Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing celebrated an unforgettable homecoming as the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour made its debut at the Inje Speedium in South Korea. The weekend brought double delight for Hyundai fans, with Josh Buchan and Mikel Azcona securing commanding victories in Races 1 and 2 respectively, marking a major milestone for the newly homologated Hyundai Elantra N EV TCR.
Buchan Triumphs in Race 1 for HMO Customer Racing
Australia’s Josh Buchan delivered a near-perfect performance in Race 1, converting pole position into victory for HMO Customer Racing. Despite challenging damp conditions on the 3.908-kilometre circuit following a wet qualifying session, Buchan controlled the race to claim a memorable win for the privateer Australian squad.
Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Benoit Nogier praised Buchan’s performance, saying:
“Congratulations to Josh Buchan and HMO Customer Racing for their victory in Race 1. As a private team from Australia, what they achieved highlights how experience and technical support from Hyundai Motorsport are helping customer teams around the world become even more competitive.”
Azcona Takes Race 2 Glory in the Elantra N EV TCR
Race 2 belonged to Mikel Azcona, who showcased precision and pace to secure his first victory of the 2025 season and Hyundai’s fifth win of the year. Driving the Hyundai Elantra N EV TCR, Azcona led from start to finish after starting from reverse-grid pole, even while carrying 30 kilograms of Compensation Weight.
Azcona built a five-second lead before a late safety car period briefly halted his progress. At the restart, the Spaniard immediately re-established his advantage to win by 4.168 seconds, marking his first triumph since China a year earlier.
Reflecting on his win, Azcona said:
“I’m so happy to take the win in Race 2. It looked easy from the outside, but it wasn’t. The car was working perfectly, and I pushed hard from the start. Winning here in South Korea, Hyundai’s home, makes this extra special. This victory is for Hyundai and my team.”
Azcona followed up his victory with a fourth-place finish in Race 3, climbing from sixth on the grid after another strong start. His weekend results lifted him to ninth in the overall standings, marking a significant step forward ahead of the penultimate round in China (October 31–November 2).
Strong Weekend for Hyundai Motorsport Teams
Norbert Michelisz continued to collect valuable championship points, finishing eighth in Race 2 and ninth in Race 3, keeping him fifth in the standings. Despite carrying 40 kilograms of ballast, the Hungarian showed consistent pace across all three races.
“It was a tough weekend with mixed conditions, but we made good improvements and scored important points,” Michelisz said. “I’m very happy for Mikel’s win — it’s a great result for the team.”
Meanwhile, Néstor Girolami fought hard throughout the weekend, rebounding from 17th in Race 1 to finish 10th in Race 2 after an impressive charge through the field. Despite late contact dropping him to 15th in Race 3, Girolami praised the collective effort of the Hyundai squad:
“Race 2 was very good for us — coming from P17 to P10 showed our potential. It wasn’t the weekend we wanted overall, but we win and lose together as a team. I’m really happy for Mikel and his victory.”
Hyundai Motorsport’s Home Success Highlights EV TCR Progress
The Inje Speedium weekend marked the competition debut of the new Hyundai Elantra N EV TCR, equipped with an updated turbo and new homologation package. The car’s performance was immediately proven, delivering a dominant win and showcasing Hyundai’s continued innovation in electric touring car racing.
Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Benoit Nogier concluded:
“Winning on home soil in South Korea is extra special. The debut of the newly homologated Elantra N EV TCR was a great success, and both victories demonstrate the strength of Hyundai’s Customer Racing program. We’ll take the learnings from Inje to return even stronger in China.”
