Mikel enjoys his third podium of the season
Our Elantra N TCR customer team claimed a podium finish with Mikel at Hungaroring this weekend at the final European round of the TCR World Tour.
BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse driver Mikel qualified fourth for Race 1 and made a good start when the lights went out. At the end of the second lap, he took his chance to finish on the podium by playing his Elantra N TCR on the outside line at the final corner. He slotted into third place and built a gap to the car behind. He retained the position and crossed the line to secure a trip to the podium.
“Over the weekend we were tweaking the settings in the Elantra N TCR, and we found a good configuration to manage the tyres with the extra weight,” said Mikel. “I’m delighted to be coming away with a podium finish in Race 1, it was the maximum that we could have achieved.”
Team-mate Norbert started just behind in fifth and a slow getaway meant he had dropped to seventh by the end of the first lap. He was able to gain a position back later when a competitor went off the track. He was able to close in on fifth place but struggled on the straights due to carrying maximum compensation weight. He had to settle for a sixth-place finish.
“We always knew this weekend was going to be tough with the compensation weight, but despite this qualifying went well,” explained Norbert. “My start in Race 1 wasn’t great so I lost some positions and from there it was difficult to progress because I didn’t have the straight-line speed.”
Mixed fortunes
It was a Sunday to forget for Norbert, after starting sixth in the reversed grid Race 2, he was an innocent bystander in a lap one incident and sustained damage to his Elantra N TCR. He was able to bring the car back to the pits where the team did a tremendous job to repair the car so he could return to the track. He was running three laps down from the leaders and crossed the line in 19th.
“Race 2 was unfortunate, I tried to avoid a car in front but there just wasn’t enough room,” said a dejected Norbert. “The team did a great job repairing the car and I managed to finish the race which was our target. I did my best, but we still have a long season ahead of us.”
As a result of the incident, team-mate Mikel was able to jump from seventh to fourth before the safety car was deployed. At the restart, he pushed to make up further positions, getting involved in a four-way battle for third position. With little chance to overtake, he missed out on the chance of another podium, finishing fourth.
“Race 2 was chaotic; it was probably my best start of the season so far,” commented Mikel. “I felt really competitive running in fourth, but I didn’t want to take a big risk with third as there were some good points on offer.”
After the weekend, Norbert drops to second in the Drivers’ standings, whilst Mikel moves into third. BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse remains second in the Kumho TCR World Tour for Teams.
The next round of the Kumho TCR World Tour takes place at Autódromo Victor Borrat Fabini, Uruguay (18-20 August).
