Michel Nykjaer downbeat after tough qualifying

Michel Nykjaer struggled in the second segment of qualifying in Monza, Italy, and ended up in 12th place on the grid for both races. Having been close to the front in Q1, the Dane expected more out of the session, but was not able to make the most out of the slipstream.

“Yesterday I was not able to exploit the tow, I think I lost something rather than gaining an advantage, so that was really negative,” said the Target Competition driver to TouringCarTimes. “I am starting far back in both races, so it will not be easy and I don’t know what kind of result to expect from today’s races.”

Having felt the good performances of the SEAT León Racer, the Dane is even bitterer seeing the outcome of the session: “I was also not too clean in qualifying, whereas in Q1 I had been up to fourth, so knowing that the pace was in the car makes it even tougher to swallow. Still, I will have to do my best and try to score some points.”

Nykjaer hopes that in the second race having Gianni Morbidelli, Stefano Comini and Pepe Oriola ahead of him will help him cut through the field and reach higher positions quicker: “In Race 2 having the fastest guys in front of me can perhaps help. If I can stay in their slipstream I can follow them through the field, but I also know that Comini and Oriola are going to fight very hard, so I will have to be careful. It certainly won’t be easy today.”

Nykjaer is fresh from his first win in the series in Portimao and carries a 10-kilo success ballast.