Hungarian hero charges to WTCR Race of Bahrain Race 2 success from seventh on the grid
Spanish star Azcona heads to season showdown in Saudi Arabia five points from title joy
Guerrieri beats Catsburg to second after pulling off stunning first-corner move for the lead
Coronel doubles-up in WTCR Trophy but thereās frustration for pole-sitter Bennani
WTCR Race of Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit, November 10-12, 2022
WTCR ā FIA World Touring Car Cup, Rounds 15 and 16 of 18: Race 2 report
WTCR Race of Bahrain Race 2 classification (25 minutes + 1 lap)
1 Norbert Michelisz (HUN), BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N TCR, 29m04.963s (148.0kph)
2 Esteban Guerrieri (ARG),Ā ALL-INKL.COMĀ MĆ¼nnich Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R TCR, +1.046s
3 Nicky Catsburg (NLD), BRC Hyundai Racing Team, Hyundai Elantra N TCR, +3.677s
4 Mikel Azcona (ESP), BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N TCR, +7.811s
5 Nathanaƫl Berthon (FRA), Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS, +12.637s
Fastest lap:Ā Michelisz, 2m11.605s (148.0kph)
WTCR provisional standings after Round 16 of 18
Goodyear #FollowTheLeader: Mikel Azcona, 297 points
2 NĆ©stor Girolami, 237 points
3 Nathanaƫl Berthon, 200 points
4 Rob Huff, 187 points
5 Norbert Michelisz, 179 points
Norbert Michelisz sliced by Esteban Guerrieri in Race 2 at WTCR Race of Bahrain to score his first WTCR ā FIA World Touring Car Cup victory of the season.
The BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse driver climbed from seventh on the partially-reversed grid at the Bahrain International Circuit, made it through a frenetic first lap and overtook GuerrieriāsĀ ALL-INKL.COMĀ MĆ¼nnich Motorsport Honda Civic Type R TCR to take the win.
Wildcard Nicky Catsburg scored a fine third place on his first weekend back in the WTCR since 2020, while crucially Goodyear #FollowTheLeader Mikel Azcona charged from P10 on the grid to be classified fourth. That leaves him with a healthy 60-point advantage over title rival NĆ©stor Girolami with only 65 points still available from the final event, WTCR Race of Saudi Arabia, which takes place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit from November 25-27.
Guerrieri made a flying start from the second row to take the lead in Turn 1 from pole position starter Mehdi Bennani, whose hopes of a podium were ruined at Turn 4 by his Comtoyou team-mate Gilles Magnus. The Belgian was late on the brakes and the two blue Audis collided, as Attila Tassiās LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler Honda tapped the other front row starter Franco Girolami into a spin. Tassi then made further contact with the battered Audi of Bennani.
At the end of lap one Guerrieri led from a charging Michelisz. Catsburg had risen from sixth on the grid to run third, ahead of Nathanaƫl Berthon and NƩstor Girolami, with Azcona already up to sixth.
Michelisz tracked Guerrieri and always looked faster. Sure enough, on lap five he made his move and easily passed the Honda into Turn 1 for what proved the decisive place change.
āItās an amazing feeling,ā said Michelisz. āI was a bit lucky after the start, there was some carnage. I managed to overtake some people there and I was just trying to find the right place to attack Esteban. My car was just brilliant again today, all weekend it was, so big credit to the team. Sometimes it looks easy from the outside but it was not easy today. Although it was a bit easier because of the equipment I had! Itās not been an easy season, but now Iām getting things together.ā
āCongrats to Norbi, he did a very good job,ā said Guerrieri. āTo the Hyundai team as well, very good weekend. To my team also, we did all we could. Pretty happy. Obviously disappointed to lose the lead, but they had a better pace this weekend. He surprised me with a very good move, I was not very confident in the brakes. Itās been a while since I had a podium.ā
Catsburg was delighted with his third place. āMan, itās so hot in these cars,ā he said. āEvery time I come back in a WTCR car I realise itās like a sauna in there. Very hot but super-happy to have a podium on my Wildcard event, so letās hope for even better in Jeddah.ā
Behind the top three Berthon headed Azcona on the road, but the Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport driver picked up a five-second penalty which left the points leader safe in the knowledge he had no need to make a move to be classified fourth. Berthon dropped to fifth ahead of team-mate Tom Coronel, who took WTCR Trophy honours.
Franco Girolami and Bennani recovered from their first lap troubles to finish seventh and eighth respectively. Bennani prevailed from an entertaining late duel with NĆ©stor Girolami. The Honda driver defended brilliantly, but having slipped back from fifth on lap one he just didnāt have the pace to thwart the Audi, which got a better drive out of Turn 10 on the final lap. Girolami shook his head in the cockpit of hisĀ ALL-INKL.COMĀ MĆ¼nnich Motorsport entry after finishing ninth, in the knowledge his WTCR title hopes now hang by a thread.
DĆ”niel Nagy completed the top 10, the ZengÅ Motorsport CUPRA Leon CompeticiĆ³ns once again starting from the pitlane to avoid lap-one damage. Team-mate Bence Boldisz was in P11, ahead of Tiago Monteiro (Engstler Honda), wildcard Viktor Davidovski and Tassi.
