Norbert Michelisz’s title charge back on after Vila Real success

Norbert Michelisz has said his first win of 2017 has given him “huge confidence” bouncing back from a tough home race last month to take a pole and a podium in Germany, followed by another pole and a victory on his Honda team-mate Tiago Monteiro’s home turf at Vila Real.

Monteiro still leads the championship on 164 points, but Michelisz is now just 27 behind, less than a race win, heading into the second half of the season.

“After yesterday I knew we had the car to win the main race, it was all down to the start,” said Michelisz. “My start in the opening race wasn’t great, so I knew that I had to improve that for the second race.

“I did a good start and I saw Rob (Huff) just next to me stood still so there was some chaos and that helped me to get away, and from the second or third lap I realised it was all about not making any mistakes.”

Michelisz also had to time the championship’s new joker lap well, serving it on the same lap as the chasing Volvo of Thed Bjork, therefore not losing any positions and retaining the lead.

“The timing of joker lap wasn’t easy,” he added. “I had a message from my engineer to do the lap a bit early, and I disagreed on that but we managed to find a good solution.”

Michelisz is back in the championship frame after almost ruling himself out of Hungary, which has been helped in part by Monteiro’s no-score at the Nurburgring, heading to the next round at Termas de Río Hondo in three weeks.

“The result gives me huge confidence for the rest of the season, especially the pole position yesterday – so I’m really looking forward to Argentina,” he said.