Mikel Azcona maintains slim points margin after challenging weekend in Hungary
Mikel Azcona says he is relieved to have “survived” a difficult weekend at the Hungaroring and keep his lead in the TCR Europe standings over Dusan Borkovic.
The PCR Sport driver arrived in Hungary knowing his Cupra would run at a disadvantage to the Hyundais and Honda following the weight compensation changes ahead of the weekend.
Azcona had extended his points lead with pole position on Saturday morning but his margin was reduced to a solitary point as Borkovic claimed victory in the opening race.
The Spaniard then failed to score in the second race of the weekend after receiving a drive-through penalty for exceeding track limits while running eighth.
The penalty dropped the Spaniard to 14th at the end, but a retirement for Borkovic helped maintain Azcona’s one point lead in the standings.
“We knew that in this race, in these conditions, the Cupra was going to struggle. My start was good, I maintained P8 and my pace was good behind the Hyundais,” Azcona told TouringCarTimes.
“I didn’t have the car to attack the guys in front of me like I did yesterday, so I decided to protect my position.”
Azcona was one of many drivers over the course of the weekend to be punished for track limits infringements, but felt that the penalties dished out lacked consistency across the field.
“The the race director gives me a drive-through penalty for track limits which I don’t agree with, because everyone was doing the same thing.
“Today we lost four or five points in the championship, but it’s not as bad as it could have been because Borkovic scored no points and Vernay had a poor race as well. We survived this hard weekend and we continue to lead the championship so I am very happy.”
Behind Azcona and Borkovic in the championship is M1RA’s Dániel Nagy, who closed to within 25 points of the top of the table following a third and second place in Hungary in his Hyundai i30 N TCR.
KCMG Honda Civic Type R FK8 driver Josh Files moved ahead of Jean-Karl Vernay in the standings with a third place in Race 2. Frenchman Vernay endured a troublesome weekend which yielded just six points.
Attila Tassi bounced back from a disastrous weekend at Spa-Francorchamps to claim a fourth place in the second race in Hungary, The home favourite was however left frustrated after missing out on a podium following contact with JSB Compétition’s Julien Briché in Race 1.
The championship moves onto the Netherlands next month on the fast Assen TT circuit on the 18-19th August.
