Hyundai's Elantra N TCR wins TCR World Tour Korean round for second straight year
In short
Hyundai Motor said its The New Elantra N TCR — sold at home as The New Avante N TCR — won the fifth round of the 2026 TCR World Tour at Inje Speedium in Gangwon province, held Oct 2–4, the second consecutive year the car has taken the Korean round. Mikel Azcona of the BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse team won two of the three final races and kept first place in the drivers' standings, while teammate Norbert Michelisz moved up to second. The team sits second overall on 583 points before round six in Chengdu, China, on Oct 16–18.
Why it matters
The result extends Hyundai's record in a global customer-racing series in which manufacturers sell race cars to private teams rather than entering directly, supporting the company's performance-car marketing. The outcome puts two Hyundai-run cars in the top two places in the drivers' standings with three rounds left, so the team is positioned to contest the title. Beyond the series' following in Korea and among Hyundai's racing customers, the impact is limited.
Key facts
- Hyundai Motor said its The New Elantra N TCR, known domestically as The New Avante N TCR, won round five of the 2026 TCR World Tour at Inje Speedium, giving it a second consecutive win in the Korean round. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The round was held at Inje Speedium in Gangwon province from Oct 2 to 4, and Hyundai announced the result on Oct 5. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Mikel Azcona of the BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse team won the first and third final races, finished sixth in the second, and added 89 points to stay first in the 2026 drivers' standings. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Teammate Norbert Michelisz finished third, seventh and third in the three finals, gaining 70 points to move up to second in the drivers' standings. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The team had 583 points after five rounds and stands second in the teams' standings. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The TCR World Tour is a customer-racing series that bars manufacturers from entering directly, with professional teams buying manufacturers' race cars; the season has eight rounds. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Round six is scheduled for Oct 16–18 in Chengdu, China, with the remaining rounds to be held in China and Macau. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- A Hyundai official said the company was pleased to repeat the result based on past winning experience and would work for good results in the remaining season. [ 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Hyundai Motor said its The New Elantra N TCR won the Korean round of the 2026 TCR World Tour at Inje Speedium for a second consecutive year. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Mikel Azcona won two of the three final races and led the drivers' standings with 89 points gained at the round. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Norbert Michelisz gained 70 points at the round and rose to second in the drivers' standings. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse had 583 points and stood second in the teams' standings after round five. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The TCR World Tour prohibits manufacturers from entering directly and is run as customer racing with cars bought by professional teams. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Round six is set for Oct 16–18 in Chengdu, China, with the season comprising eight rounds. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the results were independently confirmed by the race organiser or rival teams. All the reports of the Korean round are based on Hyundai Motor's own announcement and do not include organiser or rival-team statements.
- The size of the points gaps in the drivers' and teams' standings. The documents give the positions held by the Hyundai-run drivers and team but not the margins to the next competitor.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The 2026 TCR World Tour round five begins at Inje Speedium in Gangwon province, running through Oct 4. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Mikel Azcona wins the first final race in the The New Elantra N TCR. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Azcona wins the third final race; teammate Norbert Michelisz finishes third. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports Hyundai's announcement of the win, citing 89 points for Azcona and seventh place for Michelisz in the second final. [ 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the win, the series' customer-racing format and the 583 team points. [ 3 ]
- Maeil Business reports the win and Hyundai's two drivers occupying first and second in the standings. [ 4 ]