Race 1 conditions “exactly what I didn’t want”, says relieved Norbert Michelisz

Sepang Race 1 winner Norbert Michelisz says the pressure was on all the way as he swept to a crucial fifth victory of the season, admitting the mixed conditions had made him “very nervous” before the start.

Michelisz kept his cool to win the first race of the Sepang season-finale from pole, the BRC Hyundai driver extending his title advantage to 27 points over Honda’s Esteban Guerrieri (who finished fourth).

Despite appearing in control out front as he beat second-placed Aurélien Panis to the flag by 2.4 seconds, however, Michelisz revealed that the hard-to-read wet/dry conditions were the last thing he wanted before the start.

“I was very nervous, I still am,” Michelisz confessed to TouringCarTimes after the race. “Yesterday when we spoke, I said I preferred either one or the other [wet or dry], but what we got today was exactly what I didn’t want. In the end with this huge pressure, we still managed to survive which makes it go away a bit now, but to be honest the closer we get to Race 2 the more pressure I feel.

“But I am very happy to win this race. Very delighted – fantastic.”

Michelisz confirmed he had opted for a split tyre strategy to reflect the uncertain weather conditions, completing the race with slicks on the front and wet-weather tyres on the rear.

That decision was mirrored by main title rival Guerreri, who used it to similar good effect to rise from ninth to fourth.