Hungarian motorsport hero Norbert Michelisz has launched M1RA that will contest the TCR International Series in 2017.
Michelisz’s main role will be helping to promote and nurture the next generation of Hungarian racing talent, while the team is directed by renowned race engineer David Bári.
M1RA will field a pair of Honda Civic TCR cars for Attila Tassi and Roberto Colciago.
Despite his young age (17) Hungarian youngster Tassi has already proved his skill in last year’s TCR International Series in which he was classified 11th and took a deserved podium finish in Sochi.
The experienced Colciago, by contrast, made his race debut in 1981 and has amassed a sizeable number of championship titles including the Italian Formula 3 crown in 1990 and several national touring car crowns in Italy and Sweden. Now aged 48, he is the reigning TCR Italy champion and was a race winner in TCR International in Malaysia last year.
Michelisz said: “For many years I have had ambitions of creating my own race team, but had always assumed that this would come at the end of my driving career. However, at the end of 2016, all the ingredients were in place to create M1RA. The right people; like David Bári, the right car; the Honda Civic Type R TCR, and the right programme in TCR International, were all available, so this was the ideal time.”
“We evaluated a number of different series, but for now, TCR International provided the best fit for our aims and objectives. In terms of the choice of machinery, I raced a Honda Civic TCR several times in TCR Benelux last year and won six races, so I know how good a car it is. It’s a proven championship winner and my relationship with JAS Motorsport – that builds the cars – is also very strong.”
“We aim to win the championship. I know that sounds very ambitious for our first season as TCR has some very strong and experienced teams and drivers, but I genuinely think that we have all the ingredients necessary to mount a serious challenge. Attila has incredible potential and has already been a podium finisher in his first season while Roberto is an experienced championship winner in touring cars and will definitely be a force to be reckoned with.”
