BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse makes the top step of the podium in Brazil

Defending champion Norbert Michelisz scored a sensational second win of 2024 with the Hyundai Elantra N TCR in Race 2 at the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour's fourth event of the season Mikel Azcona scored eighth and ninth place finishes as he and team-mate Néstor Girolami battled against adversity in both races.  BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse tasted victory once again in on the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour after defending champion Norbert Michelisz put up a masterclass to win at the famous Autódromo José Carlos Pace circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Hungarian Michelisz started the 30-minute plus one lap reverse-grid Race 2 from pole position, used all of his vast experience to survive a safety car restart, then held off a trio of rivals cars led initially by Ma Qing Hua. Resisting intense early pressure, Michelisz kept his cool to score a second win of the season. In the opening race, a strong start from Michelisz allowed him to keep hold of his points lead despite carrying a hefty 30kg of compensation weight. The Hungarian rose from tenth on the grid to finish sixth, aided in part by team-mate Néstor Girolami giving up a position. The result initially left Michelisz with a five-point lead over race winner Esteban Guerrieri, who then finished fourth in Race 2. Michelisz’s victory, combind with his rival’s result, means the defending Kumho FIA TCR World Tour champion leaves Brazil with a 15-point lead at the top of the standings over Guerrieri, with main competitor Yann Ehrlacher a further 17 points back in third. Meanwhile, Mikel Azcona and Néstor Girolami fought valiantly in both races to complete a challenging weekend in their Hyundai Elantra N TCR. In the opener, Azcona made a scorching start from 13th on the grid, progressing to eighth in a race interrupted by an early safety car – despite the disadvantage of a maximum 40kg compensation weight. In Race 2, the Spaniard again made up ground, this time rising from 13th to score more points for his team in ninth. But Girolami was out of luck. The Argentinian started fifth in Race 1 and briefly ran fourth on the opening lap, only to lose pace following contact with another car. He dropped down the order, allowing both Michelisz and Azcona past, to finish an eventual 13th. In Race 2, early contact with Ehrlacher and Raphael Reis de Sá forced Girolami to pay a visit to the pits. He returned to the track, climbing his way up to 11th at the chequered flag. The Kumho FIA TCR World Tour heads next to Uruguay for the second part of the series’ South American adventure, with the El Pinar circuit hosting the action on August 2-4. Team Principal of BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Gabriele Rizzo, said: “First of all I want to congratulate with Norbi and the team for the great victory achieved in Race 2 despite carrying 30kg of CW. In Qualyfing we suffered more than expected due to the long straight and uphill sections in sectors 1 and 3. Instead we were always competitive in sector 2, where handling is the most important factor. To setup a car that was able to make a lights-to-flag victory, magisterially driven by Norbi, despite rivals chasing us all the race, is absolutely on of the highest point of the season so far and allow him to continue to lead the drivers standings. For different reasons we cannot be happy for the points scored by Mikel and Bebu. Mikel was not able to offer one of his astonished performance in qualifying carrying 40kg, this jeopardized his weekend starting both races P13. But he is a great fighter and he was able to improve his position in both races. From Bebu we were expecting more points, his P5 in Q was promising but various contacts suffered in both races mainly in first lap drove him out of contention and we lost the lead in the team standings. We can’t wait to be in El Pinar in two weeks to fight to claim back the lead also in the team standings.”         Driver Notes: #105 Norbert Michelisz (HUN), Hyundai Elantra N TCR Defending Kumho FIA TCR World Tour champion rises from tenth to sixth in Race 1 From the reverse-grid pole position, scores a brilliant second win of the season Michelisz said: “Ending the race weekend like this was an amazing feeling to cross the finish line. To be honest, it was one of my best races and I didn’t expect to win. There was a lot of pressure. It was not just all about pushing 100 per cent, it was about pushing without making any mistakes and also looking after the tyres. I’m very happy and very proud that I managed it. Ma did his best to attack and he was fair when we were running side by side. In Race 1 I made a good start from P10 and gained two positions, then another before the safety car arrived. Then ‘Bebu’ [Girolami] struggled a little for pace, so we swapped positions. I tried to do my best. Lynk & Co was faster than us on the straights so I needed to make the difference up through the corners and I was flat out all the race. El Pinar will be tough but our aim must be to finish both races and score more points.” Driver Notes: #196 Mikel Azcona (ESP), Hyundai Elantra N TCR Spaniard makes up five places to finish eighth in Race 1 Another battling drive nets more points for ninth day’s second race  Azcona said: “A challenging first race. I was able to overtake three cars at the first corner. In all I made up four places in the first lap and was behind Ma, then the safety car came. After that I overtook Borkovic and thanks to ‘Bebu’ for the position he gave up for me. I had good pace and tried to push, but with 40kg you struggle to keep the tyre degredation low. From the middle of the race I struggled as the front tyres dropped away more than usual, so I tried to avoid any damage. Eighth was the maximum I could achieve. Then the second race was tougher than the first! But I’m happy to finish P9 from P13 and score more points. We recovered quite a lot from qualifying. I’m positive looking ahead to El Pinar because we’ll lose the 40kg and it’s a track that we know from last year. We will be more competitive there.”  Driver Notes: #129 Néstor Girolami (ARG), Hyundai Elantra N TCR Argentinian starts well in fifth, but drops to 13th in opening race New-for-2024 team recruit battles back from pits to finish 11th Girolami said: “Not my weekend. From lap one in the first race I realised something was broken after contact with Butti. It was a small touch side by side, but I had such a bad feeling under braking that I was locking the fronts up a lot and I had too much power understeer. It looks like it was something on the differential that wasn’t working properly. I was trying to survive and wait until the end, but I had no pace at all. Then in Race 2 unfortunately I received two big hits on the first lap in Turn 7. The first hit I could control, the second one broke my right rear wheel and I had to pit. I was fortunate to get the safety car so I could catch the pack and finish P11. But when you have a weekend like that it is better to turn the page and reset for El Pinar.”   Race 1 results: 1 E. Guerrieri Honda Civic Type R FL5 14 laps in 26:50.568 2 S. Urrutia Lynk & Co 03 +10.040s 3 M. Butti Honda Civic Type R FL5 +10.860s 4 Y. Ehrlacher Lynk & Co 03 +11.594s 5 T. Björk Lynk & Co 03 +12.605s 6 N. Michelisz Hyundai Elantra N +13.198s 7 M. Q. Hua Lynk & Co 03 +14.662s 8 M. Azcona Hyundai Elantra N +14.842s 9 D. Borkovic Honda Civic Type R FL5 +16.783s 10 R. Suzuki Peugeot 308 TCR +21.677s  Race 2 results: 1 N. Michelisz Hyundai Elantra N 18 laps in 32:24.174 2 T. Björk Lynk & Co 03 +2.618s 3 M. Q. Hua Lynk & Co 03 +8.698s 4 E. Guerrieri Honda Civic Type R FL5 +8.950s 5 S. Urrutia Lynk & Co 03 +10.224s 6 M. Butti Honda Civic Type R FL5 +14.210s 7 J. Filippi Audi RS 3 LMS +15.006s 8 R. Suzuki Peugeot 308 TCR +19.601s 9 M. Azcona Hyundai Elantra N +22.168s 10 R. Reis de Sá Cupra Leon VZ TCR +28.569s  2024 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour for Drivers After Round 4: 1 N. Michelisz 196 2 E. Guerrieri 181 3 T. Björk 159 4 Y. Ehrlacher 156 5 M. Azcona 148 6 M. Q. Hua 147 7 S. Urrutia 144 8 N. Girolami 129 9 M. Butti 112 10 J. Filippi 100   2024 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour for Teams  After Round 4: 1 Lynk & Co Cyan Racing 402 2 BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse 383 3 GOAT Racing 315 4 Volcano Motorsport 133 5 PMO Racing 21 6 Bryan Herta Autosport 14 7 Team Clairet Sport 14 8 PMA Motorsport 13 9 Aikoa Racing 12 10 Paladini Racing 12