Michelisz holds off Cyan Racing challenge to win Interlagos Race 2

Michelisz holds off Cyan Racing challenge to win Interlagos Race 2

Norbert Michelisz managed to hold off Ma Qing Hua and Thed Björk in a race-long battle in an intense second race of Kumho FIA TCR World Tour with TCR South America and TCR Brasil at Interlagos, extending his championship lead.

Rafael Suzuki encored his Race 1 victory in TCR South America and TCR Brasil.

Michelisz got away well from the reversed grid pole ahead of Ma, while Björk went the long way around at T1 and T2 to move ahead of Suzuki into third.

Behind them and battling for fifth place heading up into T7, Michelisz’s teammate Néstor Girolami was under attack from both Yann Ehrlacher and Raphael Reis. The three drivers went three-wide into the corner and made contact, with Girolami suffering a puncture and Ehrlacher a broken suspension. Both Girolami and Ehrlacher pitted for repairs, while Reis was overtaken by Esteban Guerrieri and Santiago Urrutia.

Urrutia passed Guerrieri for fifth at the start of lap 2, just before the safety car was called following an accident between the Cobra Racing Toyota of Thiago Vivacqua and the Squadra Martino Honda of Juan Manuel Casella at T6, with Casella crashing out into the barriers. Soon after the restart, Urrutia got ahead of Suzuki; Guerrieri managed to pick off Suzuki for fifth on the same lap.

Up front, Michelisz was forced to defend almost every lap against Ma, until the Chinese racer’s tyres faded later in the race. On lap 14, Ma swapped positions with teammate Björk, before dropping behind Urrutia. However, it was soon confirmed that Urrutia would be given a five-second penalty for a track limit infringement. Michelisz held on to win the race from Bjork, with Ma promoted back onto the podium following Urrutia's penalty which dropped him to fifth behind Guerrieri.

Suzuki managed to claim his second win of the day in TCR South America and TCR Brasil ahead of Reis and Fabián Yannantuoni.

Michelisz continues to lead the drivers’ standings, 15 points clear of Guerrieri, while Björk have moved up to third ahead of teammate Ehrlacher who did not score, 37 points adrift.

Reis has taken the lead in TCR South America, one point clear of Juan Ángel Rosso and 16 ahead of Pedro Cardoso. The same three drivers are on top of TCR Brasil in which Reis has a 14-point lead.

The Kumho FIA TCR World Tour and TCR South America will join for the next event in Uruguay at El Pinar, on August 2/4.

Interlagos – Race 2

1. Norbert Michelisz (BRC Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N), 18 laps
2. Thed Björk (Lynk & Co Cyan Racing, Lynk & Co 03 FL), 2.618
3. Ma Qing Hua (Lynk & Co Cyan Racing, Lynk & Co 03 FL), 8.698

Championship points – TCR World Tour

1. N. Michelisz, 196 pts; 2. E. Guerrieri 181; 3. T. Björk, 159

Interlagos – Race 1 TCR South America/TCR Brasil

1. Rafael Suzuki (PMO Racing, Peugeot 308), 18 laps
2. Raphael Reis (W2 Pro GP, CUPRA Leon VZ), 8.968
3. Fabián Yannantuoni (Paladini Racing, Toyota Corolla GRS), 24.804

Championship points – TCR South America

1. R. Reis, 179 pts; 2. J.Á. Rosso, 178; 2. P. Cardoso 163

Championship points – TCR Brasil

1. R. Reis, 240 pts; 2. J.Á. Rosso, 226; 3. P. Cardoso, 223

Further information and images @ www.fiatcrworldtour.com

Picture: TCR South America/Duda Bairros