Norbert Michelisz hoping weight break will help in Hungary

The next round for the FIA World Touring Car Championship is Norbert Michelisz’z home race at the Hungaroring, and after Citroën have dominated the first two events with four straight victories, with compensation weight now coming into force, the 29-year-old hopes that will be enough to help them stop Citroën at least in race two.

Michelisz finished seventh and eighth in yesterday’s races in France, struggling in the wet conditions for the first time with a TC1 class car, and then contact in race two ruined his chances of a top five finish.

“Overall I’m happy as considering the circumstances, after not having driven in the rain before the first race, I think it was OK, with seventh,” said Michelisz to TouringCarTimes.

“The second race was not what I hoped for. I hoped for a good start, but my start was just average, so it was not possible to gain positions, and then when Morbidelli spun in front of me I had to cut the chicane, and I had to ask my team to see how many cars I needed to let by to avoid a drive-through.

“Then at the end of the lap, someone hit me from behind at the final corner and I lost about five positions, so I think I was then last in TC1, and it was very difficult to fight back at this circuit…but fortunately it was enough to score some points.”

Looking ahead to his home race in two weeks’ time, the Zengõ Motorsport driver is hopeful that the Honda Civic WTCC can close up in the battle with Citroën, after the works drivers Tiago Monteiro and Gabriele Tarquini both secured podium finishes for the marque on Sunday.

“We collected some information regarding set-up, so I think we have a good base set-up, which is good news for Hungary, but still the feeling is not 100% for me in the car,” he said. “Unfortunately we don’t have time to go testing before the most important event for us, but we have to do our best to get the most out of the package we have in Hungary.

“I think in Hungary, we will also get a weight break, so that will help us, but I don’t think it’ll be enough to catch Citroën in qualifying and the first race, but I think it will be enough to make it more difficult for them to overtake people in the second race.”

With compensation weight coming into effect, the Honda, Lada and Chevrolet teams are all set to drop weight for the Hungarian round, while the three Citroën C-Elysées will continue to run at the maximum weight of 1,160kg.