KEEPS WORLD TITLE BID ALIVE
Five Point-Scoring Finishes For Chevrolet Lacetti
In front of a record 52,000 spectators, Nicola Larini and Chevrolet concluded the last European race of the 2007 World Touring Car Championship with a podium finish, putting the Italian driver back in the hunt for the world title. The weekend was a very competitive one for Chevrolet, with every finishing Chevrolet Lacetti doing so in the points. Both races were won by turbocharged diesel cars, even though they clearly had less of an advantage in today’s race trim than they had in yesterday’s qualifying trim. Larini’s double point-scoring finish made up for his unfortunate weekend at the previous round at Brands hatch, but he will have to wait until the finale races at Macau in November to try and win his first ever WTCC race. Six drivers will decide the 2007 World Touring Car Championship among them in China in six weeks’ time.
• QUOTES
Nicola Larini (4th/2nd): “In race one I tried to go for the podium, but I lost contact with the leaders as soon as the lights went green. I didn’t expect James (Thompson) to be as fast as he was and when he passed me, I had difficulties to get his tow to try to pass him at the end of the straights. So I tried to pass him in the chicanes which almost worked on the last lap. I was alongside him but then we touched and I lost contact completely. In the second race I was very lucky to avoid Augusto (Farfus) spinning in front of me. I had to go on the grass and just missed him and the barriers. I had a good pace after that and managed to lead but then the car started to understeer in the fast corners, especially the Parabolica. At some point I came close enough to Jordi (Gené) to pass him, but the yellow flags didn’t allow me. After that the tyres were past their prime so I had to be content with second place. I still have a shot at the world title, so I’ll definitely go to Macau to try and finally win my first WTCC race.”
Rob Huff (8th/4th): “In the first race, I had a really good start and managed to take three cars before the chicane. At the chicane I got pushed sideways and lost a few places, so then I just went for it and managed to pick them off one by one. When I saw the pitboard indicating P10 two laps from the end, I thought ‘How am I going to get past two cars in two laps?’ But then I noticed the two guys in front of me starting to fight for that eighth position as well, so coming into the Parabolica I had the feeling they were too busy fighting their own fight and not paying too much attention to me.
"I just tucked in behind them and got both of them in the chicane. Two for the price of one, as they say; in what was probably the best overtaking maneuver of my career. In race two I had a belting start and managed to keep the lead for a few laps. But running at the front with the maximum ballast on board is not easy, especially not on this track, so I couldn’t hold Gené off any longer. For some reason we lacked the pace we had in the first race, maybe due to the higher temperature this afternoon. In any case, today’s result is again a clear testament to the great work RML and Chevrolet have been doing all year long.”
Alain Menu (5th/DNF): “In the first race I couldn’t see the starting lights, so I lost some time there, but I still managed to get past Farfus later on. Near the end of the race I managed to close in on the leaders again and pass Tarquini on the penultimate lap for fifth. In the second race the car was going really well but after the yellows in the second chicane Tarquini passed me and tapped me on the front left wheel while doing so. The steering was bent and that was it. It’s a shame, really, because I could have been right up there with Nic and Rob.”
Eric Nève: “It’s been a great weekend for Chevrolet with fantastic drives by all three drivers in both races. Nicola and Alain had great qualifying results as well and Rob made up for his missed qualifying by a truly great drive in the races, coming from 16th on the grid to pole position for race 2. Today’s results bode well for the finale in Macau in six weeks time. It’s been a formidable weekend and our guests and dealers from the region just live every bit of. The increasing number of spectators at each event clearly shows the increasing interest in touring car races.”
MONZA RACE 1 RESULTS1. Y Muller SEAT Leon TDI 9 laps in 18m19s438 (Average: 169.70kph)2. J Gené SEAT Leon TDI + 0s2013. J Thompson Alfa Romeo 156 + 0s8674. N Larini Chevrolet Lacetti + 1s1965. A Menu Chevrolet Lacetti + 2s4166. G Tarquini SEAT Leon TDI + 3s0087. A Farfus BMW 320si + 4s0528. R Huff Chevrolet Lacetti + 4s690
MONZA RACE 2 RESULTS1. J Gené SEAT Leon TDI 9 laps in 18m21s957 (Average: 169.31kph)2. N Larini Chevrolet Lacetti + 1s0113. J Thompson Alfa Romeo 156 + 1s2894. R Huff Chevrolet Lacetti + 2s5135. Y Muller SEAT Leon TDI + 7s9066. A Zanardi BMW 320si + 10s4997. T Coronel SEAT Leon + 10s5458. T Monteiro SEAT Leon + 14s936DNF A Menu Chevrolet Lacetti Accident damage (4 laps)
DRIVERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 20 OF 221 ex. A Priaulx (BMW) and Y Muller (SEAT), 81pts; 3. A Farfus (BMW), 71; 4. J Thompson (Alfa Romeo), 69; 5. J Müller (BMW), 66; 6. N Larini (Chevrolet), 61; 7. A Menu (Chevrolet), 59;… 9. R Huff (Chevrolet), 51;…
MANUFACTURERS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 20 OF 221. BMW, 237pts; 2. SEAT, 227; 3. Chevrolet, 194; 4. Alfa Romeo, 111.
