Close WTCR fight hits half-time at the Hungaroring
The 2021 FIA World Touring Car Cup season will hit half-time at the Hungaroring this weekend with a close title fight. The top nine drivers are within 30 points of each other.
Hyundai driver Vernay has started the season strongest and heads Lynk & Co rival Yann Ehrlacher by eight points, but had a mixed weekend in Spain with a ninth and fourth place finish.
“Hopefully, we can continue the great results we’ve had and score important points for the championship,” said Vernay.
“My target is to do the best I can in qualifying. We’ll see where we are compared to the others in qualifying and maybe play a bit more with tenth place to put us in a good position for Race 1’s reverse grid.”
There has also been a reduction in power for the Hyundai Elantras, going from 100% to 97,5%, as well as an increase in compensation weight of 10kg, while the Lynk & Co 03 TCRs have received a 10kg balance of performance weight reduction.
And reigning champion Ehrlacher has reeled in Vernay quickly over the past two rounds, going from 16th to second in the standings.
“I’ve got a good feeling ahead of Hungary, especially as I’ve come back from 16th position in the championship to second in two rounds,” said Ehrlacher.
“I like the Hungaroring quite a lot and I’ve won there twice in the past. I think we can score well this weekend and the goal is to leave Hungary at the top of the standings. But as usual in the WTCR, it will not be easy by any means.”
The Cyan Racing prepared Lynk & Cos occupy positions two, three and four, with Ehrlacher’s uncle Yvan Muller in third and Santiago Urrutia in fourth.
Hyundai veteran Gabriele Tarquini had a strong previous race weekend, winning the first race and has climbed to fifth overall.
Tarquini’s team-mate and Hungarian hero Norbert Michelisz meanwhile has had a dreadful start to the season and is placed 14th. But Michelisz is aiming as high as possible for this weekend.
“The aim for Race of Hungary is of course to win, and to score a lot of points, since I need to catch up in the standings. I am also looking forward to once again race in front of a home crowd,” said Michelisz.
The Honda drivers will just as in Spain face a heavy weekend, continuing on 60kg of compensation weight, running as the heaviest cars of the field on 1345kg.
Hungarian youngster Attila Tassi is the so far best placed Münnich Motorsport driver in sixth, just one point ahead of Honda colleague Esteban Guerrieri.
“We really don’t know how we will compare to our rivals, as the gap in Spain was a bit puzzling, but there is a motivation as well to put that behind us,” said Guerrieri.
“I’m particularly keen to chase my first podium finish of the season; it would be fantastic to get it at a track that has always suited our package.”
Hungaroring schedule
Times in CEST
Saturday – August 21st
09:30 – FP1 – 40 min
12:30 – FP2 – 40 min
15:30 – Qualifying – 40 min
Sunday – August 22nd
12:15 – Race 1 – 12 laps
15:15 – Race 2 – 15 laps
