Photo: Cyan Racing

Thed Björk fights through to first 2024 win in first Mid-Ohio race

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Thed Björk fought his way past the Hyundai duo of Mikel Azcona and Norbert Michelisz to win his first FIA TCR World Tour race of 2024 in the first race of the weekend at Mid-Ohio.

BRC driver Azcona started from pole and claimed the lead while Lynk & Co driver Björk made the best start to snatch second place from Michelisz heading into Turn 1.

Azcona initially built a gap, only for Björk and Michelisz to close in rapidly towards the end of the race.

The Spaniard defended hard, going side-by-side with Björk through several corners.

Björk managed to make the move for the lead with only a couple of laps left, with Azcona then falling behind his team-mate Michelisz on the last lap.

Ma Qing Hua (Lynk & Co) initially held fourth place but dropped down after some contact with Honda driver Esteban Guerrieri on the opening lap.

Honda driver Guerrieri then found himself under pressure from Néstor Girolami (Hyundai), who was able to get past to snatch fourth place.

Double FIA WTCR champion Yann Ehrlacher was a man on the move in the race, fighting his way from 13th on the grid to finish a strong sixth.

Team-mate Santiago Urrutia struggled somewhat more to move up through the field, but made a strong move on Audi driver John Filippi and GOAT Racing Honda driver Borkovic towards the end of the race to finish seventh from 12th on the grid.

Ma fell dropped to finish eighth ahead of Filippi and Borkovic, having started fourth.

The second race of the weekend starts at 17:45 local time/23:45 CEST.