MOL, Hungary’s leading oil company, is reviving a partnership that helped to turn Norbert Michelisz into a factory world touring car driver.
It has announced a new agreement with Zengo Motorsport to support its young star drivers Norbert Nagy and Zsolt Szabó in the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup presented by OSCARO during this weekend’s WTCR Race of Hungary.
It marks the revival of an alliance that flourished in 2015 when MOL supported Michelisz’s FIA World Touring Car Championship campaign with Zengo Motorsport and culminated in the Hungarian winning the WTCC Trophy for independent racers. Michelisz also won his home round of the championship that season amid euphoric scenes at the Hungaroring.
“I’m very proud to work again with MOL and with our young drivers we try to repay the support with good results this weekend,” said Zengo Motorsport’s Zoltán Zengo. “Hopefully one of our drivers can then follow a big name from the past.”
MOL spokesperson, Szollár Domokos, said: “MOL is involved in a number of team sports, including the FIA European Rally Championship, and we are happy to give the possibility to young Hungarians to compete internationally. Year by year we have new heroes we can be proud of and we hope that continues with the Zengo Motorsport drivers.”
François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCR promoter, said: “MOL and Zengo Motorsport enjoyed a very successful partnership in the past, which played a key role in helping Norbert Michelisz to grow as a driver and ultimately secure a factory seat with Honda in the WTCC. But even after Norbi left the team and MOL switched its focus to other projects, Zoltán Zengo and his team remained committed to giving young Hungarian drivers the opportunity to showcase their talents on an international stage. It’s great, therefore, that the team’s efforts have been rewarded and we hope MOL’s support can help Norbert Nagy and Zsolt Szabó develop as drivers.”
The MOL and Zengo Motorsport partnership ran from 2012 to 2015. The new agreement will also include Zengo’s participation in next week’s Nagy Futam parade in Budapest (1 May) when Anett György, Márk Jedlóczki and Gábo Kismarty-Lechner will also be in action for the team. Meanwhile, WTCR Race of Hungary takes place from 28-29 April.
