WTCR Race of Bahrain Race 1 press conference 11.11.2022: WTCR Race of Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit, November 10-12, 2022 WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup, Rounds 15 and 16 of 18 In attendance: Mikel Azcona (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse), First position Norbert Michelisz (BRC Hyundai N Sq

WTCR Race of Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit, November 10-12, 2022
WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup, Rounds 15 and 16 of 18


In attendance:
Mikel Azcona (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse), First position
Norbert Michelisz (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse),  Second position
Nathanaël Berthon (Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport), Third position




Mikel, you made that look really easy, was is?

Mikel Azcona (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse), First position


Yeah, probably from the TV you could see that it was an easy race, but from my view it wasn’t an easy race, especially because even though we were racing in night conditions the track temperature was high and you started to feel the big degradation on the front.

Obviously it was very comfortable to have Norbi behind me, it made my race much easier. First of all from the start I tried to do my best and I saw very quickly that he was having some problems. For me it was much better going into Turn 1 and that was the key of the race.


From this point I was trying to have good control of the car, trying to avoid the big kerbs and trying not to have any problems on the tyres especially. It was very tough, especially because of the high temperature inside of the cockpit.




No problems for the Hyundais? We heard Nathanaël talking over team radio about vibrations?


Mikel Azcona (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse), First position

Yes, we were speaking about that but we have to check because it is true that during the race I had some strange sounds. But at the end the front tyres were very good. Obviously I took care of the front tyres, but we were okay, so I was probably because of the whine, I don’t know. I saw some parts of the cars in the middle of the track. We don’t know at the moment, we finished very good with a good pace and the front tyres survived very well.





Great points for the team and for yourself. You are certainly stretching forward


Mikel Azcona (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse), First position

Yes, it’s obviously fantastic for the title. Good points. We increased our lead over Girolami and obviously for the team. Having Norbi second as well is very good for the manufacturers’ standings and increasing our lead. A fantasic weekend for us at the moment. There is still the second race to go, but like I told you before it’s been an awesome weekend until now. Very good from all the team, Nicky and Norbi…





Nicky was battling his socks off…


Mikel Azcona (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse), First position

Yeah, for sure he was trying everything. Very good overall and now working for tomorrow.





Now you have experienced racing in these conditions, tomorrow will be very different. What do you expect, also starting in a very different position?


Mikel Azcona (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse), First position

For sure tomorrow in the morning will be I think much more difficult because of the high temperatures. If we have suffered today tomorrow morning will be tougher. But we need to think, we have the information from today’s race, we have three cars so we will see altogether now. A long briefing and we will prepare the car as well as possible for tomorrow and I’m sure we will be there. Our pace was there during the whole weekend. Why not tomorrow?


Norbi, you capitalised on Nath’s slow start and slotted in very nicely behind Mikel?



Norbert Michelisz (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse),  Second position

Yeah. Very happy about finishing P2. I knew I had the pace, but I knew Néstor and Nathanaël were going to be very fast. In the end I was quite happy to take the positions right at the start because it’s the way that avoids the least amount of risk.


Like Mikel said, throughout the weekend I really think we improved the car step by step, and for me it is one of the occasions when I feel I am in total control. In qualifying and now in the race, to be honest it was very nice doing these 14 laps. Today has been fantastic.


I’m very happy for the team. I’m very happy for Mikel because he just deserves to lead the championship like this margin. And very happy for myself because my season has not been great. But it seems towards the end I have managed to get things together and it was very good for my confidence to feel that I’m ahead this time.




If only all of the rounds felt like that!


Norbert Michelisz (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse),  Second position

Yeah, but sometimes you have periods like this. I didn’t start the season good with the mistake in Pau. I was on the backfoot from race weekend two and there was a point in the season where we have to be efficient. We had two cars previously and the task is to win the title.


So in the end I know how it is to be in the position of Mikel. It’s of course not always easy to play the supporting game, but like I said he deserves 100 per cent to lead the standings because he did a fantastic job throughout the season and I think he showed the potential of the car.


In the end I try to learn from him to capitalise on some mistakes and be happy I managed to get on the podium. I really hope for a good race tomorrow because we must not forget today was looking good, but like you said tomorrow is going to be completely with the temperatures, with the tyre management, surviving the race in the heat.





It’s an entirely different race, isn’t it?



Norbert Michelisz (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse),  Second position

Yeah, it will be entirely different. For a driver it will be much, much more difficult tomorrow. In the end we know our job, how to prepare for tomorrow, but still a lot of things can happen.




Nathanaël, what happened at the start?


Nathanaël Berthon (Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport), Third position


Where to start, eh? My worst of the year. I did a bad start of course, it was not easy. It was tough. A lot of cars everywhere, I think I was P6 at the first corner. So it’s good to be back on the podium from P6. I had very good straightline speed…




Your acceleration speed is…


Nathanaël Berthon (Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport), Third position

It’s not the acceleration speed, it’s after 210kph maybe the aerodynamics of the car is good. But I did two moves not in the straight, so I think it was still good. But the two guys close to me they were just flying. No way, no way I could compete. Not today.





Do you think if you had nailed the start you would be on the top spot?


Nathanaël Berthon (Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport), Third position

It depends. Of course I think Mikel would have played it easy because he’s fighting for the title. Of course my goal was to make a mega start. But by taking risk, I did a bad start. This is it, because I knew it was at the start or nothing. It’s like that. But I’m happy to be on the podium. Congrats to you guys. As I said already, I think you are managing perfectly and doing a very strong job.


It is not easy to compete against them. But my team gave me a very strong car again, especially the first five, six, seven laps. It was really good. I was feeling really good and then I started to have some vibration. From that moment… I have had so many issues with the tyres this year, so many points lost and podiums, so I thought not this time again please. I was just managing. I don’t think I would have caught them anyway.





Tomorrow given what you have learnt today do you feel confident?

Nathanaël Berthon (Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport), Third position


With a good start? If I dod a good start, it’s all about that. I think it’s going to be hard to overtake them. Mikel will be behind me, but Norbi will be in front, so it’s not going to be easy. But let’s see. I don’t think we are going to be bad tomorrow, we are going to work tonight and understand what is going wrong and try to be even better tomorrow. Keep pushing.




Richard Rodgers, photos WTCR