The winner of the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup in 2019 will make his rallying debut on Rally Hungary from 6- 8 October, lining up in a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 backed by OMV Hungária Kft.
Michelisz’s participation on the ERC season decider will be the realisation of a childhood dream but will also represent a step into the unknown. The 39-year-old’s experience in rallying is limited to a handful of demo runs although he will test ahead of the Nyíregyháza-based event, which uses challenging sealed-surface stages in and around the Zemplén Hills in north-east Hungary.
“My first motorsport experiences are connected to rally races around Pécs, I had very vivid childhood memories of the Mecsek Rallye,” said Michelisz, who is known by his fans as ‘Norbi’. “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 circuit racing was mainly due to my sim racing days, that helped me to get where I am now. But my affection to rally has remained, and now a childhood dream comes true.”
Michelisz races a Hyundai Elantra N TCR in the TCR World Tour and leads the standings by four points ahead of the season-deciding races in Australia and Macau in November. He has received special permission from Hyundai Motorsport to contest Rally Hungary.
“I was thinking a lot in the past couple of years, and I always convinced myself why the timing was not appropriate,” Michelisz said. ‘Now I have reached the point where I am more eager to experience it than I am cautious. There will never be a perfect time, I have to seize the moment. Now I managed to provide the conditions with the support of my sponsors, and I am very grateful to both OMV Hungária and Hyundai.
“I do not know the stages, I have tested the car only once around Pécs, which means very little experience. I have analysed many onboard camera footages, I have practised how to write the pacenote book, but even if I prepare day and night, I will know what I have been up to only in the race. Even an experienced rally racer can easily find himself in a difficult situation. I think it will be the biggest challenge of my career.”
In terms of his aims for Rally Hungary, Michelisz said: “My goal is to finish. As of the result, I am not planning anything in advance, because the 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.”
Róbert Tagai, who has experience co-driving in the FIA World Rally Championship and the Dakar and has also an ERC podium to his name, will partner Michelisz.
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