Michel Nykjaer takes the lead of the Yokohama Trophy

33-year-old Danish driver Michel Nykjaer has assumed the lead of the Yokahama Trophy for independent drivers’ following his third win of the season at Moscow Raceway.

A pair of class victories, finishing seventh overall in race one and then winning race two from second on the grid saw the Dane move up to third overall in the drivers’ championship, just six points behind Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team’s Gabriele Tarquini.

In the Yokohama Trophy, Nykjaer moved one point ahead of bamboo-engineering’s James Nash on 91 points.

“This season just gets better and better,” said Nykjaer. “I had a hard, tough fight with Mehdi (Bennani) at the start of the second race, but once I got past I was able to open up a small gap – and then I focused entirely on not making any mistakes.

“It is unbelievable that after half a World Championship season to see their own name in third place in the championship table. You can not get a better proof of how effective we have been able to work up to now. We just get stronger and stronger, and I really want to thank the team for a great car this weekend.”

With his team taking its third victory in the WTCC in the year following their manufacturers’ championship victory in the STCC, Nika Racing Team Principal Nicklas Karlsson added:
“An absolutely magical feeling – again! We knew that Moscow was a golden opportunity for us to raise many important points because no one in the championship had been there before, and Michel’s flawless execution meant that we also managed to take advantage of the opportunity in the best way.

“With half of our first ever WTCC season behind us, we can say that we have the second most wins of all, and are in the lead of privateer driver cup, and I have to pinch myself when I say that.”