WTCR Race of Hungary Race 2 press conference 12.06.2022: WTCR Race of Hungary, Hungaroring, June 10-12, 2022 WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup, Rounds 5 and 6 of 20 In attendance: Santiago Urrutia (Cyan Performance Lynk & Co), Race 2 winner Rob Huff (Zengő Motorsport), Race 2 second position

WTCR Race of Hungary, Hungaroring, June 10-12, 2022
WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup, Rounds 5 and 6 of 20

In attendance:

Santiago Urrutia (Cyan Performance Lynk & Co), Race 2 winner
Rob Huff (Zengő Motorsport), Race 2 second position
Néstor Girolami (ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport), Race 2 third position



Santi, Hungaroring is quite a nice track for you, isn’t it, especially after you also won here last year?




Santiago Urrutia (Cyan Performance Lynk & Co), Race 2 winner


Yeah, it was tough. I hear some drivers who say when they take a pole position ‘it was the lap of my life’. This is the race of my life. I’m not sure because I don’t remember every race that I have done, but I tell you this one was really really hard. I could not make a mistake since lap one because I knew Rob was quick.


Before the race, I saw him in race one and he was so quick on the first lap so I knew if I don’t make a gap it’s going to be difficult. I did a good start but I could not manage to make a gap because he was always behind me, I could always see him close in my mirrors. Then came the safety car. Under the safety car I said OK, it can go either way: either I will go quicker or slower, because you don’t really know how your car will react after that.



 I had to do a good restart and I did do a really good restart and that’s what give me the win at the end. But again, congrats to Rob who was really good and also to Néstor who had kilos in the car and were really quick. I’m happy for my people, Cyan Performance Lynk & Co. Another win in this track [after last year], so I feel it’s OK.




You were like a bullet after the safety car. And I guess during the safety car it gave you time to cool the tyres and breath, right?



Santiago Urrutia (Cyan Performance Lynk & Co), Race 2 winner


Yes, of course. As I said, I was talking to my engineer on the radio and he said it’s hard to overtake so focus on your race. And I came on and said ‘yeah, that’s because you are not in the car’ because the pressure was so big. But I was waving my tyres and I thought I have to go. I made a gap and that helped me. It wasn’t enough to win the race only with that gap, I had to push. It was a very intense race, every lap.





Rob, when the safety car came out what went through your head?




Rob Huff (Zengő Motorsport), Race 2 second position

I probably can’t say exactly what I was thinking, but yes, it was quite frustrating because it was at that point I was just starting to really get close to Santi. A bit frustrating because I knew we had to try and make a gap again. Santi restarted in a place I have never seen anyone restart before, he definitely caught me out a little bit.



But then it took about two laps for my car to get back on song again. The tyres liked the higher pressure and hotter temperature. I threw everything I had at that, we definitely had a slightly quicker car.





It seemed like when you were actually on his tail on that final lap you didn’t have the overtaking opportunity.



Rob Huff (Zengő Motorsport), Race 2 second position

Exactly. He never made a mistake. There was one mistake he made in the final corner which allowed me to close a car’s gap, but even if I was close enough it was never going to be a close enough gap for me to get through. He deserves his dinner tonight because that was probably one of the highest pressure races I have been involved in.


It was mega. Neither of us made a mistake, we both wanted it as bad as each other and he just got it off the start. It was just good fun, a really good high-intensity race.





And great for the team on home soil.



Rob Huff (Zengő Motorsport), Race 2 second position

Yes, I’m so happy for the team. Last year we came here, we got pole position and I made a hash of it in the race [before] which meant we didn’t get to start on pole position which was a real shame.


Of course this year I wanted to put that right and with a sixth and a second, two WTCR Trophy wins, three bottles of champagne, three trophies I think we can say we did it. And it leaves room for improvement in the future, so we can come back next year and try to make it one step better.




What are your thoughts ahead of Aragón?



Rob Huff (Zengő Motorsport), Race 2 second position

Every time we are coming out we are getting stronger and stronger. That’s quite normal with the preparation we had for this season. But the team is working better than it’s ever worked. The bond in the team, the inspiration, the positivity to keep pushing, keep trying, keep succeeding is getting bigger and bigger and I’m thoroughly proud of the Zengő Motorsport team.


It’s amazing part of their story because it is an amazing story and we keep pushing for success and keep driving each other forward.






Bebu, Norbi was breathing down your neck for most of that race. He didn’t make it easy for you, did he?




Néstor Girolami (ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport), Race 2 third position


It was really tough. It was quite a tough race one for us because we having 40kg here was not easy. I was struggling a lot in race one so I said to my team we do a big change if we want to try and keep the third position.



It was very difficult at the beginning, we played with everything, did a lot of changes, we put on new tyres for this race. We got a good start, not a brilliant start, but it was good to keep the third position and then from lap one I was trying to push in the last three corners and the rest of the track I was saving my tyres.



I knew if I managed to get a gap from the last corner to the first corner I would be able to defend my position. That was what I did and the car was fantastic. We have to be very proud, the mechanics did a fantastic job changing the set-up from A to Z every time. But it paid off and I am very grateful for the team. I really want to congratulate Honda, ALL-INKL.COM, they did a fantastic job. Now let’s keep the momentum. Aragón will be really tough.






That was my next question. You don’t have high expectations for Aragón as a team, do you?



Néstor Girolami (ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport), Race 2 third position

Yeah, it’s a tough one. We were struggling year by year to be in the top 10. And now everyone is on zero or 10kg we are carrying again 40kg. This is something where I feel like it will be difficult to be in the top 10 and if you are not in the top 10 then you miss the big points.



We need to work very hard. We are going to test in very hot conditions because this is what we are going to have in Aragon. Let’s hope for some rain! That is the only chance we can get.





Santi, what do you think about the Lynk & Co in Aragón?



Santiago Urrutia (Cyan Performance Lynk & Co), Race 2 winner

I won my first race there. I think everything is different this year. You see guys and teams improving and improving, so I have zero expectations to be honest. I will try to do the best in free practice to find the best set-up in the car. Let’s see how the tyres work because they are a little bit different than the ones we used to use.



I hope we can be strong. We have weight in the car now, so I hope we can do and find out a good set-up in practice to be in the top 10 in qualifying and then bring the points. Not many expectations, just keep it calm and do the job.






 Richard Rodgers, photos WTCR