The battle for the WTCR title resumes at Suzuka

The battle for the 2019 WTCR title resumes this weekend at Suzuka where competitors of the FIA World Touring Car Cup will race on the short layout of the East Circuit.
Norbert Michelisz (BRC Squadra Corse, Hyundai i30 N) arrives in Japan as the leader of the standings. The Hungarian has an advantage of 15 points over Esteban Guerrieri (Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic FK7), while Yvan Muller (Cyan Racing, Lynk&Co 03) lies in third position one further point adrift. Muller's teammate Thed Björk is placed fourth with a gap of 38 points from Michelisz.
When WTCR visited Suzuka last year the races were run on the longer Grand Prix Circuit. The event launched Gabriele Tarquini towards the conquest of the title, as he inherited victory in Race 3 following the penalty inflicted to Kevin Ceccon for a grid infringement and built a 39-point lead in the standings before the final round in Macau.
Ceccon proved to be one of the fastest drivers at Suzuka, he won Race 1 and set the pole position for Race 3, ending Alfa Romeo's eleven-year drought in world Touring Car racing. Rob Huff won Race 2 in his Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Virtually cut out on the title fight for the current season, Tarquini is now willing to help his teammate Michelisz to clinch the crown. "He made a fantastic job last year, he helped me a lot and I am ready to give back what he did. He is experienced so he doesn’t need my help on the way to approach the fight, but on the track if I am in front of him or behind him in the position to help, I will do with a smile on my face. He deserves the title."

Three guest drivers will join the championship at Suzuka for a one-off appearance: Hong Kong's Jim Ka To in a third Honda Civic run by KCMG and two locals: Ryuichiro Tomita and Ritomo Miyata both at the wheel of Audi RS 3 LMS cars entered by Hitotsuyama Racing.