Mikel Azcona Explained

Mikel Azcona
Nationality: Spanish
Full Name:Mikel Azcona Troyas
Birth Date:1996 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Arrigorriaga, Spain
Racing Licence: FIA Gold
Current Series:World Touring Car Cup
First Year:2019
Current Team:BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse
Car Number:96
Former Teams:PWR Racing, Zengő Motorsport
Starts:78
Wins:7
Poles:3
Fastest Laps:9
Best Finish:1st
Year:2022

Mikel Azcona Troyas (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.

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–)

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
2013Renault Clio Cup Spain3111049th
2014Renault Clio Cup Spain???1975th
Acceleration - MW-V6 Pickup SeriesTeam Spain3023611th
Renault Clio EurocupJoaquin Rodrigo Competicion8241212nd
2015Renault Clio Cup Spain???2652nd
SEAT Leon EurocupPCR Sport1414663rd
2016SEAT Leon EurocupPCR Sport14482262nd
Renault Clio Cup Spain423635th
2017Audi Sport TT CupN/A13692352nd
2018TCR Europe Touring Car SeriesPCR Sport14151811st
2019World Touring Car CupPWR Racing30152266th
Campeonato de España de ResistenciaTecnicars Racing Team5331368th
TCR Spa 500TOPCAR Sport with Bas Koeten Racing100N/A3rd
2020World Touring Car CupZengő Motorsport Services KFT16121687th
TCR Europe Touring Car Seriesalign=left rowspan=2Volcano Motorsport43315711th
Campeonato de España de Resistencia6462322nd
TCR Italy Touring Car ChampionshipScuderia del Girasole Cupra Racing2225214th
2021World Touring Car CupZengő Motorsport16151587th
TCR Europe Touring Car Seriesalign=left rowspan=2Volcano Motorsport11694321st
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship2110NC†
Pure ETCR ChampionshipZengő Motorsport X Cupra5233003rd
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCRmathilda racing100N/ADNF
2022World Touring Car CupBRC Hyundai N Lukoil Squadra Corse164113371st
FIA ETCR – eTouring Car World Cupalign=left rowspan=2Hyundai Motorsport N6114085th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR111N/A1st
TCR South America Touring Car ChampionshipScuderia Chiarelli1016225th
2022–23Formula ENIO 333 RacingTest driver
2023TCR World TourBRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse20163415th
TCR Europe Touring Car Series6020NC†
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship2010NC†
TCR South America Touring Car Championship4120NC†
TCR Australia Touring Car Series6000NC†
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCRHyundai Motorsport N111N/A1st
2023–24Formula EERT Formula E TeamTest driver
2024TCR World TourBRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse10022015th*
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship
Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - TCRHyundai Motorsport N
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR
As Azcona was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Complete TCR Europe Touring Car Series results

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

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314DCPoints
2018PCR SportCUPRA León TCRLEC
1

LEC
2

ZAN
1

ZAN
2

SPA
1

SPA
2

HUN
1

HUN
2

ASS
1

ASS
2

MNZ
1

MNZ
2

CAT
1

CAT
2

1st181
2020Volcano MotorsportCUPRA León TCRLEC
1
LEC
2
ZOL
1
ZOL
2
MNZ
1
MNZ
2
CAT
1
CAT
2
SPA
1

SPA
2

JAR
1

JAR
2

11th157
2021Volcano MotorsportCUPRA León Competición TCRSVK
1

SVK
2

LEC
1

LEC
2

ZAN
1
ZAN
2
SPA
1

SPA
2

NÜR
1

NÜR
2

MNZ
1

MNZ
2

CAT
1

CAT
2

1st432
2023BRC Hyundai N Squadra CorseHyundai Elantra N TCRALG
1

ALG
2

PAU
1
PAU
2
SPA
1

SPA
2

HUN
1

HUN
2

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
2019PWR RacingCUPRA León TCRMAR
1

MAR
2

MAR
3

HUN
1

HUN
2

HUN
3

SVK
1

SVK
2

SVK
3

NED
1

NED
2

NED
3

GER
1

GER
2

GER
3

POR
1

POR
2

POR
3

CHN
1

CHN
2

CHN
3

JPN
1

JPN
2

JPN
3

MAC
1

MAC
2

MAC
3

MAL
1

MAL
2

MAL
3

6th226
2020Zengő Motorsport Services KFTCUPRA León Competición TCRBEL
1

BEL
2

GER
1

GER
2

SVK
1

SVK
2

SVK
3

HUN
1

HUN
2

HUN
3

ESP
1

ESP
2

ESP
3

ARA
1

ARA
2

ARA
3

7th168
2021Zengő MotorsportCUPRA León Competición TCRGER
1

GER
2

POR
1

POR
2

ESP
1

ESP
2

HUN
1

HUN
2

CZE
1

CZE
2

FRA
1

FRA
2

ITA
1

ITA
2

RUS
1

RUS
2

7th158
2022BRC Hyundai N Squadra CorseHyundai Elantra N TCRFRA
1

FRA
2

GER
1

GER
2

HUN
1

HUN
2

ESP
1

ESP
2

POR
1

POR
2

ITA
1

ITA
2

ALS
1
ALS
2

BHR
1

BHR
2

SAU
1

SAU
2

1st337

Complete TCR World Tour results

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

YearTeamCar1234 5678 910111213 14151617181920DCPoints
2023BRC Hyundai N Squadra CorseHyundai Elantra N TCRALG
1

ALG
2

SPA
1

SPA
2

VAL
1

VAL
2

HUN
1

HUN
2

ELP
1

ELP
2

VIL
1

VIL
2

SYD
1

SYD
2

SYD
3

BAT
1

BAT
2

BAT
3

MAC
1

MAC
2

5th341
2024BRC Hyundai N Squadra CorseHyundai Elantra N TCRVAL
1

VAL
2

MRK
1

MRK
2

MDO
1

MDO
2

SAP
1

SAP
2

ELP
1

ELP
2

ZHZ
1

ZHZ
2

MAC
1

MAC
2

5th*201*

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Madre e hijo ganan su mejor carrera . diariodenavarra.es . es . 30 November 2016 . 7 April 2019.
  2. Web site: Entrevista Mikel Azcona: "No siento presión por estar en el WTCR". Motor.es. Fernando. Sancho. 26 March 2019.
  3. Web site: Copa Open de Automovilismo // Circuito de Navarra //. 21 October 2012. YouTube.
  4. Web site: Mikel Azcona subcampeón de la Eurocup Clio 2014. www.revistasafetycar.com.
  5. Web site: Azcona listo para el gran reto de la Maxi Endurance 32. www.revistasafetycar.com.
  6. Web site: Azcona, subcampeón de la Seat León Eurocup. www.noticiasdenavarra.com. 9 November 2016 .
  7. Web site: La madre del piloto Mikel Azcona despertó del coma tras ganar una carrera. www.mundodeportivo.com. 6 April 2019 .
  8. Web site: 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. Web site: Mikel Azcona da el salto al WTCR en 2019 con Cupra y PWR. www.diariomotor.com.
  10. Web site: Meet the new CUPRA pilots.. www.cupraofficial.com. en.
  11. Web site: Mikel Azcona, feliz tras su primera victoria en la WTCR. Motor y Racing. Javier Martínez. 8 July 2019.
  12. Web site: Rodgers . Richard . 2020-08-28 . WTCR 2020 build-up with Mikel Azcona: My goal is to win, it's why I am here . 2022-06-29 . FIA WTCR World Touring Car Cup . en-US.
  13. Web site: 2019-12-17 . RaceFans Round-up: Honda's Guerrieri "robbed of WTCR title" . 2022-06-29 . RaceFans . en-GB.
  14. Web site: Rodgers . Richard . 2019-12-16 . Azcona penalty hands final 2019 WTCR podium to Vervisch . 2022-06-29 . FIA WTCR World Touring Car Cup . en-US.
  15. Web site: Mikel Azcona se convierte en el "Rey del fin de semana" de PURE ETCR en Hungría. www.seat-mediacenter.es.
  16. Web site: 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. Web site: Mikel Azcona cambia CUPRA por Hyundai para luchar por el WTCR. www.motor.es. 8 February 2022 .
  18. Web site: WTCR 2023.-Desaparece el campeonato mundial y habrá un certamen mancomunado. viajesycarreras.com.
  19. Web site: Así se forjó la victoria de Azcona en las 24 Horas de Nürburgring. es.motorsport.com.
  20. Web site: Nathanaël Berthon claims pole position in Jeddah as Mikel Azcona crowned champion. touringcartimes.com.