Promising pace, but problems for BRC Racing Team at Nürburgring
Good results for Norbert Michelisz on uniquely challenging track
Both Gabriele Tarquini and Norbert Michelisz proved themselves to once again be among the fastest drivers on the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) grid at the WTCR Race of Germany. However, on the unique Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit both men had to contend with incident and accident on track.
Following their excellent results at the first two race weekends of the season all the Hyundai i30 N TCR on the grid carried the latest Balance of Performance (BoP) for the Nürburgring. However, though the extra weight compared their rivals no doubt had a marked effect on the performance of the car around the 25km track, both BRC Racing Team drivers were able to qualify in the top-eight for Race 1, with Norbert Michelisz posting the third fastest time in the session.
Championship leader Gabriele Tarquini meanwhile was seventh fastest. However, a mistake on the opening lap forced him into retirement. In Friday afternoon’s Qualifying 2 “Cinghio” was only able to qualify 14th for Race 2 and 3. After a strong start to the second race the Italian was running inside the top-ten only for a misjudged overtaking move by another driver to lead to contact that damaged Tarquini’s #30 car badly enough to also rule him out of Race 3.
Norbert Michelisz was able to consolidate his fourth overall in the drivers’ standings by gaining 27 points from the German weekend. After converting his second row start into a fourth place - missing out on the podium by fractions of a second - in Race 1 he was able to repeat his qualifying performance in the second session. Once more he claimed third, adding a further three points to his tally. In the reverse grid Race 2 he added to his total, taking fifth position on the final lap. Race 3, unfortunately, failed to complete a strong weekend. First lap contact pushed him down the order, and while trying to recover the places lost he was involved in a crash on lap 3 which put him out of the race
BRC Racing Team, after 3 of the 10 appointments on the calendar, remains brilliantly placed, in second place in the Teams’ Standings, where Hyundai i30 N TCR squads have proved dominant.
Tarquini and Michelisz are now determined to return to the podium next weekend when the challenge shifts to the WTCR of Holland at Zandvoort from May 19th to 21st.
Race 1 WTCR 2018 Germany – Nürburgring Nordschleife – 3 laps
1 – Yvan Muller – Mracing 27:08.139
2 – Thed Björk - MRacing - YMR + 0.331
3 – Robert Huff - Sébastien Loeb Racing + 0.853
4 – Norbert Michelisz - BRC Racing Team + 1.288
5 – Jean-Karl Vernay - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team + 8.112
6 – Rene Rast - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team + 8.581
7 – Gordon Shedden - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team + 13.468
8 – Pepe Oriola – Campos Racing + 18.134
9 – Tom Coronel - Boutsen Ginion Racing + 18.573
10 – Benjamin Lessennes - Boutsen Ginion Racing + 18.672
NC – Gabriele Tarquini - BRC Racing Team
Race 2 WTCR 2018 Germany – Nürburgring Nordschleife – 3 laps
1 – Esteban Guerrieri - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport 27.11.856
2 – Pepe Oriola – Campos Racing + 1.148
3 – Frédéric Vervisch – Audi Sport team Comtoyou + 2.988
4 – Yvan Muller - MRacing - YMR +3.787
5 – Norbert Michelisz - BRC Racing Team + 4.088
6 – Yann Ehrlacher - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport +4.573
7 – Jean-Karl Vernay - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team + 6.148
8 – Nathanael Berthon - Comtoyou Racing + 15.824
9 – Tom Coronel - Boutsen Ginion Racing + 16.224
10 – Mehdi Bennani - Sebastien Loeb Racing + 17.595
NC – Gabriele Tarquini - BRC Racing Team
Race 3 WTCR 2018 Germany – Nürburgring Nordschleife – 3 laps
1 – Thed Björk - MRacing - YMR 26.59.737
2 – Frédéric Vervisch – Audi Sport team Comtoyou + 0.793
3 – Yvan Muller - MRacing - YMR +8.947
4 – Benjamin Lessennes - Boutsen Ginion Racing + 13.088
5 – Nathanael Berthon - Comtoyou Racing + 15.900
6 – Pepe Oriola – Campos Racing + 18.077
7 – Jean-Karl Vernay - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team + 18.858
8 – Esteban Guerrieri - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport + 20.472
9 – Mehdi Bennani - Sebastien Loeb Racing + 24.548
10 – Tom Coronel - Boutsen Ginion Racing + 24.614
NC – Norbert Michelisz - BRC Racing Team
OVERALL RANKINGS - DRIVERS
1 – #48 Yvan Muller FRA - MRacing - HYUNDAI - pt. 137
2 – #30 Gabriele Tarquini ITA - BRC Racing Team - HYUNDAI - pt. 118
3 – #11 Thed Björk SWE - MRacing - HYUNDAI - pt. 112
4 – #5 Norbert Michelisz HUN - BRC Racing Team - HYUNDAI - pt. 102
5 – #68 Yann Ehrlacher FRA - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - HONDA - pt. 91
6 – #12 Rob Huff GBR - Sébastien Loeb Racing - VOLKSWAGEN - pt. 82
7 – #86 Esteban Guerrieri ARG - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - HONDA - pt. 74
8 – #69 Jean-Karl Vernay FRA - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team - AUDI - pt. 74
9 – #69 Pepe Oriola SPA - Campos Racing – CUPRA – pt. 50
10 – #25 Mehdi Bennani MAR - Sébastien Loeb Racing - VOLKSWAGEN - pt. 44
OVERALL RANKINGS - TEAMS
1 – YMRacing - HYUNDAI - pt. 261
1 – BRC Racing Team - HYUNDAI - pt. 227
3 – ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - HONDA - pt. 169
4 – Sébastien Loeb Racing - VOLKSWAGEN - pt. 137
5 – Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team - AUDI - pt. 106
6 – Team Oscaro by Campos Racing - CUPRA - pt. 56
7 – Boutsen Ginion Racing - HONDA - pt. 51
8 – Audi Sport Team Comtoyou - AUDI - pt. 42
9 – Comtoyou Racing - AUDI - pt. 21
10 – Zengo Motorsport - CUPRA - pt. 7