Both Huff And Menu Take Third After Solid Races, Larini Unlucky At Home
The Chevrolet Cruzes finished twice on the podium in today’sRace of Italy, the last WTCC event in the European continent this season. Rob Huff clinched thirdin Race 1 and Alain Menu did the same in Race 2, bringing more heavy points to Chevrolet’scount. The home race was not that sweet for Nicola Larini, who suffered mechanical problems inRace 1.
The Chevrolet Cruzes today showed again their excellent pace and were the only ones impedingtotal domination by the turbo diesel cars. Now the WTCC is off to Asia, which will host thetraditional two final events of the 2009 season in Japan and Macau.
• QUOTES
Alain Menu (8th/3rd): “Given the position I was in on the grid, it is a very good week end! I wasextremely careful at the start of Race 1, trying to avoid trouble in the chicanes and it worked well.I did a very nice race and finished 8th, which is really not bad having started in 20th position. This,of course, put me on pole for Race 2. I took an excellent start and tried as much as possible toresist the SEAT’s behind me but they were faster on the straight. The best thing to do was tosecure the third position and the podium, and it’s a pretty good result”.
Rob Huff (3rd/17th) : “A good team result and some good points: we can be happy and wecertainly took the best out of today’s conditions. Race 1 was good, I had a good start and goodpace and it was nice to finish in the podium. In Race 2, I was hit at the end of the first lap andwent into the gravel, losing many positions, then I was hit again by a couple of privateers shortlyafter.”
Nicola Larini (Ret/16th): “I was happy with the car in Race 1 despite being hit during the incidenton the first lap, but shortly after there was some engine problem and I had to retire. It was a pitybut the guys did a fantastic job in changing the engine in between the two races. This, at least,allows me not to carry over to Japan the 10-position penalty in the grid, which I served here inRace 2. The second race was relatively uneventful except that I was hit at the back by JorgMüller in the very last lap”.
Mark Busfield: “The weekend has shown that our pace is very good but still a little behind theturbo diesel cars. The two podiums are a fantastic achievement for the team and a just reward forall the effort of the boys who worked miracles to change Nicola’s engine in time for race 2, thechange and other repairs were done in 40 minutes. We now look forward to the last two long haulevents to build again on our performances”.
IMOLA RACE 1 RESULTS1. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI 11 laps in 29m31s7012. Y Muller SEAT León TDI +0s4093. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze +0s8424. A Zanardi BMW 320si +1s4575. T Coronel SEAT León +3s5018. A Menu Chevrolet Cruze +6s390DNF N Larini Chevrolet Cruze Mech. problem (3 laps)
IMOLA RACE 2 RESULTS1. Y Muller SEAT León TDI 11 laps in 29m51s6802. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI +0s3123. A Menu Chevrolet Cruze +4s0084. A Zanardi BMW 320si +4s4675. J Gené SEAT León TDI +5s63216. N Larini Chevrolet Cruze +15s58217. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze +19s759
WTCC DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 20 OF 24 :1. G Tarquini (SEAT), 109 points; 2. Y Muller (SEAT), 102; 3. A Farfus (BMW), 91; 4. A Priaulx(BMW), 66; 5. R Rydell (SEAT), 63; 6. R Huff (Chevrolet), 60; ...11. A Menu (Chevrolet), 31; ...13. N Larini (Chevrolet), 21; etc.
WTCC CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 20 OF 24:1. SEAT, 271 points; 2. BMW, 250; 3. Chevrolet, 169; 4. Lada, 78.
NEXT RACE: Race of Japan, Okayama, 31 October – 1 November 2009.
