá native clarion.

This panorama with a record number of participants may change as the dates go by, because -as Okulovich underlined- “the economic part is very demanding and when it starts to falter some problems appearsuch as lack of maintenance or broken parts”.

“This is evident with the wear from the races. When the championship has just started, we are all ready to face it. After, of course there are people on the street. Let’s hope that as little as possible happens and that we all carry on the year in the best way,” she said.

The challenge will start in Viedma, where Tickets range from $4,000 for a general – and another thousand if you want access to the grandstand – to $8,000 for going to the pitsand will continue in the south of the country, with tests in Neuquén (March 5), Toay (March 26) and the new El Calafate racetrack (April 16).

Of the remaining ten races, only the last two have a confirmed track (Toay and San Juan), even if the return of Juan and Óscar Gálvez to the city of Buenos Aires is assured. Pending these innovations, the TC takes first place in the same scenario as last year and where a Ford has won in the last two presentations.

Statement of date 1 of the TC

The ACTC has allowed two training sessions to be held this Friday (from 11:00 to 12:10 and from 13:40 to 14:50 without TV) to test the new mass and tire system with the mandatory central nut this year . Then the official activity will start, divided between Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday
9.30 1st training
12.08 2nd training
14.03 3rd training
16.10 Ranking
​TV: Motor Play (paid app) and DeporTV (from 12)

Sunday
9.40 1st Series
10.05 2nd Series
10.30 3rd Series
13.30 End
TV: Motor Play (paid app) and Public TV (from 11am)