TCR World Tour: Chaos race improved Michelisz’s title defense chances

Norbert Michelisz arrived at the season-ending weekend of the TCR World Series in Macau with a ten-point lead. Although Hyundai’s Hungarian competitor led the table by smaller and larger margins throughout the season, considering that chaos is not far from the narrow, 6,120-meter-long street course at many points, he could not sit back, as three of them could prevent his title defense. Before the final weekend, Honda’s Esteban Guerrieri was 10 points behind, Lynk & Có’s Thed Björk was 19 points behind, and the latter’s teammate Yann Ehrlacher was 23 points behind.

According to Hungarian time, during the qualifying session held early Friday morning, the field was greeted by a slightly wet track, which, together with the four red flags, showed why it is a huge pleasure to compete in Macau. Although Michelisz – by his own admission – with a “mediocre on paper” result, he took the fourth starting spot, his advantage did not change, but the table was rearranged behind him, as Thed Björk, who took the pole position, emerged as his main challenger.

In the first race on Saturday, you didn’t have to wait a single lap for the red flags to appear. After the red lights went out, starting from the front, Björk maintained the lead, while Michelisz moved up a position and overtook Ehrlacher to move up to third. Already on the finish line, there was a huge accident, the victim of which was Ma Ching-hua (Lynk & Co), who was stuck in the middle of the grid, who was hit from behind, then at the exit of the Lisbon bend, Guerrieri was spun in front of the field, blocking the track.

UNUSUAL START OF THE TCR WORLD TOUR IN MACAU

Unfortunately Esteban Guerrieri’s vehicle was damaged, red flag at this time pic.twitter.com/EBhUquFTd5

— Corazondef1 (@Corazondef1) November 16, 2024

For Guerrieri, this was the end of the competition and the fight for the championship title. Michelisz, on the other hand, from a favorable position, behind his teammate Mikel Azcona, could wait for the continuation after the prolonged interruption due to the repair of the tape barrier, moreover, another standing start was not ordered, so the field, swollen with the Asian participants, but decimated by the events of the first lap, was led by the safety car.

After the restart, Ehrlacher immediately began to attack Michelis, but the 2019 WTCR and current series champion gained a breather as Azcona passed him second place. After that, the race didn’t really hold any excitement until the kick-off, so the 2017 world champion Björk won with a relatively comfortable lead over the pair of Michelisz and Azcona, so Michelisz’s advantage over the Swede – before the last race of the year – was halved, i.e. five points.

With the fact that Ehrlacher and Azcona were also 26-26 points behind, it became clear that the championship title will be decided between Michelisz and Björk in the second race starting at 3:55 a.m. Hungarian time on Sunday.

Thanks to the reversed starting grid, the flag goes to the Hyundai driver, because while Björk is tenth, Michelisz, who is currently leading the table with 305 points, can occupy the seventh place on the starting grid. What should be noted, however, is that thanks to her current victory, Björk would be the champion even if the points are equal, so she can lose a maximum of four points from her current advantage, which is the current point system (30–25–22–20–18–16–14–12–10–8 –6–4–3–2–1) offers countless variations.

The final result of the first race:

1. Thed Björk (Sweden, Lynk & Co) 11 laps
2. Norbert Michelisz (Hungarian, Hyundai) + 1.874 seconds disadvantage
3. Mikel Azcona (Spain, Hyundai) + 2,529 mp. h.
4. Yann Ehrlacher (francia, Lynk & Co) + 3,442 mp. h.
5. Néstor Girolami (Argentin, Hyundai) + 7,016 mp. h.
6. Rob Huff (brit, Audi) + 7,807 mp. h.

Championship standings (after 13/14 races):

1. Michelisz – 305 points
2. Björk – 300 p. (-5)
3. Ehrlacher – 279 p. (-26)
4. Azcona – 279 p. (-26)
5. Warriors – 266 p. (-39)
6. Girolami – 224 p. (-81)