Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing and BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse have revealed the livery which will adorn the Hyundai Elantra N cars of Norbert Michelisz and Mikel Azcona in this year’s FIA World Touring Car Cup.
At a live online launch in Cherasco, Italy, the car’s colours was unveiled for the forthcoming season.
New signing Azcona, along with 2019 champion Michelisz were joined by BRC Team Principal Gabriele Rizzo, Hyundai Motorsport Deputy Team Principal Julien Moncet and Hyundai Motosport Customer Racing Manager Andrea Cisotti.
The team has already carried out some pre-season testing at MotorLand Aragón in late February, followed by several other European circuits.
“The live event in Cherasco was a great way to officially launch our customer’s WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup season with the Hyundai Elantra N TCR and Norbert Michelisz and Mikel Azcona,” said Moncet.
“BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse obviously have a great driver line-up for the year. Being part of the event was a great opportunity to meet with Gabriele Rizzo and the rest of the team as they continue their preparations for the season.
“With our Customer Racing support engineers, they have been able to complete some all-important testing in the last few months which will be invaluable when the racing starts.
“The WTCR grid is always incredibly close and the margins of victory are very tight. The extra work the team and both drivers have done, together with the added year of experience with the Elantra N TCR after 2021, will hopefully put Hyundai cars at the front of the pack when the racing gets underway.”
Michelisz is now the team’s most experienced driver for the first time and he is looking forward to working with the added responsibility.
“I’m really looking forward to the new WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup season,” said Hungarian Michelisz. “I will be my first with Hyundai as the more experienced driver in the team which is exciting for me, even though it’s not a situation I’ve been in often before as I always feel I perform better when I have more responsibility and more pressure on me.
“Certainly Gabriele [Tarquini]’s driving will be missed at the team, but I think Mikel is one of the best TCR drivers around. I have known him for a few years, and even though our partnership as teammates is still very new I am sure it will become just as successful as mine and Gabriele’s has been in previous seasons.
“For me winning the WTCR title for a second time has to be the goal. The Hyundai Elantra N TCR is a great car – we know that from last year – so there is no reason not to believe I can achieve that.”
Azcona says he has high expectations of his first season in Hyundai machinery, having spent the past four years racing against the cars from the South Korean marque.
“The last few months have been very busy,” said Spaniard Azcona. “Obviously my announcement as a Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing driver created a lot of interest from people, but for me it was important to stay focused on my first tests with the Hyundai Elantra N TCR.
“When I got into the car in Aragon immediately I was very comfortable with the balance of the chassis, and able to work well with Norbi and the team.
“After racing against Hyundai cars for some many years I have high expectations, but everything so far has been great.
“We’ve been able to do quite a lot of testing – which I’ve not had the opportunity to do for the last few years – so I feel like I’m in a very strong position to the start the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup season at Pau in early May.”
