Present:
Nicky Catsburg, Polestar Cyan Racing
Zsolt Gyulay, CEO, Hungaroring
Norbert Michelisz, Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team
Dániel Nagy, Zengő Motorsport
Norbert Nagy, Zengő Motorsport

Q:
It must be great to welcome the WTCC back to the Hungaroring once again?

ZG:
We are really pleased that we can host this event. It was a big challenge for us seven years ago to bring WTCC series to Hungary because our staff is also trying to be on the top for 31 years to host the Formula One grand prix as well, so to bring the Hungarian WTCC race to the calendar, another big event, it was a challenge but the fact is that we had a Hungarian driver at that time, today as well though, so honestly I can say that it was one of the best decisions we could have ever made. If we see this table now, we can see two very young drivers as well. At that time together with Norbert Michelisz and the Zengő Motorsport team we created a very special thing. It is obvious today because the Hungarian fans load the grandstands at the Hungaroring. We are very proud of this. If we look back, this is amazing that Hungaroring became profitable. We can improve, we also have F1 here until 2026. We are proud of these facts, especially that we also have a special series, racing here, like the WTCC.

Q:
And what about Norbert Michelisz and what he has achieved during that time?

ZG:
A couple of weeks ago I saw a really good collage on a website about the past Hungarian WTCC events, fans cheering Norbert year by year. As we see Norbert is also improving with us. He is the driver of the Honda manufacturer team, and the younger drivers have opportunities as well.

Q:
Tomorrow, 12 May, is FIA Volunteers Day. How important are volunteers to the Hungaroring?

ZG:
They help on racing weekends at the Hungaroring. On the Hungarian WTCC event around 450 volunteers help to organise a safe racing weekend. They also help our job, to have a smoothly organised event. On a Formula One weekend this number is even higher. So on 12 May we are going to say a huge thanks to these people.

Q:
Turning to Norbert Michelisz next, how are you Norbi, not too tired are you now you are a father?

NM:
I feel very well, I arrived from Pécs this morning, probably that is why I seem tired! My days are really long recently, last week I was on a race track again and I talked to Johanna that I would like to spend more time at home but she understands me, she is a really good partner. When I can only spend the evenings with her and with the baby I try to stay up longer and spend more time with them. I have one more day until racing. According to the new rules, we are not driving on Friday so my plan is to have a big rest tonight.

Q:
Do not get me wrong, I have a question: what about changing the baby? Have you had much practice?

NM:
Of course, I am really a professional.

Q:
And what about your involvement with your own racing team?

NM:
WTCC is the priority of course, and at the same time I am really proud of the TCR team but I have worked too much for Honda to get the chance to become world champion and then lose it but I would be lying if I would say that everything went perfectly so far this year. There is a race this weekend which is really important, from 20 races we still have 16 and I expect that the pace we have had since the beginning of the season, which I also experienced in the team, we can take it forward and with a win at the Hungaroring and I can be back again to gain more points in the championship.

Q:
With your team-mate Tiago Monteiro leading the championship is there pressure/tension inside the team?

NM:
There is no pressure/tension inside the team, I have really good relationship with my team-mates. At the end of last year there was a tough situation but we discussed everything. I think there was nothing wrong in the past, but sometimes there are situations that you have to handle on a normal way. We know each other for a long time, we learned that there are situations we have to divide from each other: what happens on the race track sometimes it is hard to process in your mind, but our relationship is more like friendly so I think we can sort it out this year. Tension or pressure is always good to have because if there is pressure, there is tough situations as well…you only have tough situations if you have a big backing in the game. I really hope that this year when time comes and we will race for the title of the championship we will have these tough situations to talk about.

Q:
What does Hungaroring mean to you?

NM:
I really love this track. Mostly, the atmosphere here, it is amazing. I can always find the last 0.1 or 0.01 seconds in me. Not only the atmosphere, as Zsolt said the professional job can be seen here, on Hungaroring. Over the last 10 years I’ve had a chance to visit many racing tracks and this is true: the professional environment makes Hungaroring so special and unique, beside the unbelievable, cheering fans. So I hope that the cooperation between the Hungaroring and the WTCC will remain for a long time.

Q:
Turning next to you Nicky, third in the championship right now and after two years driving for LADA you’re now driving for Volvo. Can you say what the differences are?

NC:
I would say the Volvo is faster. That’s the most prominent difference. We are very happy how we are performing right now. Thed is P2, I’m P3 and Néstor is a little further back. The first two weekends have not been the best for me, a little unlucky bur I’m still P3 so I’m happy with that.

Q:
From the outside it seems like Polestar Cyan Racing is working hard and keeping its head down. Is that right?

NC:
It’s absolutely right. The competition is very tough. The Hondas are very strong and we need to work harder in order to improve. The guys only started last year but already we’re fighting for the victories, which is quite an achievement. We have to keep our head down, keep working hard as there are always things to improve. That’s what we’ll be doing throughout the season and hopefully we can battle the Hondas to the end.

Q:
You finished third at the Hungaroring last year so what do you think of the track?

NC:
The circuit is fantastic. Already the atmosphere is amazing. I know the fans are there for Norbi but it feels nice anyway. It’s a very nice an technical circuit, very difficult but it’s always a pleasure to be here.

Q:
Welcome Dániel, ready for the weekend?

DN:
It is my first press conference, so I am very excited because last year I was watching Ferenc Ficza here and I stood somewhere next to the reporters, and now I am sitting here, so it’s a really good feeling. First of all, I would like to say huge thanks to Zengő Motorsport that we can be here with Norbert Nagy and also that they believe in me and my driving skills. In the past few years I was here as a fan so this time it is something really different, different situation. That is true last year I was here as a driver but my engine did not arrive so I could not participate in the race. Now I will be one of the Hungarian drivers, the Hungarians fan cheering for, it is unbelievable.

Q:
How has your season gone so far?

DN:
I got my first points in Monza, I was happy about that. I was satisfied with our pace in Morocco, we were quite fast there (we even had the fastest lap in the Opening Race) and then in Monza we got our first point, where we were not so competitive but we managed to score a point and this is what counts. It means that beside my team-mate I also scored one point, it is on the sheet next to my name with black and white so I am happy about it and we celebrated a little.

Q:
Will you carry the full 80 kilograms of success ballast this weekend, like the other, latest-specification Hondas?

DN:
Even though I race with the old car I will race with the full 80 kilograms. This is according to the rules and there was no opportunity to improve on this, even if we wrote letters to the FIA. Unfortunately, we did not manage to achieve this.

Q:
What’s your target for this weekend?

DN:
Our target is Q2. In Morocco we had some positive results, in Monza too… so we hope we will be there. My team-mate, Aurélien has the 2017 updates and I drove that car at Nagy Futam last week. This event was really amazing in the city. It was strange for me that while on a race weekend my race instructor always tells me and helps where should I push the gas more … on Nagy Futam there were almost more instructions than on a race weekend. It was a big surprise.

Q:
Finally, turning to Norbert Nagy, who is racing in the European Touring Car Cup this weekend. What can you achieve?

NN:
My target is to stand on the podium. Last year I finished on the third place in the championship. This year I would like to be at least second or win it. In Monza we felt that the two Hondas are much stronger than the SEATS but I believe the Hungaroring will give me a plus energy to catch them. In Monza we could have had the third place but we had some problems at the start so I think the minimum will be the third place on Hungaroring or a better position. I do some starts, even on Nagy Futam and maybe we have already sorted out this problem.