Photo: WTCR

Norbert Michelisz “will never give up” on title charge this year

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BRC Racing Team’s Norbert Michelisz scored his first win of the season in Race 3 at the Slovakiaring, and the Hungarian says after the mistake of writing off his title chances early-on at his home race last year, he won’t do the same again this year.

The Hungarian had a difficult start to the year, but besides the write-off weekend for all Hyundai drivers at Zandvoort, has been consistently scoring all year, though it’s taken the 2017 WTCC drivers’ championship runner-up to Round 18 of the season to score his first win.

The Hyundai driver dominated the race, perhaps with his only threat coming from YMR’s Yvan Muller, but that fear was put aside early on when Muller’s front-left wheel sheered off at the final corner.

From there, Michelisz went on to take the win, two seconds clear of the DG Sport Compétition Peugeot 308TCR of Aurélien Comte.

“I’ve been waiting for this for some races now,” said Michelisz.

“The feeling with the car was quite good, but not having the proper starting position for the first race made me really disappointed, but we managed to turn it around with the second qualifying and the third race today.

“I’m really happy and there’s a big relief from my side. Having won the first race, there is some pressure now off my shoulders and I really hope this is the start of a turnaround for me in terms of the championship fight. There have been a lot of ups and downs throughout the season, but going into the summer break with a boost I have from the atmosphere from this race makes me happy.”

Michelisz’s championship is now firmly back on track as he moves up to third in the standings, 26 points behind team-mate and championship leader Gabriele Tarquini.

“After the experience last year, I think it was after the third or fourth race weekend, I said ‘OK, now the championship is gone’. But everything turned around in two race weekends. I said to myself never give up. The first part of this season wasn’t like I expected…but with the experience of last year, I think I am more tough in managing difficult things or bad luck or whatever you want to call it. I’m still ready to fight until I have no mathematical possibility to win the championship.”