The 2012 World Touring Car Championship winner said his decision was “the only option” in the wake of ongoing financial pressures for the Hungarian Zengo Motorsport team for whom he has starred this year.
The call will cost Huff the chance to contend for the overall WTCR crown, having already wrapped up the independents’ trophy in his Cupra Leon. The British driver is third in the standings, 54 points behind Hyundai’s title leader Mikel Azcona, with Munnich Motorsport Honda driver Nestor Girolami 35 points behind the Spaniard in second.
Huff has scored two wins this season, despite Zengo’s financial struggles that almost left him on the sidelines, for what has turned out to be the last year of the WTCR. Although overhauling Azcona would have been a tall order, a maximum of 130 points are still available in Bahrain and at the final round in Saudi Arabia.
In an emotional post on social media, Huff said: “This has not been an easy decision for me to make, after what has been such an incredible season, currently sitting P3 in the standings and winning the Independents’ Trophy. However, due to ongoing difficulties within the Zengo Motorsport team, it is the only option.
“As a team, we do not have the resources we need to run the car this weekend and sadly, I along with my engineer and team of mechanics haven’t been given the opportunity to prepare for what will be one of the most important weekends of the year, and with this in mind, I have had no other option but to withdraw.
“I am extremely disappointed not to be there fighting for the world title and anybody that knows me will know we exhausted every option before arriving here.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all involved at Zengo Motorsport this year, especially my mechanics and engineers for their hard work. I am extremely disappointed that this decision had to be made.”
Huff’s decision and Zengo’s troubles are another blow to the WTCR in what has been a tumultuous season involving race cancellations because of Goodyear tyre troubles and the dramatic withdrawal of the five-car Cyan Racing Lynk & Co team.
Zengo hopes to replace Huff with Hungarian Bence Boldizs beside Daniel Nagy this weekend, although the team’s precarious financial situation puts its further participation in doubt. Without the two Cupras, that would reduce the WTCR grid to just 13 entries.
Three wildcards have been added for the final two rounds. WTCR race winner Nicky Catsburg is returning to the series in a third Hyundai Elantra beside Azcona and Norbert Michelisz, while Comtoyou Audi will run Franco Girolami, younger brother of Honda racer Nestor, and Macedonian Viktor Davidovski.
