Mikel Azcona has come a long way from the contrite rookie who ruined Esteban Guerreri’s title shot in a frenetic World Touring Car Cup finale back in 2019. The Spaniard, then 23, could only offer a grovelling apology in the post-race press conference after nerfing the Honda ace off in a thrilling night-race climax at Sepang, clogging the Civic’s radiator full of grass. He was clearly mortified to have interfered in a title showdown that fell in favour of Hyundai’s Norbert Michelisz, thanks in part to Azcona’s blunder. “There is always revenge,” was Guerrieri’s sinister response.
Three years later, Azcona is on the cusp of becoming a world champion himself for Hyundai, and such is the health of his points lead with two weekends and four races to go that it’s hard to imagine karma pitching up to kick him where it hurts. From the moment he stepped into his Elantra N TCR this year, having swapped from Cupra to replace no less a figure than retiring tin-top legend Gabriele Tarquini, Azcona has been brilliant. Three race wins and six further podiums, ironing out the usual peaks and troughs of ballasted Balance of Performance, have left him 35 points clear of nearest challenger Nestor Girolami, Munnich Motorsport’s ‘other’ Argentinian and team-mate to a still crownless Guerrieri.
