Chevrolet Starts The Season As Championship Leader
Fantastic 1-2-3 Of Muller, Huff And Menu In Race 1, More Heavy Points In Race 2:
Chevrolet On Top Of Both Driver And Manufacturer Standings
It has been the sweetest possible start of the 2010 WTCC seasonfor Chevrolet: a triple win in race 1, another podium in race 2 and six finishes in the points in totalhave put the team in the lead of the Manufacturers’ standings, while Yvan Muller tops, togetherwith Tarquini, the Drivers’ ranking.
Race 1 in a rain-soaked track in Curitiba was a Chevrolet show, with the three Cruzes of YvanMuller, Rob Huff and Alain Menu dominating from the start and signing an impressive triplevictory. In race 2, despite the reversed grid, the Cruzes were again able to repeat a trio, this timein 3rd, 4th and 5th positions, with a different order: Menu, Muller and Huff, respectively.Curitiba marked a great team achievement, with the Cruze impressing both for its performancelevel and its reliability. The team is leaving Brazil as leader in both championships, a positionwhich is both the best reward for the hard work done by the entire team and a wonderful start to2010.
• QUOTES
Yvan Muller (1st/4th): “What can I say? I couldn’t have dreamt of a better start for the season,both for the team and myself. Race 1 was just perfect, from start to finish, but it wasn’t as easy asit would seem, as staying on the track was really a challenge. In the early laps, you needed reallyto break at the right place, and not half a meter further, as Gené, our closest rival discovered.Then, it was a matter of choosing carefully the right line and staying completely concentrated onthe driving. In race 2, I went for some good points. Towards the end, when Alain slowed a bit, Ithought he may have some problems and I was ready to pass him, but then he pulled away againand we finished maintaining our positions”.
Alain Menu (3rd/3rd): “It was a great weekend for Chevrolet and I have achieved two podiumfinishes, which was my objective before the race. In race 1, I took a good start, then went a littlebit straight at first braking, losing one position to Rob. I had done few set-up changes to the carwith respect to set-up for the dry, so I knew I could not keep the pace of Yvan and Rob andfocused on securing third place, which was a great result anyway. In race 2, once I took the thirdposition in lap 3, everything went smoothly. My pace declined a bit in the final laps, and maybeYvan thought I was having some problems, but I could find again a good rhythm and stay in frontof him ”.
Rob Huff (2nd/5th): “It has been a terrific start of the season for the entire team and we are allvery happy. Race 1 was a fantastic race for the team. I took a good start and took 2nd after corner2. Four or five laps into the race, my pace improved and I was really close to Yvan, but there wasno point in attacking him, so I pulled off and just stay behind to make sure we brought home thebrilliant result we did. In race 2, I had again a good start and took third position behind the twoleading SEATs, but then had to let Alain and Yvan pass because my oil temperature was rising. Itwas important to finish the race and score some good points, and I am happy I could defend the5th position from Farfus’ attacks”.
Eric Nève: “We are of course delighted with today’s results. This is the best way to start theseason and we are delighted to be leading both championships for the first time since we arecompeting in the WTCC. RML has done a terrific job throughout the last months and the threedrivers have put together today a perfect team effort in both races”.
CURITIBA RACE 1 RESULTS1.Y Muller Chevrolet Cruze 16 laps in 26m57s1812. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze +1s0533. A Menu Chevrolet Cruze +5s5824. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI +7s1365. A Priaulx BMW 320si +11s625
CURITIBA RACE 2 RESULTS1. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI 14 laps in 20m13s3112. G Gené SEAT León TDI +1s2763. A Menu Chevrolet Cruze +5s4074. Y Muller Chevrolet Cruze +5s9855. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze +8s295
DRIVERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 2 OF 241. Y Muller (Chevrolet) and G. Tarquini (SEAT), 37 points; 3. A Menu (Chevrolet), 30 ; 4. RHuff (Chevrolet), 28 ; 5. J Gené (SEAT), 24; 6. A Farfus (BMW), 16; etc
MANUFACTURERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 2 OF 241. Chevrolet, 70 points; 2. SEAT, 66; 3. BMW, 40.NEXT RACE: Round 2, Race of Mexico, Puebla, 9-11 April 2010.
