Review: Round 8 – Kumho FIA TCR WT Macau

Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing rounded out the 2025 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour season in style with a dominant 1-2 finish from long-term partner team BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, before HMO Customer Racing claimed a lights-to-flag victory on the iconic Macau street track, the Circuito da Guia.

Néstor Girolami converted his spectacular pole position into a third win of the year in Race 1 as Mikel Azcona finished second in his identical Hyundai Elantra N TCR.
 
While Girolami’s triumph was impressive, Azcona’s charge from seventh on the grid to the runner-up spot following a lightning start was sublime with BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse securing second place in the final Teams’ standings as a result.
 
Norbert Michelisz was less fortunate, however. At the venue where he won the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour title 12 months ago, the Hungarian’s hopes suffered an early setback after contact heading to the first corner damaged the front-right suspension of his Elantra N TCR.
 
Australian Josh Buchan started the partially reversed grid Race 2 from pole position and converted it into a superb second victory of the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour season, despite race-long pressure.
 
Starting fourth on the grid, Azcona moved up to third after making another strong start, only to lose a podium in the final race of the season after contact with a rival resulted in a front-right puncture. But there was better fortune for Race 1 winner Girolami, who progressed late in the race from 10th to a fine sixth at the chequered flag, while Michelisz survived a late scare at the Lisboa corner to record an eighth-place finish.
 
During the eight-event Kumho FIA TCR World Tour season, BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse claimed three pole positions, six race wins and seven podium finishes, while Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing celebrated a total of eight race victories after HMO Customer Racing added a second triumph in Macau to its first at Inje Speedium in South Korea, Hyundai’s home event, last month.
 
Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Benoit Nogier said:

Finishing the season with a 1-2 finish on such an iconic and challenging track was a measure of the performance of the Hyundai Elantra N TCR and a demonstration of the BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse’s capability and the competitiveness of our drivers. There have been moments of frustration this year but results like we achieved in Race 1 in Macau really do make all the hard work worthwhile and give us plenty of reason to be positive going forward. Big congratulations also to Josh Buchan and HMO Customer Racing for their superb victory in Race 2. To everybody who made the results in 2025 possible, and to all our customers who have competed in the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour and across the world; thank you for all the effort.

Driver Notes: #196 Mikel Azcona (ESP), Hyundai Elantra N TCR 

• Standout drive from seventh to second in Race 1 the “highlight of the year” for Spanish star
• Made light of having to carry 20 kilograms of Compensation Weight by finishing a close second to team-mate Girolami in Race 1
• Race 2 puncture prevented podium finish for Spanish racer after strong performance

Azcona said: “The start and the first race were the highlight of the year for me, something I will remember for a long time. The start was amazing, the launch was mega, I had a very good traction. I was already P3 by the third corner and, from this point, I tried to not be too close to the driver in second place because if you run too close to the car in front you burn your front tyres and then you don’t have the performance to attack at the end of the race. I catch and pass for P2 because, thanks to the team, the car was very good with the potential to win. P7 to P2 is something you dream about, but I was thinking it was something very impossible until we managed it today. In Race 2, my start was amazing, and I was able to overtake Ma. I was running in third position and feeling quite comfortable with the car and waiting for something to happen in front of me because Josh and Santiago Urrutia were fighting every lap. There was a moment when I had the momentum to go for a move. Unfortunately exiting a corner Urrutia didn’t respect me, as if I wasn’t there, and pushed me into the wall. We had contact and it caused a puncture on the right-front tyre. I feel so sorry for the team, they don’t deserve this final result. A double podium would have been a great result for everyone. But that’s racing.”

Driver Notes: #129 Néstor Girolami (ARG), Hyundai Elantra N TCR 

• Converted pole position into third win of the year from seventh on the grid during Macau opener
• Argentine’s success in Macau marked victory number three of 2025
• Moved up from 10th on the grid in Race 2 to finish a fine sixth in season climax

Girolami said: “Making the pole position at Macau is one of the best pole positions of my career. The amount of adrenalin you live during the lap in Macau is an enormous high. But to do the pole position here in Macau, you need a good car, and we had a very good car this weekend. We were always competitive in every session. I felt the grip was high and when you have the car in control you can push more. To put a lap like this is something crazy and I’m very happy, but we knew we had to keep calm so I’m very happy for the amazing result in Race 1 and the amazing work, which we crystalised with a 1-2, our target. Race 2 was all about surviving. We know Macau reverse-grid races bring a lot of drama and you need to bring the car home. The result was yesterday for us: pole position and victory. It was what we were targeting before the weekend. Starting P10 in Race 2 there was not much room for overtaking. I was behind Norbi anyway from the first lap, I tried to give him a gap so he could fight with Yann Ehrlacher and, in the end, they had a small contact, which allowed me to gain two positions. After two difficult events we have come back very strong in Macau. We showed we are still competitive and didn’t forget how to drive or make the car competitive. This brings a lot of confidence for next year and we showed we have the potential to fight for the championship.”

Driver Notes: #105 Norbert Michelisz (HUN), Hyundai Elantra N EV TCR 

• Qualified fourth for final weekend of the Kumho TCR World Tour season
• Early contact in Race 1 wrecked hopes of a podium finish
• Secured a top-10 result in 2025 finale with eighth in Race 2

Michelisz said: “Qualifying wasn’t easy, I was struggling with grip, but it was a great result for the team with Néstor taking pole. Starting P4 I had all the possibilities to finish on the podium but immediately after the start I had contact on the right front, which broke the suspension and I needed to box for repairs. The guys did their best but we couldn’t fix the car so I needed to box again. My race was gone but I was very happy Néstor and Mikel were so competitive. Life us not only about celebrating success, sometimes you have races like this. The important thing is to focus on what I can control and Race 1 was not something I could control. As for Race 2, I tried to do my best on the start from seventh on the grid. Unfortunately, like yesterday, my start wasn’t good and I immediately lost two positions. I did my best to come back but I had very fast cars in front of me and Yann Ehrlacher ahead of me didn’t make any mistakes. Nevertheless, I was pushing, the racing was very close and the car was great. I’m proud of the team. The results did not show our work, but sometimes you have these weekends and it’s important to focus on the positives and what’s ahead. It was a challenging year, not easy, but we can still find some positives.”