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Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
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Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Motorsport Sensational Start for Hyundai in 2024 TCR World Tour Campaign with Double Victory in Italy
Vallelunga, April 21, 2024 – Norbert Michelisz and team newcomer Néstor Girolami got BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse’s 2024 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour campaign off to a sensational start with a double victory in Italy.
At the same Vallelunga track where the Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing-supported outfit recorded a 1-2 finish last season, polesitter Michelisz overcame a tricky start in damp conditions to overtake Yann Ehrlacher and forge ahead to the Race 1 win – and begin his TCR World Tour title defence in impressive fashion.
Experienced TCR campaigner Girolami, who was making his debut in Hyundai Motorsport-built machinery, put the disappointment of a stall at the start of Race 1 behind him to lead from the front in Race 2 for a resounding victory during a strong first competitive appearance for the new-look Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR.
Team-mate and 2022 FIA WTCR winner Mikel Azcona made his mark in both races with a pair of fourth place finishes. He was promoted to fourth in Race 1 after Marco Butti was penalised for contact between the pair and again benefitted from a penalty – this time for Esteban Guerrieri – to take the same result in Race 2
BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse’s success at its home event represented the best start to a season for the team and the third time that Hyundai Motorsport customers have claimed a clean sweep of victories, following previous results in Ningbo in 2018 and Bahrain in 2022.
Hyundai Motorsport Circuit Racing Project Manager Julien Moncet said: “It was a perfect weekend because, already in qualifying Norbi was in pole position and we managed to get Néstor in tenth position on the reverse grid for Race 2. Yesterday was a tough race, Norbi had a difficult launch because he was on the damp side of the track but he recovered and kept the lead to the end. Then today we confirmed the results with Néstor starting first and doing an incredible race, despite the safety car interventions. It was a very encouraging weekend and the first time we ran the new-look ELANTRA N TCR in the World Tour. We have shown the potential of the car and now we will prepare for the next race in Marrakech with renewed confidence.”
It was a very challenging start in Race 1 with mixed conditions. Unfortunately, I had a problem at the start which cost me a couple of positions and then there was the hit from [Marco] Butti. I started to recover, the pace was there and the car was working nice. I had some moments with [Thed] Björk when he was defending probably too much in my opinion, but I was able to overtake him and I was happy with the points. Race 2 was a bit like a survival race, but with such a long way to go in the season it was good to bring the points home. It’s a positive start to the year so I am happy.
Driver of BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse team
I managed a decent start in Race 1 even though my grid position was in the shade with a lot of water on the track. Yann [Ehrlacher] did a very good start and overtook me but I felt strong and was able to follow him. I studied his lines and then waited to make my move and the car was just great. Then I was pushing all the way because he started to close the gap. I did my best and it was a very nice way to start the season. Starting from P10 the target had to be to score points, which we managed to achieve. This doesn’t mean it was an easy race because we had two safety car interventions because of cars crashing so I did my best to stay out of trouble. I managed to achieve that and, in the end, I’m very happy with the result and the points.
Driver of BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse team
I was very sad not to do a proper start in Race 1 because we practised a lot, but I had massive wheelspin – we need to look at the data. But I managed to come back and finish P10 in the same place I started. It was damage limitation for us. Race 2 was really nice. I knew how important the start was but from there on I had to push a lot, especially after every safety car. I managed to make a gap of two seconds. The car was very good, the team did a great job and I felt I had the control of the race.
Driver of BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse team
About Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Established on 19 December 2012, Hyundai Motorsport GmbH is responsible for Hyundai’s global motorsport activities, including the FIA World Rally Championship, FIA ETCR – eTouring Car World Cup, and Customer Racing projects. Hyundai Motorsport quickly established a strong reputation in WRC, finishing as runners-up in the manufacturers’ championship on three consecutive occasions between 2016 and 2018 before claiming the title in 2019 and 2020. The company then embraced the all-new technical challenge of WRC’s hybrid era in 2022, resulting in the birth of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid. Since the establishment of its Customer Racing activities in September 2015, Hyundai Motorsport has become a trusted partner for teams and drivers looking for success on the rally stages or on racetracks around the world. From its competitive i20 N Rally2 to the front-running ELANTRA N TCR, Hyundai Motorsport-built cars have claimed victory in several championships, including national rally series in France and Spain, as well as titles in the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) in 2018, 2019 and 2022. Designed and built at its Alzenau headquarters, the Veloster N ETCR heralded an exciting new era in 2019, in which electric racing became one of the company’s pillars. Embarking on its tenth year in 2023, Hyundai Motorsport continues to unify WRC, Customer Racing, and electric racing, which play instrumental roles in driving Hyundai’s global high-performance N brand and are supporting an important perception shift for the Hyundai brand around the world.
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About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,’ Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.
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