Photo: WTCC Media

Ryo Michigami pleased with first points despite contact in Morocco

Japan’s Ryo Michigami picked up points in an uneventful second race in Marrakech, but the Honda driver was hoping for a better result in Race 1, before an incident with Münnich Citroën driver Rob Huff on the opening lap put them both out of the race.

Michigami was set to line up on the front row for the opening race after qualifying in ninth position and would benefit from the first race’s reversed grid, but both he and Lada’s Yann Ehrlacher made ‘rookie mistakes’ when they missed the signal to enter the scrutineering bay during qualifying, which saw them sent to the back of the two races.

“There is a difference in the Japanese series, I don’t want to say it like it’s an excuse, but I didn’t realise that there was a red light here. That’s a difference in experience, but it’ll never happen again,” said an apologetic Michigami to TouringCarTimes.

“I feel comfortable because we got our first points, but I’d have liked to have got points in our first race,” he added.

“At Turn 3, (Huff) went to my inside and hit my left-rear and broke my suspension. I really appreciate that the team were able to fix the car during the race, we were fortunate it happened at the beginning, so we had time to fix it for the main race.”