Current standings leader Mikel Azcona says his late gamble to run slick tyres on the front of his CUPRA was a “fantastic” decision after he had struggled on wet tyres in Q1.
The PCR Sport driver snatched pole with a last-gasp lap by almost half a second from home racer Attila Tassi, who had topped the times for the majority of Q2.
Azcona told TouringCars.Net that he felt he had “nothing to lose” with the gamble, as he knew he would have struggled for pace if he had remained on wet tyres.
“With wet tyres I would have had a shit qualifying because the Honda and the Hyudais are faster,” he explained.
“So we passed through Q1 with four wet tyres but this was right at the limit because I was in twelfth position.
“And then in Q2 we decided to put on two front slick tyres, only on the front because we didn’t have anything to lose and we win more than we lose from that so we made the correct decision and I did a very good lap with no mistakes. It was fantastic.”
For this afternoon’s race, Azcona is hoping conditions remain wet at the Hungaroring, as he is doubtful of his CUPRA’s dry pace after poor results in free practice yesterday.
“I would prefer it to rain – to drive with wet conditions – because we know that in dry conditions we are not good here at the Hungaroring.
“Yesterday in free practice we were P14 and P15 and we are shit so in wet conditions the driver can do more than the car.
“I would prefer it to be wet, difficult conditions and then to make the best result as possible.”