Norbert Michelisz has gained his second consecutive drivers’ title for the BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse workforce on the 2024 Macau Guia Race, which noticed a 1-2-3 end for GOAT Racing Honda led by Serbian driver Dušan Borković, who additionally gained his first world touring automobile race
With Cyan Racing’s Thed Björk having gained Saturday’s first race, the Swedish driver was simply 5 factors behind going into as we speak’s race, however would begin 4 locations behind Michelisz on the grid in tenth place, and so wanted to move him on monitor to deprive him of the title.
The primary try to begin the race was aborted attributable to heavy rain falling on the Guia circuit all through the morning, with the race rescheduled for simply after 1pm within the afternoon on what was now a drying monitor.
The 2 native drivers Andy Yan and Martin Cao, racing for the TCR China Hyundai workforce began from the entrance row on moist tyres, with Cao transferring forward of his team-mate at Dona Maria and main the early part of the race.
Michelisz began the race on wets, and moved forward of team-mate Néstor Girolami into Lisboa firstly of lap one, who’d began the race on slick tyres, however regardless of the creating efficiency benefit of slicks on the drying monitor, the Argentinian stayed in place with a purpose to struggle off any cost from Björk’s Lynk & Co, who’d additionally opted for the conservative alternative of beginning on the Kumho moist tyre.
This meant the slick-shod Hondas of the three GOAT Racing drivers have been free to climb the order. Borković, who began the race fourth, quickly moved into the lead, overtaking Cao at Lisboa on lap six, whereas on the subsequent lap Borković’s team-mate Guerrieri overtook six vehicles in a single lap to maneuver as much as second place behind him, with the workforce’s third driver Marco Butti in tow.
The race was put behind the protection automobile for 2 laps when the Hyundai of Max Hart stopped in a precarious place on the quick Mandarin bend on lap 9 with injury, after which a one-lap dash adopted. Borković led a formation end for the Catalan Honda squad to win the race, whereas fifth place for Michelisz was sufficient to safe him the championship, with Björk crossing the road simply behind the three Hyundais in eighth.
“What a phenomenal day it has been,” mentioned Michelisz. “I feel that this was a season from the place from the primary second we didn’t put a foot mistaken for those who think about my positions all through the season. I scored in each single race, and we had nice teamwork in each race.
“I do know that since my first years in racing, you probably have an environment friendly workforce you have got a very good likelihood to struggle for a championship, and due to my workforce, and to my team-mates Mikel (Azcona) and Néstor (Girolami), I’m extremely grateful as with out their help I’d not be right here.”
