Norbert Michelisz has gained his second consecutive drivers’ title for the BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse group 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 automotive race
With Cyan Racing’s Thed Björk having gained Saturday’s first race, the Swedish driver was simply 5 factors behind going into immediately’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 on account of 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 group began from the entrance row on moist tyres, with Cao shifting 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 to be able to battle 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 group’s third driver Marco Butti in tow.
The race was put behind the protection automotive for 2 laps when the Hyundai of Max Hart stopped in a precarious place on the quick Mandarin bend on lap 9 with harm, 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 gorgeous day it has been,” stated Michelisz. “I believe that this was a season from the place from the primary second we didn’t put a foot fallacious in case you contemplate 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, when you’ve got an environment friendly group you’ve a superb likelihood to battle for a championship, and because of my group, and to my team-mates Mikel (Azcona) and Néstor (Girolami), I’m extremely grateful as with out their help I might not be right here.”
