Photo: WTCR

Mikel Azcona delighted to make top-five shootout on debut

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2018 TCR Europe series champion Mikel Azcona made it through to the top-five shootout on his World Touring Car Cup debut, putting in a stunning performance in the PWR Racing-run Cupra TCR to go second in Q2, while a mistake on his Q3 run means he’ll start third on the grid for the final race of the day.

The 22-year-old Spaniard was the only Cupra driver to make the top 12 in Q1 and progress to Q2, where he immediately planted the venerable SEAT León-based Cupra TCR on top of the time sheets, before he was soon demoted following an improvement by Frédéric Vervisch in the Audi.

“I feel very, very happy. I’m the happiest man in the world now, as it’s very difficult to get into Q3 this year with this talented grid,” said Azcona to TouringCarTimes.

“It’s my first time here in Marrakech, and I’ve improved a lot in each session.

“In Q2 we did a perfect lap, and then in Q3, it was very difficult as you’re alone on the track and under pressure, and I made a mistake at the end of the chicane, but I’m still super-happy.”

Looking ahead to the races, Azcona’s target is just to hold station to score an idea result in his first weekend, following on from his points finish in yesterday’s Race 1.

“We don’t have any strategy. We’re in P5, which is a good position to finish the race, and we’ll try and do that as here it’s very difficult to overtake here.”