MACAU, NOVEMBER 17, 2024 - Norbert Michelisz is a back-to-back touring car champion after he secured the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour Drivers’ title at the wheel of a Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR in Macau.

Competing for BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, the Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing driver started the season decider on the hugely challenging Circuito da Guia street track leading by 10 points.

After finishing second in Race 1 on Saturday, Michelisz lined up for Race 2 with a five-point advantage. When racing eventually got under way on a damp but drying track following a lengthy delay due to heavy rain, the Hungarian drove with utmost caution to lead home a Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR formation finish in fifth place ahead of team-mates Mikel Azcona and Néstor Girolami.

With his closest rival Thed Björk down in eighth place in Race 2, Michelisz completed the season with a table-topping 323 points to take overall honours and follow up on the TCR World Tour crown he won in 2023.

It was Michelisz’s second FIA world title after he won the WTCR - FIA World Touring Car Cup in 2019, one year after Gabriele Tarquini, now BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse’s Team Manager, achieved the same feat. As a result, the Italian BRC Racing Team has now celebrated winning five drivers’ championships in seven years, including three in a row with Michelisz’s back-to-back crowns coming after Azcona took the final WTCR titles.

While Michelisz celebrated his latest career achievement, Azcona and Girolami secured third and sixth positions in the final Kumho FIA TCR World Tour standings after both drivers won a race apiece during 2024.

Lining up on the Race 1 grid in second, Azcona ceded position to Michelisz on the run to the ultra-tight Lisboa corner when the opening contest, held in dry and sunny conditions, was restarted following an early stoppage after a multi-car collision blocked the track. From there, the Spaniard performed a fine defensive rear guard to allow Michelisz to secure a comfortable runner-up finish and a five-point cushion heading into Race 2.

Azcona, a winner at the Zhuzhou International Circuit last month, again demonstrated his speed with the fastest lap on the 6.12-kilometre Circuito da Guia in Race 1. But with his focus firmly on supporting Michelisz’s title pursuit in Race 2, he finished sixth with Girolami seventh after he took the Race 1 chequered flag in fifth. Like his team-mates Azcona and Michelisz, Girolami was a points scorer in all 14 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour races in 2024.

There was more Hyundai-powered success when Martin Cao clinched the TCR China title within the same race driving a Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR. The Chinese driver briefly led Race 2 to round out an impressive season.

After winning the opening race of the season from pole position at Vallelunga in Italy back in April Norbert Michelisz never looked back, holding the points lead at the completion of all six events held prior to the Macau finale. The 40-year-old took a further victory at Interlagos in Brazil in July, finished third in Race 1 at Marrakech in Morocco and came second in the first Mid-Ohio race when the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour stopped off in the USA in early June.

Hyundai Motorsport Circuit Racing Project Manager Julien Moncet said: “Congratulations to Norbi, the entire BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse team and everyone working back at Hyundai Motorsport’s base in Alzenau who made this fantastic achievement possible for the Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR, which reflected the latest facelift applied to the road-going ELANTRA N. Just like his team-mates Mikel and Néstor, Norbi has worked so hard all year. By achieving back-to-back TCR World Tour titles, Norbi’s dedication and commitment have been rewarded and I’m so pleased for him. The season has not been easy given the strong competition we’ve faced and there have been moments when we really had to dig deep to keep delivering on track. But we worked as a team and left no stone unturned to find the solutions that kept us ahead of the game. While we succeeded in winning the Drivers’ title, the Teams’ title will have to wait for another season and that will be a key target in 2025. We can now look forward to more Hyundai-powered success with Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak striving to win Hyundai’s first FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers at Rally Japan next weekend.”

Driver Notes: #105 Norbert Michelisz (HUN), Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR

• Charged through from second on the grid to finish runner-up in Race 1
• Starting Race 2 on a damp but drying track on wet-weather tyres, Michelisz adopted a cautious approach to finish ahead of points rival Thed Björk and become TCR World Tour champion two years running

Michelisz said: “What a beautiful day it has been. I need to say a huge thanks to my team BRC, to Hyundai, to my team-mates Mikel and Néstor because without them I would not be the champion. From the first moment of the season, we didn’t put a foot wrong. I scored points in every race, we were doing great team- work in every race and if you have an efficient team you have very good chance to fight for a championship so I’m incredibly thankful to everyone who has supported me. I remember 14 years ago when I won my first race in the FIA World Touring Car Championship here in Macau it was an amazing feeling but to repeat this feeling last year and again this year, I think I’m a very lucky person. For me life is not really about success, it’s very nice to experience success, but in two weeks you will start to think about next season. It’s a constant cycle with stress, with adrenalin, you don’t really remember being a champion on the grid of the first race of next season. I’m just very grateful to be in this position, to race and live my passion and experience these special moments.”

Driver Notes: #196 Mikel Azcona (ESP), Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR

• Ran in second place initially in Race 1 before handing the position to Michelisz, taking third instead
• Started Race 2 fourth in the standings but out-scored Yann Ehrlacher to claim third overall

Azcona said: “It was very challenging conditions with big rain on the track. I had some electrical issues before the start and I was worried about the race. Fortunately, we were able to check and resolve the problem. Starting Race 2 under the safety car after a few hours of waiting in mixed conditions we decided to put wet tyres for me and Norbi and slicks for Néstor to cover what our rivals were doing. My only goal for the second race was to keep Björk behind me and I was able to do this, bring the car home without doing any mistakes and defend Norbi from behind. It was a comfortable race from that point or view. Our target was for Norbi to win the title and I am very happy for him. I am also very happy for the BRC and for Hyundai because it’s three years in a row we have been world champion with the Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR. After a tough season, finishing P3 in the championship makes me even more happy.”

Driver Notes: #129 Néstor Girolami (ARG), Hyundai ELANTRA N TCR

• Resisted intense pressure from multiple Macau winner Rob Huff to finish Race 1 in fifth place
• Completed BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse’s perfect formation finish with seventh in Race 2

Girolami said: “The first attempt to start Race 2 was impossible because the track conditions were really, really wet, in some parts even rivers were crossing the track. Starting behind the safety car was the right decision but we gambled about by choosing four slick tyres. My job was to provide cover for Norbi but I also let Mikel pass so he could achieve third in the championship and I totally understand the order from the team. With the slick tyres on a drying track I had the pace for the victory today but the priority was to secure the Drivers’ title for Norbi, this is what we did and I am very happy for Norbi, for Hyundai and for BRC. The team did an amazing season and the main goal was achieved.”

Mikel Azcona’s 2024 season in numbers

• 1 race win
• 3 podium finishes
• 1 pole position
• 2 fastest laps
• 295 points scored

Néstor Girolami’s 2024 season in numbers

• 1 race win
• 1 podium finishes
• 1 fastest lap
• 238 points scored

Norbert Michelisz’s 2024 season in numbers

• 2 race wins
• 3 podium finishes
• 1 pole position
• 1 fastest laps
• 323 points scored

Race 1 results:

• 1 T. Björk Lynk & Co 03 11 laps in 01:04:29.809
• 2 N. Michelisz Hyundai ELANTRA N +1.874s
• 3 M. Azcona Hyundai ELANTRA N +2.529s
• 4 Y. Ehrlacher Lynk & Co 03 +3.442s
• 5 N. Girolami Hyundai ELANTRA N +7.016s
• 6 R. Huff Audi RS 3 LMS +7.807s
• 7 D. Borković Honda Civic Type R FL5 +29.074s
• 8 M. Cao Hyundai ELANTRA N +33.002s
• 9 J. Zhang Lynk & Co 03 +35.105s
• 10 D. Zhu Lynk & Co 03 +40.957s

Race 2 results:

• 1 D. Borković Honda Civic Type R FL5 12 laps in 39:14:582
• 2 E. Guerrieri Honda Civic Type R FL5 +3.568s
• 3 M. Butti Honda Civic Type R FL5 +4.108s
• 4 M. Qing Hua Lynk & Co 03 +6.546s
• 5 N. Michelisz Hyundai ELANTRA N +11.007s
• 6 M. Azcona Hyundai ELANTRA N +11.314s
• 7 N. Girolami Hyundai ELANTRA N +11.486s
• 8 T. Björk Lynk & Co 03 +11.975s
• 9 M. Xie Honda Civic Type R FL5 +12.484s
• 10 Y. Ehrlacher Lynk & Co 03 +14.372s

2024 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour for Drivers After Round 7:

• 1 N. Michelisz 323
• 2 T. Björk 312
• 3 M. Azcona 295
• 4 E. Guerrieri 291
• 5 Y. Ehrlacher 287
• 6 N. Girolami 238
• 7 S. Urrutia 217
• 8 M. Q. Hua 215
• 9 M. Butti 174
• 10 D. Borković 132

2024 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour for Teams After Round 7:

• 1 Lynk & Co Cyan Racing 735
• 2 BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse 672
• 3 GOAT Racing 521
• 4 Volcano Motorsport 184
• 5 PMO Racing 64
• 6 Paladini Racing 28
• 7 Squadra Martino 20
• 8 Bryan Herta Autosport 14
• 9 Lynk & Co Teamwork Racing 14
• 10 Team Clairet Sport 14

*All results subject to final FIA confirmation