Hungarian WTCC team gives teenagers dream opportunity
Ferenc Ficza and Dániel Nagy to race Honda Civic WTCCs
Ex-Zengo driver turned factory star Michelisz to coach duo
Zengo Motorsport will give two rising Hungarian talents a dream opportunity to follow in the wheel tracks of Norbert Michelisz by entering them in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.
Michelisz went from online video gamer to factory Honda driver under Zengo Motorsport’s guidance. Team heads Juni Gyuri and Zoltán Zengo now want to unearth the next Hungarian motorsport star by signing Ferenc Ficza and Dániel Nagy to pilot its Honda Civic WTCCs in this year’s 24-race season, which includes a visit to Hungary from 22-24 April.
Ficza, 19, has gained experience in the FIA European Touring Car Cup, the official feeder series to the WTCC, while Nagy, 17, also has previous touring car experience. And by entering an extra car in 2016, Zengo Motorsport expands to a two-car effort with both Ficza and Nagy eligible for the WTCC Trophy for independent racers.
Zengo Motorsport had received approaches from several racers outside Hungary to join its race-winning team but always insisted it would stay loyal to drivers from its own country and rewrite one of motorsport’s most unlikely success stories.
François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCC Promoter, said: “It’s hats off to Zengo Motorsport for backing Hungarian drivers just like they did with Norbi [Michelisz]. I even proposed different options to them but in the end they’re a Hungarian team and they wanted to keep going with young Hungarian drivers. This is great news for motorsport in that country but also for the WTCC because Zengo will put two young talents on the grid, while creating a great story-telling opportunity: it’s not every day that two teenagers drive for the same team in an FIA world championship. Zengo is now racing against the clock with JAS and Honda to get its second car ready for Paul Ricard this weekend.”
As well as his own WTCC title bid with Honda Racing Team JAS, Michelisz will help to to coach Ficza and Nagy by passing on his considerable skill and expertise.
“There are drivers coming on a super-high level in Hungary and I hope I have two or three years left because the next generation is growing up really fast!” said Michelisz. “I have a big confidence in these drivers but also in Zengo Motorsport as well. They’re a great team and give a big support to Hungarian talents. Without them I would not be in the positon I am now.”
The 2016 WTCC season gets underway at Circuit Paul Ricard from 1-3 April.
