WTCR aces Azcona and Michelisz to guide next generation of Hyundai-powered stars

WTCR – FIA World Touring Car stars Mikel Azcona and Norbert Michelisz will help to mentor the next generation of Hyundai-powered TCR drivers. Jáchym Galáš, a 20-year-old from Czech Republic, and Briton Lewis Kent, 22 (pictured), have been selected for the Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior Driver initiative for 2022, along with four rally drivers.

Galáš, who will race in TCR Europe aboard a Hyundai Elantra N TCR, joined the Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior Driver programme in 2021, while Kent is a new recruit having won the TCR UK title for the last two seasons. According to Hyundai Motorsport, the young duo “will be able to call on the support of the Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing’s support engineers, while their teams can rely on the same efficient spare parts service given to all Hyundai Motorsport customers.

In addition, they will be invited to take part in tests with Hyundai Motorsport, where they will be able to work directly with the teams’ engineers, but also benefit from the mentoring from, and experience of, Hyundai Motorsports’ roster of WRC and WTCR stars”. Hyundai Motorsport Deputy Team Principal Julien Moncet said: “Supporting young drivers coming through the ranks is a crucial part of the role of the Customer Racing department within Hyundai Motorsport.

We aim to nurture our Junior Drivers as they build their careers in motorsport. The Rally2 and TCR categories present the perfect opportunity for this, with drivers able to remain with the same Hyundai cars as they progress from national to international competition – and then hopefully to either WRC events or WTCR with our teams.