Norbert Michelisz leads first ever works Honda 1-2-3 in Motegi Race 1

Norbert Michelisz has claimed his first win for the factory Honda team at their home race in Japan, leading a 1-2-3 for the Japanese manufacturer, while José María López will have to wait until at least Race 2 to wrap up his third drivers’ title.

Michelisz started from pole position from the opening race and made a good getaway in the Civic WTCC ahead of team-mate Rob Huff, while Tom Chilton had a great launch in the Sébastien Loeb Racing-run Citroën from sixth to challenge the Volvo of Thed Björk for third into the first corner, but as Björk got the switch back at Turn 3, Chilton fell behind the Honda of Tiago Monteiro, who also had a great launch from seventh on the grid.

At the end of the first lap, Lada’s Hugo Valente became the first retirement of the race, pulling into the pits with damage from an incident with the other Sébastien Loeb Racing Citroën of Grégoire Demoustier, who was handed a drive-through penalty.

The French team wasn’t done with their bad luck yet, as the third car of Mehdi Bennani was handed a drive-through for a jump start, wiping out the outside possibility for the Moroccan to secure the independents’ title early this weekend.

The two factory Citroëns of Yvan Muller and José María López were carving their way forwards from the fifth row on the grid, but as Muller became stuck behind the Lada of Nicky Catsburg in fifth, López made the move past his team-mate at Turn 4 on lap six.

Up front, Michelisz was pulling away from team-mate Rob Huff, who was defending against Thed Björk’s Volvo, but the Swede fell into the clasps of Monteiro, who made his move at Turn 11 on lap seven to grab the final podium spot and secure a crucial first ever top three lock-out for Honda in their first year as a three-car factory team.

There was drama on lap nine, as López made his way past Catsburg’s Lada for fifth, forcing the Dutchman wide, who made an aggressive rejoin and swiped the rear of López’s Citroën. Though both cars shed carbon fibre aero, they were able to continue, though Muller was also able to pass the Lada during the melee for sixth.

The race director quickly handed out a black and white bad sportsmanship flag for Catsburg, who went on to finish the race in seventh position.

One lap later, López and Muller despatched Björk’s Volvo for fourth and fifth positions, where they’d go on to finish, picking up 27 points in the manufacturers’ championship, but Honda took the maximum possible of 43 after their 1-2-3 result.

José María López starts the second race from pole position and only needs to stop Tiago Monteiro gaining more than seven points on him in order to secure his third drivers’ title.