The Hungarian-based private team Zengő Motorsport confirmed today that they will enter the next two seasons of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) with the Honda Civic WTCC. The car will be driven by Hungarian driver Norbert Michelisz.
William De Braekeleer, Motorsport Manager Honda Motor Europe Ltd., said of the announcement:
“We have always been committed to making the Civic WTCC available to private teams, so we couldn’t be more delighted with today’s announcement.”
“Zengő Motorsport is an extremely professional outfit and Norbert Michelisz a very respected and talented driver. We are really honoured by their choice and the trust they are putting in the Civic WTCC. We are pleased to be able to count on such a player to help us in the manufacturer title’s fight and it is our aim to provide them with the best package to achieve their own goal. Of course this also means an extra challenge for our own works team, but this is what racing is all about!”
He added: “Zengő Motorsport was the first of many teams, both within and outside the WTCC, to express an interest in racing the Civic WTCC. But whilst we would love to make further cars available in the future, we are currently limiting it to one private team.”
Zoltán Zengő, the team principal said:
“With Honda on board we have the perfect partner to fulfill our new goals; namely to fight for the World Championship.”
“I have to thank Honda Hungary for their support and to every member of my team, to whom I’m very proud of. My role is to help Norbert Michelisz’s talent with the best equipment possible because when an outstanding driver meets an outstanding car, miracles can happen. That’s why we chose Honda and it’s the perfect time to board their “Shinkansen”.We feel honoured that somewhere in Japan and Italy there’s an absolute top level racing car under construction and it is made for us, for Norbert to race.”
Based in Budapest, Zengő Motorsport was founded in the 1990s by team principal Zoltán Zengő and has grown to become one of the leading motorsport operations in Hungary.
Norbert Michelisz’s is Zengő Motorsport’s lead driver and has been supported by the team since 2006. In 2008 he became the first Hungarian driver in the modern era to compete in the WTCC, and in his first full season in 2010 showed his class by winning the Rookie Challenge. Last year brought further success for Michelisz, with a win at the Hungaroring and claiming the overall victory in the Yokohama Driver’s Trophy.
J.A.S Motorsport will build the car for the team to the same specifications as Honda’s own Civic WTCC. It will be powered by the HR-412 E, Honda R&D’s bespoke 1.6 litre 4 cylinder direct injection turbo-charged petrol engine, with Mugen providing trackside support.
Honda Racing Team JAS, Honda’s factory team, will enter two cars in the 2013 FIA World Touring Car Championship, driven by Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro.
Honda Racing Team JAS entered the Civic WTCC into the last three races of the 2012 championship, which saw Monteiro claim the car’s first podium finish at Macau in November.
