World touring car champion set for rally debut in ERC finale

The 2019 WTCR champion and current TCR World Tour points leader will achieve a life long dream of competing in a rally at his home event, Rally Hungary from 6-8 October.

The factory Hyundai TCR driver will pilot a Hyundai i20 Rally2 car at the asphalt event, competing under a special license granted by Hyundai Motorsport. He will drive alongside experienced Hungarian co-driver Robert Tagai.

Michelisz will receive only one test day before taking part in the event although the 39-year-old has previously sampled rally cars.

Last year he piloted Hyundai’s WRC Rally1 car at Belgium’s Zolder Circuit as part of a car swap stunt involving factory Hyundai WRC driver Thierry Neuville and Michelisz’s Hyundai’s Veloster N ETCR touring car.

“My first motorsport experiences are connected to rally races around Pécs, I had very vivid childhood memories on Mecsek Rally” said Michelisz.

“I fell in love with racing in rallies, and if I had been asked what type of racing driver I wanted to be, I would have definitely said rally driver. That life brought me to closed circuit racing was mainly due to my sim racing days, that helped me to get here, where I am now. But my affection to rally has remained, and now a childhood dream comes true.

“I was thinking of it [going rallying] a lot in the past couple of years, and I always convinced myself why the timing was not appropriate.

“Now I have reached the point where I am more eager to experience it than I am cautious about the risks. There will never be a perfect time, I have to seize the moment.”

Norbert Michelisz

Photo by: MGR Images

Switching from circuit racing to rallying will provide a significant challenge that Michelisz admits will be the “biggest” of his career to date.

“I do not know the stages, I have tested the car only once around Pécs, which means very little experience” Michelisz explained.

“I have analysed many onboard camera footage, I have practised how to write the road book, but even if I prepare day and night, I will know where I am only in the race.

“Even an experienced rally racer can easily find himself in a difficult situation, so I have to manage the risk particularly well. I think it will be the biggest challenge of my career.

“My goal is to finish the race. As of the result, I am not planning anything in advance, because ERC field is very strong. I have nice memories on racing in front of home crowd, but this will be different now from the Hungaroring. I am looking forward to the new experience.”