Mikel Azcona

Last updated
Mikel Azcona
Mikel Azcona ETCR 2022.jpg
Azcona at the 2022 WTCR Race of Italy
Nationality Flag of Spain.svg Spanish
Full nameMikel Azcona Troyas
Born (1996-06-25) 25 June 1996 (age 28)
Arrigorriaga, Spain
World Touring Car Cup career
Debut season 2019
Current team BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse
Racing licence FIA Gold Driver.png FIA Gold
Car number96
Former teams PWR Racing, Zengő Motorsport
Starts78
Wins7
Poles3
Fastest laps9
Best finish1st in 2022

Mikel Azcona Troyas [lower-alpha 1] (born 25 June 1996) is a Spanish auto racing driver who competes in the World Touring Car Cup for PWR Racing. [1] He won the TCR Europe Touring Car Series championship in 2018 and 2021 and the WTCR championship in 2022.

Contents

Racing career

Early career

Azcona began his karting career at the age of 6 with a kart bought by his father. [2] participated in Spanish karting championships where in 2009, he finished second in the Cadet class in the national championship and in the XXI Series, and in 2010, finishing in fourth place in the KF3 class.

In 2012, he made the transition from karting to touring car competitions, since it was where Azcona saw a professional future if he stood out in those races, instead of single-seater competitions. [2] He started at the age of 15 with the car that would compete continuously for the following years, the Renault Clio with which he would participate in Class 2 of the CER together with Diego Rodríguez. He finished that year in third position in the CER Ferodo Sport Challenge. In 2013 he made his debut in the Spanish Renault Clio Cup Spain, where he took his first victory as a professional racer and finished in ninth place in the standings. Also that year, he managed to prevail in the Clio class of the Open Cup of Circuito de Navarra. [3]

Move to Europe

The following year, Azcona joined PCR Sport and finished fifth in Renault Clio Cup Spain. Within Joaquín Rodrigo's team, he competed in the last of the four seasons of the Renault Clio Eurocup, where finished runner-up in 2012 and 2014, behind compatriot Oscar Nogués. [4] Also in 2014, he would have his first endurance test, participating in the Maxi Endurance 32H with two different teams. [5] In 2015, he continued in Renault Clio Cup Spain where he finished second and made his debut in the Seat Léon Eurocup, winning at Circuit Paul Ricard and took three additional podiums, finishing third in the season. He continued in the Seat Léon Eurocup in the 2016 season. He won four races and eight podiums, but they were not enough to become champion and he was runner-up behind Niels Langeveld. [6] [7] He also made four appearances in Renault Clio Cup Spain, winning two of them and finished fifth in the drivers standings. In these two years he was signed to PCR Sport.

In 2017, Azcona participated in the Audi Sport TT Cup, winning six races during the season: two at the Norisring, one at Zandvoort, two at Nürburgring and one at Hockenheimring and finished in second place three times. He finished runner-up in the standings behind Philip Ellis, who had achieved two more podiums than Azcona. [8]

TCR Series

Cupra (2018–2021)

The following year, Azcona went on to compete in the TCR Europe, returning to the PCR Sport team and drove a Cupra León, he took a win at Zandvoort, five podium finishes and 10 top-five finishes. His regularity allowed him to beat Jean-Karl Vernay to finally get his first title. 10 For the 2019 season, he moved to the World Touring Car Cup with a Cupra León from PWR Racing, becoming the brand's official driver. [9] [10] He obtained his first victory at Vila Real. [11] and finished sixth in the drivers' standings.

Azcona was the subject of controversy at the final race of the 2019 WTCR season in Malaysia after influencing the outcome of the championship. [12] While trying to overtake title contender Esteban Guerrieri for the race lead, he hit Guerrieri's car, pushing him off the track from a title-clinching position and forcing him to pit, which cost him the chance to win the title. [13] Azcona was given a 30-second time penalty for the incident. [14]

In 2021, Azcona also completed a WTCR-European double program, also contesting the first season of the ETCR [15] and completing other national championship races in Spain, Italy and Germany. In the WTCR, he finished in seventh in the final classification, after a somewhat weak start to the season and only achieving a victory in the penultimate race. In the European championship, however, he managed to dominate the season despite missing the third round held at the Zandvoort circuit. By proclaiming himself the winner of the championship in the race on Saturday in Barcelona, Azcona flew to the Czech Republic that same day to be able to compete the two WTCR races in Most the following day. [16]

Hyundai (2022–)

Azcona's Hyundai Elantra N TCR during the 2023 El Pinar TCR World Tour round 2023 TCR World Tour at El Pinar - Qualifying 10.jpg
Azcona's Hyundai Elantra N TCR during the 2023 El Pinar TCR World Tour round

In 2022, Azcona changed scenery by signing as an official driver for Hyundai Motorsport, [17] his main focus was winning the WTCR championship, a milestone that would be somewhat marred by the withdrawal of the Lynk & Co team in halfway in the season, the controversies with the failures of the Goodyear tires and the cancellation of several of the final rounds for various reasons. [18] At the same time, he returned to participate in the ETCR where this time he finished in fifth place, achieving only one victory in Vallelunga and managed to win in the TCR category of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. [19] Azcona clinched the WTCR Drivers' championship during the qualifying session of the FIA WTCR Race of Saudi Arabia making him the last driver to do so. [20]

Racing record

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPodiumsPointsPosition
2013 Renault Clio Cup Spain 3111049th
2014 Renault Clio Cup Spain  ? ? ?1975th
Acceleration - MW-V6 Pickup Series Team Spain3023611th
Renault Clio Eurocup Joaquin Rodrigo Competicion8241212nd
2015 Renault Clio Cup Spain  ? ? ?2652nd
SEAT Leon Eurocup PCR Sport1414663rd
2016 SEAT Leon Eurocup PCR Sport14482262nd
Renault Clio Cup Spain 423635th
2017 Audi Sport TT Cup N/A13692352nd
2018 TCR Europe Touring Car Series PCR Sport14151811st
2019 World Touring Car Cup PWR Racing 30152266th
Campeonato de España de Resistencia Tecnicars Racing Team5331368th
TCR Spa 500 TOPCAR Sport with Bas Koeten Racing 100N/A3rd
2020 World Touring Car Cup Zengő Motorsport Services KFT 16121687th
TCR Europe Touring Car Series Volcano Motorsport43315711th
Campeonato de España de Resistencia 6462322nd
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship Scuderia del Girasole Cupra Racing 2225214th
2021 World Touring Car Cup Zengő Motorsport 16151587th
TCR Europe Touring Car Series Volcano Motorsport11694321st
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship 2110NC†
Pure ETCR Championship Zengő Motorsport X Cupra 5233003rd
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR mathilda racing100N/ADNF
2022 World Touring Car Cup BRC Hyundai N Lukoil Squadra Corse 164113371st
FIA ETCR – eTouring Car World Cup Hyundai Motorsport N 6114085th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR 111N/A1st
TCR South America Touring Car Championship Scuderia Chiarelli1016225th
2022–23 Formula E NIO 333 Racing Test driver
2023 TCR World Tour BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse 20163415th
TCR Europe Touring Car Series 6020NC†
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship 2010NC†
TCR South America Touring Car Championship 4120NC†
TCR Australia Touring Car Series 6000NC†
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR Hyundai Motorsport N 111N/A1st
2023–24 Formula E ERT Formula E Team Test driver
2024 TCR World Tour BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse 12132475th*
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship
Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - TCR Hyundai Motorsport N
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR

† As Azcona was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points. * Season still in progress.

Complete TCR Europe Touring Car Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314DCPoints
2018 PCR Sport CUPRA León TCR LEC
1
3		 LEC
2
5		 ZAN
1
1		 ZAN
2
6		 SPA
1
3		 SPA
2
4		 HUN
1
4		 HUN
2
14		 ASS
1
9		 ASS
2
2		 MNZ
1
2		 MNZ
2
5		 CAT
1
5		 CAT
2
8		1st181
2020 Volcano Motorsport CUPRA León TCR LEC
1 		LEC
2 		ZOL
1 		ZOL
2 		MNZ
1 		MNZ
2 		CAT
1 		CAT
2 		SPA
1
1		 SPA
2
1		 JAR
1
1		 JAR
2
4		11th157
2021 Volcano Motorsport CUPRA León Competición TCR SVK
1
1		 SVK
2
2		 LEC
1
6		 LEC
2
2		 ZAN
1 		ZAN
2 		SPA
1
1		 SPA
2
1		 NÜR
1
1		 NÜR
2
1		 MNZ
1
2		 MNZ
2
4		 CAT
1
1		 CAT
2
WD		1st432
2023 BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse Hyundai Elantra N TCR ALG
1
2		 ALG
2
4		 PAU
1 		PAU
2 		SPA
1
16		 SPA
2
8		 HUN
1
3		 HUN
2
4		 LEC
1 		LEC
2 		MNZ
1 		MNZ
2 		CAT
1 		CAT
2 		NC‡0‡

‡ Driver was a World Tour full-time entry and was ineligible for points.

Complete World Touring Car Cup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930DCPoints
2019 PWR Racing CUPRA León TCR MAR
1
15		 MAR
2
5		 MAR
3
3		 HUN
1
22		 HUN
2
4		 HUN
3
4		 SVK
1
9		 SVK
2
7		 SVK
3
5		 NED
1
3		 NED
2
5		 NED
3
6		 GER
1
18		 GER
2
13		 GER
3
13		 POR
1
12		 POR
2
1		 POR
3
4		 CHN
1
3		 CHN
2
Ret		 CHN
3
Ret		 JPN
1
17		 JPN
2
8		 JPN
3
18		 MAC
1
19		 MAC
2
15		 MAC
3
20		 MAL
1
17		 MAL
2
2		 MAL
3
14		6th226
2020 Zengő Motorsport Services KFT CUPRA León Competición TCR BEL
1
16		 BEL
2
11		 GER
1
Ret		 GER
2
4		 SVK
1
8		 SVK
2
4		 SVK
3
5		 HUN
1
6		 HUN
2
Ret		 HUN
3
4		 ESP
1
4		 ESP
2
1		 ESP
3
7		 ARA
1
5		 ARA
2
3		 ARA
3
5		7th168
2021 Zengő Motorsport CUPRA León Competición TCR GER
1
16		 GER
2
Ret		 POR
1
10		 POR
2
Ret		 ESP
1
2		 ESP
2
11		 HUN
1
2		 HUN
2
3		 CZE
1
7		 CZE
2
2		 FRA
1
13		 FRA
2
14		 ITA
1
11		 ITA
2
11		 RUS
1
1		 RUS
2
Ret		7th158
2022 BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse Hyundai Elantra N TCR FRA
1
6		 FRA
2
1		 GER
1
C		 GER
2
C		 HUN
1
1		 HUN
2
8		 ESP
1
3		 ESP
2
1		 POR
1
8		 POR
2
3		 ITA
1
2		 ITA
2
3		 ALS
1
3		 ALS
2
3		 BHR
1
1		 BHR
2
4		 SAU
1
6		 SAU
2
3		1st337

TCR Spa 500 results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
2019 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg TOPCAR Sport with Bas Koeten Racing Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Julien Apotheloz
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Fabian Danz
Flag of Finland.svg Antti Buri
Flag of Finland.svg Kari-Pekka Laaksonen 		CUPRA León TCR P4443rd3rd

Complete TCR World Tour results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920DCPoints
2023 BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse Hyundai Elantra N TCR ALG
1
2		 ALG
2
4		 SPA
1
16		 SPA
2
8		 VAL
1
2		 VAL
2
5		 HUN
1
3		 HUN
2
4		 ELP
1
8		 ELP
2
2		 VIL
1
1		 VIL
2
Ret		 SYD
1
3		 SYD
2
19		 SYD
3
6		 BAT
1
Ret		 BAT
2
10		 BAT
3
Ret		 MAC
1
4		 MAC
2
9		5th341
2024 BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse Hyundai Elantra N TCR VAL
1
4		 VAL
2
4		 MRK
1
5		 MRK
2
13		 MDO
1
3		 MDO
2
4		 SAP
1
8		 SAP
2
9		 ELP
1
2		 ELP
2
5		 ZHZ
1
1		 ZHZ
2
9		 MAC
1
MAC
2
5th*247*

* Season still in progress.

Notes

  1. ↑ In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Azconaand the second or maternal family name is Troyas.

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References

  1. ↑ "Madre e hijo ganan su mejor carrera". diariodenavarra.es (in Spanish). 30 November 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  2. 1 2 Sancho, Fernando (26 March 2019). "Entrevista Mikel Azcona: "No siento presión por estar en el WTCR"". Motor.es.
  3. ↑ "Copa Open de Automovilismo // Circuito de Navarra //". YouTube. 21 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "Mikel Azcona subcampeón de la Eurocup Clio 2014". www.revistasafetycar.com.
  5. ↑ "Azcona listo para el gran reto de la Maxi Endurance 32". www.revistasafetycar.com.
  6. ↑ "Azcona, subcampeón de la Seat León Eurocup". www.noticiasdenavarra.com. 9 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "La madre del piloto Mikel Azcona despertó del coma tras ganar una carrera". www.mundodeportivo.com. 6 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "El navarro Mikel Azcona se proclama subcampeón Audi TT Cup al ganar la carrera en el circuito de Hockenheim". navarra.elespanol.com. 14 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Mikel Azcona da el salto al WTCR en 2019 con Cupra y PWR". www.diariomotor.com.
  10. ↑ "Meet the new CUPRA pilots". www.cupraofficial.com.
  11. ↑ Javier Martínez (8 July 2019). "Mikel Azcona, feliz tras su primera victoria en la WTCR". Motor y Racing.
  12. ↑ Rodgers, Richard (28 August 2020). "WTCR 2020 build-up with Mikel Azcona: My goal is to win, it's why I am here". FIA WTCR | World Touring Car Cup. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  13. ↑ "RaceFans Round-up: Honda's Guerrieri "robbed of WTCR title"". RaceFans. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  14. ↑ Rodgers, Richard (16 December 2019). "Azcona penalty hands final 2019 WTCR podium to Vervisch". FIA WTCR | World Touring Car Cup. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  15. ↑ "Mikel Azcona se convierte en el "Rey del fin de semana" de PURE ETCR en Hungría". www.seat-mediacenter.es.
  16. ↑ "El increíble fin de semana de Mikel Azcona: Campeón de Europa en Barcelona y podio en la República Checa". www.autobild.es. 14 October 2021.
  17. ↑ "Mikel Azcona cambia CUPRA por Hyundai para luchar por el WTCR". www.motor.es. 8 February 2022.
  18. ↑ "WTCR 2023.-Desaparece el campeonato mundial y habrá un certamen mancomunado". viajesycarreras.com.
  19. ↑ "Así se forjó la victoria de Azcona en las 24 Horas de Nürburgring". es.motorsport.com.
  20. ↑ "Nathanaël Berthon claims pole position in Jeddah as Mikel Azcona crowned champion". touringcartimes.com.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Inaugural
 TCR Europe Touring Car Series
Champion
2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by TCR Europe Touring Car Series
Champion
2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by World Touring Car Cup
Champion
2022 		Succeeded by
Norbert Michelisz
(TCR World Tour)

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