The NGK-sparked Honda Civic World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) team made a flying start in the opening round of the 2016 FIA World Championship series. The team achieved a double-podium finish in the main race at Circuit Paul Ricard in France with Tiago Monteiro taking second place and Norbert Michelisz third following fellow team driver Briton Rob Huff’s opening-race win to give Honda the lead of the manufacturers’ championship.

NGK Spark Plugs is a technical partner of the team and is delighted with its successful start to the new season. Mark Hallam, NGK Marketing Manager, said, “We are extremely pleased to be a partner of the Honda team for the 2016 season and immensely encouraged by the performance of the drivers and the team as a whole. I’m sure that our customers, many of whom are committed touring car enthusiasts, will be following the team’s fortunes closely during the rest of the 2016 campaign.”

Following fourth and third spots in the opening race, Monteiro and Michelisz lie second and fourth in the drivers’ championship. Opening-race winner Rob Huff was unfortunately pushed off the circuit at first corner. Despite damage he made up 10 places in the remaining  16 laps to climb to a sixth place by the chequered flag, a result that puts him third in the championship, one point behind Monteiro and five off the series lead. Huff was also the recipient of the TAG Heuer Performer Award for fastest race lap of the weekend, having achieved the award for his race one performance.

The WTCC continues with Round Two at the Slovakia Ring on April 16-17th.

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