Honda continues its FIA World Touring Car Championship campaign this weekend in China and is aiming to take away more silverware from the Shanghai International Circuit.
With the drivers’ championship having been decided in Japan, the battle is now on for the runner-up spot. Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team driver Tiago Monteiro currently occupies second in the points while fellow factory men Rob Huff and Norbert Michelisz are hot on his heels.
Tiago has happy memories of past visits to China as this weekend’s venue was the scene of his first Honda WTCC victory in 2013. The Portuguese is currently having the best season of his touring car career with two wins and five other podiums and is keen to increase his points tally this weekend.
Rob, the 2012 WTCC champion, has two Chinese wins to his name as well as three other podium finishes. After making the rostrum in three of his past four races, the Briton is hoping to add to the victory he scored on his Honda debut in France in April.
Norbert recorded his first victory as a factory driver at Motegi last time out, heading Rob and Tiago in a famous 1-2-3 finish for Honda at its home circuit. The Hungarian finished on the podium in China in 2013 and is aiming for his eighth rostrum of the year.
All three drivers have been boosted by the news that the Civic WTCCs will carry 60kg of compensation weight this weekend; a 20kg reduction from the figure carried last time out at Motegi
Tiago Monteiro, Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team, said: “I have great memories of Shanghai as it’s the track where I took my first WTCC win for Honda in 2013 and, based on our performances with a lot of compensation weight over the past few rounds, should give us a great opportunity as a team to win again this weekend. My aim now is to secure second place in the drivers’ championship. Any of the Honda drivers could finish second and there are no team orders, which is exactly how it should be. I hope the other teams take the same approach.”
Rob Huff, Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team, said: “I’m confident of another strong weekend in China. I’ve been on the podium in three of the last four races, which is something no other driver in the championship has managed, so that’s a very strong platform to be starting with. The team has made constant improvements to the Civic over the year and we’re now able to win even with a lot of compensation weight, as Norbi showed in Japan. The battle for second in the championship is getting very close and it will probably intensify as there are so few races left, but it should be fun.”
Norbert Michelisz, Honda Racing Team JAS, said: “To get my first win as a factory Honda driver was a dream come true and for it to happen in Japan, of all places, was just fantastic. You get a huge confidence boost from winning and my plan is to use that boost to turn this weekend’s round in China into another very good one. We have shown that even with the maximum compensation weight, we were able to win in Japan, so with a lighter car this weekend, we have a very good chance of doing it again.”
