BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse targeting plenty of points from Valencia weekend

Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing’s pursuit of more Kumho FIA TCR World Tour success continues in Valencia, Spain, from June 13-15 when banking a strong haul of points will be the firm focus for long-term partner BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse.

Following a challenging start to the season in Mexico last month, the multiple title-winning squad heads to Circuit Ricardo Tormo in catch-up mode with drivers Mikel Azcona, Néstor Girolami and Norbert Michelisz.

While the 4.005-kilometre track is hosting the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour for the first time, for what marks the series’ inaugural visit to the country, Azcona, Girolami and Michelisz have tested their Hyundai Elantra N TCR at the venue, therefore gaining crucial real time knowledge and experience.

BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse Team Manager Gabriele Tarquini, who claimed the second of his two FIA World Touring Car titles with Hyundai power in 2018, won Race 1 of FIA WTCC Race of Spain at Valencia in 2010.

The Valencia contest, Azcona’s home event, signals the start of the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour’s three-stop European season and the first of two back-to-back race weekends. From Valencia, BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse heads to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy from June 20-22, albeit for two races rather than the three scheduled at Valencia in accordance with new format rules for this season’s Kumho FIA TCR World Tour.

Valencia’s Kumho FIA TCR World Tour meeting is the second to follow the new-for-2025 three-race format, which consists of two 30-minute free practice sessions, a two-phase qualifying split into segments of 20 and 10 minutes, followed by three races of 30 minutes plus one lap, rather than the two races contested at each weekend in 2024.

The grid for Race 1 is based on the final results of Qualifying. The top 10 finishers from Race 1 then line up for Race 2 in reverse order with the Race 3 grid based on the total points scored in Qualifying, Race 1 and Race 2.

Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Benoît Nogier said:

“While Mexico wasn’t the start to the season we’d been working towards during the winter, it’s made the team and drivers stronger together. And to take another positive out of it, we will compete in Valencia without any compensation weight fitted to our Hyundai Elantra N TCR cars. We’re therefore eagerly awaiting the Valencia weekend when we hope to show our true pace and claim the rewards everyone connected with BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse deserves. Valenica is a known quantity for our drivers and team having served as a pre-season testing venue. It’s also Mikel’s home race so I’m sure that will give him added incentive to push even harder.”

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

• Azcona heads to Valencia 13th in the provisional Kumho FIA TCR World Tour standings
• His efforts in Mexico earned 14 points with 10th place in Race 1 his best result of the weekend
• Home race provides the opportunity to compete in front of enthusiastic Spanish fans

Azcona said: “I am certain you will see a much better result for the team in Valencia. It’s a track I really like, it’s my home track and I’m confident that we’re going to be much stronger than we were in Mexico. We already saw in Mexico that in Sector 2 and Sector 3 we were competitive against the other drivers because the balance of our Hyundai Elantra N TCR felt super-good. The problem was coming from the altitude, which won’t be an issue in Valencia. I really enjoy driving at Valencia and it’s going to be a great weekend to be there with my family and fans supporting me.”

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

• After scoring 16 points in Mexico, Girolami is the highest placed BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse driver in the provisional Kumho FIA TCR World Tour standings in 12th position
• Two 11th-place finishes made Girolami a consistent performer during the Mexico opener
• Argentine driver is determined to get his second season with BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse back on track in Valencia

Girolami said: “We go to Valencia aiming to win and score the maximum points available because we really need a strong weekend in Valencia – and I think we can do it. We just need to be really precise from the beginning and take advantage of the fact we start with zero kilos of compensation weight and just go for it. I have not raced at Valencia before but I have been testing there with the team so that should help us set a good pace from the very beginning of the weekend.”

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

• BRC Hyundai N Squadra’s best qualifier in Mexico with the 13th fastest time
• The defending Kumho FIA TCR World Tour champion followed that up by finishing 12th in Race 1
• Hungarian racer is determined to capitalise on track knowledge gained during testing

Michelisz said: “I really hope we can fight for race wins in Valencia. On paper it’s a circuit which should be good for us, we have been testing there, the car felt good in testing so I really hope I will be right and we can fight at the top. I know the season is still long but from this point onwards we need to go at maximum attack because the points gap is big compared to the main competition. We need to do a perfect season now, maximising everything we have and also taking the risks when we need to.”

Weekend at a Glance

• The action at the 4,005-kilometre Circuit Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia starts with Free Practice 1 from 14:30-15:00 local time on Friday June 13. The BRC Hyundai Squadra Corse drivers are then on track for Free Practice 2 from 17:00-17:30 later that day.
• On Saturday June 14, Qualifying Q1 runs for 20 minutes from 11:15-11:35, followed by Qualifying Q2 for the quickest runners from 11:40-11:50.
• Fast-forward to the afternoon and Race 1 (30 minutes plus 1 lap) is due to run from 16:50-17:25. Race 2 and Race 3, which cover the same 30 minutes plus 1 lap distance, take place on Sunday June 15. Race 2 is scheduled to run from 10:40-11:15, and Race 3 at 15:30-16:05.