Reigning World Touring Car Cup champion Gabriele Tarquini says he is ready to help team-mate Norbert Michelisz in the title fight as the series enters the final three race weekends, starting with Suzuka this weekend.

“The championship is clearly out for me. Not in terms of points because in this championship you never know, you can recover, but in terms of position there are a lot of drivers in front of me,” said Tarquini.

“I am far away and I am ready to help Norbi [Michelisz] in any circumstance. Last year, I was always leading the championship in front of Norbi but the distance was very small, except in Race 2 and Race 3 in Macau when it was clear Norbi was out of the championship. But he made a fantastic job, he helped me a lot and I am ready to give back what he did last year.”

Michelisz is heading the standings on 246 points, 15 more than Honda driver Esteban Guerrieri and 16 points more than Lynk & Co driver Yvan Muller.

“He [Michelisz] is experienced so he doesn’t need my help on the way to approach the championship fight, but on the track if I am in front of him or behind him in the position to help him, I will do with a smile in my face. He deserves the title for sure,” said Tarquini.

Tarquini’s plans for 2020 are yet to be confirmed, with the Italian also involved in Hyundai’s ETCR development programme.

“This is too early to say. We have a lot of things around my job. Now I am very involved and very pleased to work with a brand like Hyundai,” said Tarquini.

“They are very passionate, very good in motorsport. They don’t have a long history in motorsport like other brands but they want to recover this time. They make a lot of effort, they are a fan of motorsport and we feel the real support from the brand, from the manufacturer and this is very good. I feel very good with them and I am sure we will sit at the table at the end of this season and discuss about the future.”

One option could be racing in the ETCR for Tarquini, who is yet to test the Hyundai Veloster N ETCR.

“Why not? I am open. I want to test the car, to feel the car, to be able to drive the car. My last experience of rear-wheel drive was in Formula One in 1995! I am open, open to test, sit at the table with the Hyundai people and to plan my future with them in the best way possible,” said Tarquini.