Hungarian Racing Driver Norbert Michelisz Wins WTCR World Champion Title

Hungarian driver Norbert Michelisz made racing history yesterday as he won the inaugural WTCR (FIA World Touring Car Cup)/OSCARO World Champion title at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. The Hyundai driver started the super final of the race as one of the four contenders for the title and eventually became the best of the year with his fifth-place finish in Race 3, after rival Esteban Guerrieri dropped back with overheating issues.

2019 was finally the Hungarian driver’s year. Although Michelisz’s 10th season in the top category of touring car races didn’t start the best for him as he only finished in the top three in the sixth race in Hungary at the Hungaroring,  since then, Michelisz shifted to a higher gear and arrived in Malaysia having already reached his most successful season with four victories and five other top 3 finishes.

On the season-closing weekend he finally won the title after a dramatic end-game: he won by 27 points in the first race, but in the second, he slipped in the heavy rain, climbing back into 8th position from 13th, while his rival Guerrieri cut back Michelisz’s advantage to 10 points with a victory. Although the final Race 3 of the championship was won by double World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson and Michelisz ended the race in fifth position, he finished fourth after Azcona received a penalty. After the start of Race 3, it seemed that the world champion title would be lost because of a technical problem, but Michelisz eventually won the WTCR/OSCARO title, after rival Esteban Guerrieri dropped back with overheating issues.

Michelisz, who became a touring car racer from simulator racing driver, won his first international title in the SEAT León European Cup ten years ago. The Hungarian driver later won two private championship titles and a World Championship silver in the World Touring Car Championship. These achievements are now followed by Michelisz’s newest victory, and with him Hungary’s first international success in the speed motor sport with the WTCR champion title.