Azcona TAKE LO QUE VINO EN ZHEJIANG Y VIAJA A MACAO CON 33 PUNTOS DE VENTAJA

El championship del FIA TCR World Tourqqqq reached its decisive stage in Zhejiang, where Mikel Azcona and Norbert Michelisz delivered a result that seemed destined to define the title. Both drivers competed under the Hyundai banner, and the podium was the same in the two opportunities to score over the weekend: Azcona took first place, while Michelisz finished second. The Spanish driver thus extended his lead over his Hungarian rival to 33 points.

The margin was built through a weekend that demanded maximum concentration from the drivers and teams. The third and final race was held on a dry track, but the intensity of the braking, the disputes and the repeated contact between the Hyundai and Geely drivers turned it into the most demanding of the three events.

Azcona wins on a wet Zhejiang track

Azcona crossed the finish line ahead of Michelisz and the Swede Thed Björk, with the Frenchman Yann Ehrlacher and the Chinese driver Ma Qinghua completing the top five. Both represented Geely. The Ecuadorian Diego Morán, driving for Honda, lost ground because of a turbo problem and finished eighth.

For Azcona, the victory was the eighth in the category since his debut in 2023. The points gathered over the weekend left him with 445 points, compared with Michelisz's 412. The Hungarian driver took advantage of Urrutia's problems to move into second place in the overall standings, with 406 units, six more than the Uruguayan.

“El resultado del fin de semana dejó a Azcona con una ventaja importante, pero la última carrera en Macao todavía puede cambiar el panorama. El lastre de compensación y el circuito urbano serán factores decisivos.”Tomás Galarza, Deportes

• Azconalovió su octava victoria en la categoría desde 2023.
• Michelisz fue segundo en Zhejiang y remained segundo en la tabla general.
• Urrutia quedó third in the championship after a forced pit stop.
• La final en Macao será la última fecha y definirá el título.

Urrutia had reduced the gap to Azcona to 17 points after Saturday's second race, but his recovery was interrupted when damage forced him into the pits. The intervention cost him positions on the track and points in the standings, leaving him third, three weeks before the season ends.

The race director issued formal warnings to Azcona, Urrutia and Björk after the frequent contact between the Hyundai and Geely drivers. Despite the pressure and the incidents, Azcona maintained the performance required to leave Zhejiang with the championship's most comfortable margin.

The title now moves to Macao, where Azcona and Michelisz will carry the highest compensation weights among the leading drivers. That handicap could reduce the effectiveness of the two protagonists and open the door to the rest of the field. The urban circuit and the technical characteristics of the track will be analyzed by the teams before the final race.

For the Argentine and South American followers of international motorsport, the situation is clear: Zhejiang rewarded Azcona's consistency and Michelisz's ability to respond, while Urrutia saw his momentum interrupted. The numbers leave the Spanish driver in a favorable position, but a 33-point advantage is not insurmountable when the last race carries penalties, traffic and the uncertainty typical of a street circuit.

Como se vio en las últimas temporadas del campeonato, la última fecha suele reservar cambios importantes para quienes llegan con ventaja y presión sobre los hombros. Macao será el escenario final, y el hincha deberá esperar hasta la bandera a cuadros para saber si el título queda en manos de Azcona o si Michelisz, con el apoyo de su experiencia y la ayuda del lastre, achieve una remontada que reduzca la diferencia.