Mikel Azcona
Azcona at the 2022 WTCR Race of Italy
NationalitySpain Spanish
Full nameMikel Azcona Troyas
Born (1996-06-25) 25 June 1996
Arrigorriaga, Spain
World Touring Car Cup career
Debut season2019
Current teamBRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse
Racing licence FIA Gold
Car number96
Former teamsPWR 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.

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

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

Season Series Team Races Wins Podiums Points Position
2013 Renault Clio Cup Spain 3 1 1 104 9th
2014 Renault Clio Cup Spain  ?  ?  ? 197 5th
Acceleration - MW-V6 Pickup Series Team Spain 3 0 2 36 11th
Renault Clio Eurocup Joaquin Rodrigo Competicion 8 2 4 121 2nd
2015 Renault Clio Cup Spain  ?  ?  ? 265 2nd
SEAT Leon Eurocup PCR Sport 14 1 4 66 3rd
2016 SEAT Leon Eurocup PCR Sport 14 4 8 226 2nd
Renault Clio Cup Spain 4 2 3 63 5th
2017 Audi Sport TT Cup N/A 13 6 9 235 2nd
2018 TCR Europe Touring Car Series PCR Sport 14 1 5 181 1st
2019 World Touring Car Cup PWR Racing 30 1 5 226 6th
Campeonato de España de Resistencia Tecnicars Racing Team 5 3 3 136 8th
TCR Spa 500 TOPCAR Sport with Bas Koeten Racing 1 0 0 N/A 3rd
2020 World Touring Car Cup Zengő Motorsport Services KFT 16 1 2 168 7th
TCR Europe Touring Car Series Volcano Motorsport 4 3 3 157 11th
Campeonato de España de Resistencia 6 4 6 232 2nd
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship Scuderia del Girasole Cupra Racing 2 2 2 52 14th
2021 World Touring Car Cup Zengő Motorsport 16 1 5 158 7th
TCR Europe Touring Car Series Volcano Motorsport 11 6 9 432 1st
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship 2 1 1 0 NC†
Pure ETCR Championship Zengő Motorsport X Cupra 5 2 3 300 3rd
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR mathilda racing 1 0 0 N/A DNF
2022 World Touring Car Cup BRC Hyundai N Lukoil Squadra Corse 16 4 11 337 1st
FIA ETCR – eTouring Car World Cup Hyundai Motorsport N 6 1 1 408 5th
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR 1 1 1 N/A 1st
TCR South America Touring Car Championship Scuderia Chiarelli 1 0 1 62 25th
2023 TCR World Tour BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse 20 1 6 341 5th
TCR Europe Touring Car Series 6 0 2 0 NC†
TCR Italy Touring Car Championship 2 0 1 0 NC†
TCR South America Touring Car Championship 4 1 2 0 NC†
TCR Australia Touring Car Series 6 0 0 0 NC†
24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR Hyundai Motorsport N 1 1 1 N/A 1st

† 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)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 DC Points
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		 1st 181
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		 11th 157
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		 1st 432
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)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 DC Points
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		 6th 226
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		 7th 168
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		 7th 158
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		 1st 337

TCR Spa 500 results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2019 Switzerland TOPCAR Sport with Bas Koeten Racing Switzerland Julien Apotheloz
Switzerland Fabian Danz
Finland Antti Buri
Finland Kari-Pekka Laaksonen		 CUPRA León TCR P 444 3rd 3rd

Complete TCR World Tour results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points
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		 5th 341

Notes

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

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.

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