Michel Nykjær will not contest the Asian leg of the 2013 World Touring Car Championship, starting with Suzuka this weekend, it has been announced today.
Having joined the team in 2011, he secured the 2012 Swedish Touring Car Championship title for the team before stepping into the World Touring Car Championship in a Chevrolet Cruze.
The Danish driver, who had taken three victories during the European part of the season had been battling for second overall in the drivers’ Championship and heading to Japan, was lying 19 points behind Gabriele Tarquini while sitting as the joint point’s leader in the Yokohama Independents’ trophy.
“This is of course not a fun statement to make, but unfortunately this kind of announcement is also part of motorsport,” said a downbeat Nykjær. “I have had a fantastic season with NIKA Racing, and although they understood I had wanted to pursue it, one cannot ignore the enormous financial effort required to compete at this level in a world championship.
“2013 has been the most important year so far in my career, and I am hopeful for the future. I will continue to have a close relationship with the team, and I wish NIKA Racing all the best for the conclusion of the season,” the Danish driver added.
NIKA Racing Team Manager Nicklas Karlsson said that the door wasn’t closed for Nykjær to return to the driver’s seat but with the challenges of the 2014 forthcoming, they had to suspend their relationship prior to the Asian leg of the campaign.
“Of course it is always sad when such a situation arises, but we have already achieved more than most thought possible this season – which was always meant to be purely a learning year,” he explains. “As a competitive person, I’d have preferred to have been able to complete the season with Michel and continued to challenge for second place in the World Championship, but as team boss it is also my mission to see the interests of the business in the long term.
“In our joint project with Michel, it has unfortunately proved to be difficult to find a suitable form of financing, and at a time when we are concentrating an increasing share of our own resources for next season, we have chosen to suspend our cooperation.
“We close no doors for the future, and Michel has shown that he is one of the best drivers in the world. Now we look forward to the final three races of the season, and we have a few interesting things to announce in the coming weeks …” concluded Karlsson.