BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse has retained Mikel Azcona and Norbert Michelisz in its driver line-up for the 2026 FIA TCR World Tour, downsizing to three cars as Néstor Girolami departs the team.
The Italian team, which has operated Hyundai’s leading World Touring Car programme since 2018, will keep Michelisz for a ninth consecutive season, whilst Azcona heads into his fifth campaign with the manufacturer.
Azcona won the 2022 FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) but has yet to claim a title in the TCR World Tour era, whilst Michelisz was back-to-back champions in the 2023 and 2024 TCR World Tour.
Last year, however, Girolami beat them both as the Argentine finished sixth overall whilst Michelisz and Azcona were eighth and ninth respectively, although Girolami will focus on his full-season campaign in TCR South America this year.
“There are two key benefits to run two cars,” said Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Manager Benoît Nogier. “Firstly, the team can concentrate its attentions more closely on each car and driver.
“Secondly, the change of strategy will also allow Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing to support customers competing in TCR championships around the world to an even higher level than before.
“We start every season aiming to win and our expectations haven’t change. The level of competition is very high, but we have tested well during the winter, making improvements to the Elantra N EV.
“We have also seen what the car has achieved in other championships as a means of giving us more belief.
“Then in Mikel and Norbi we have two extremely talented and experienced drivers with a proven record as world title winners.”
Azcona believes the team is in an even stronger position than it was going into the previous campaign.
“My approach is always the same, to bring the maximum and all the effort to start the season in the best condition possible,” said Azcona.
“We had some technical issues in the car last year, but we’ve fixed those during the winter so, already, we’re in a much better position than 2025.
“Testing has been good and, personally, I feel strong. While the target is to win the title myself, I will always look for the best possible result for the team. Norbi and I know how to work together and he’s such a good teammate, and this makes me very motivated.”
Michelisz echoed Azcona’s sentiments about a strong start to 2026.
“I’m expecting a lot this season because testing has gone very well, and we’ve been able to make quality gains in terms of performance,” said Michelisz.
“I feel very strong and confident. It’s also great having Mikel in the team, which means I have a bar that I have to set very high and cannot lean back.
“I want to come out on top, but, on the other hand, I still want to achieve great things for the team. It’s a very nice and competitive environment with Mikel, we have helped each other to grow as race car drivers and as people.”