Michel Nykjær: “I had a really good weekend”

Michel Nykjær made his first FIA World Touring Car Championship appearance of 2012 last weekend in the races at Curitiba, Brazil, and secured two solid finishes in the top ten.
“I am really pleased. It is extremely hard to come from Denmark without preparation and put your self in a race car in a new team and just drive,” said Nykjær.

Nykjær was announced to replace an unwell Pasquale Di Sabatino at Bamboo Engineering just days before the race.
“I arrived straight from the airport to the track 50 minutes before the first test on Friday, so we had no time to get the seat and pedals right in the car. I am happy that I knew the track, because there was no time for errors,” said Nykjær.

The Dane is a regular in this year’s Scandinavian Touring Car Championship, currently placed third behind team mate Rickard Rydell, driving a Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T, just as at Curitiba.
“The car is the same as in the STCC, so I know it, and it is the same as the Chevrolet factory team. But as they are the factory team, there are always some differences in their cars. We have to run things longer on used stuff. Huff said to me after the race, “We have eight years of experience at Chevrolet, we MUST be fastest.” So I knew I couldn’t beat them, but I was right behind them and I am pleased with that,” said Nykjær.

The first race saw Nykjær finishing fifth, securing the independents’ class victory, and sixth in the second race.
“I had a really good weekend. I enjoy racing in the WTCC and I have a lot of friends here. You also get new experiences each time you take part in a race, so I have learnt a lot that I can use in the STCC. I look forward returning there to fight for the title. But should they (Bamboo Engineering) ever need my help again, I will be there,” said Nykjær.