Muller And Huff Dominate Race 1, more points in race 2, Menu and Bueno unlucky
Chevrolet kept faithful to its tradition of success in BrandsHatch, by taking a win in the Kent circuit for the fifth consecutive year. Yvan Muller and Rob Huff dominated Race 1, claiming a brilliant one-two and the third win of the season. Most importantly, Sunday’s excellent results allow Muller and the Cruzes to reinforce their respective leading positions in the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ standings of the WTCC.
Muller and Huff completed the successful day for the team in its home event by taking 5th and 6th inRace 2, increasing the points’ harvest. Alain Menu was 7th in Race 1 and was shining in Race 2when his race was ruined by a contact with Farfus, as the Swiss was overtaking the BMW forsecond position. Brazilian stock-car ace Carlos ‘Cacá’ Bueno, at the wheel of the fourth Cruze, hadand even unluckier day, as he had to retire with a car on fire in Race 1. Unfortunately, damage wastoo serious to allow him to take part in Race 2, shortening his WTCC debut.
• QuotesYvan Muller (1st/5th): "It’s a very positive week-end, the entire team has done a great job, we hadan excellent car and we can go away from Brands with a great result. In Race 1, our main focuswas to avoid excessive tyre consumption and stay away from trouble, so we drove fast but with aconservative approach regarding the tyres. Race 2 was a little bit boring, but we managed to scoresome good points. I had a scary moment towards the end, just after the re-start: I said to myself‘let’s try to catch Coronel and gain one position’, but I must have pushed a little bit too hard, goingwide and off-track in a corner. Luckily I did not lose the car and could regain the track withoutlosing any position”.
Rob Huff (2nd/6th): "I am very pleased with the result, it’s another good day for the team and wedid what we needed to do to defend the leadership in both championships. Race 1 was quite easy,with Yvan and myself starting from row one. We took control of the race and tried to preserve thetyres as much as possible, but we still had plenty left in case we had been attacked. It was nice tobe again on the podium in my home race. In Race 2, it was again Yvan and me together for theentire race, we managed to gain a couple of positions and take good points. I now look very muchforward to Brno, a circuit which I like a lot and where we should do well again”.
Alain Menu (7th/NC): "Unfortunately, this time victory at Brands Hatch was not possible for me.The car was going well in Race 1 but at the end I could not keep the pace of the front-runners. Still,I was well-placed for Race 2, and was getting closer to the BMWs. Then, Priaulx and I took theinside at Druids to pass Farfus, but he closed the door abruptly and contact was unavoidable.Something got bent in my steering and I had to stop in the pits for repairs. Eventually, I could takethe track again, but my race was of course over”.Carlos ‘Cacá’ Bueno (Ret/DNS): “I have clearly mixed feelings about how things went: on onehand, I am very happy of having had this opportunity and impressed with the level ofcompetiveness and professionalism of the championship and the Chevrolet team. On the otherhand, I am frustrated that I had to retire in Race 1 and could not take the start in Race 2. Whathappened is that one of the fixations of the engine broke, cutting some electrical wires and the fuelpipe, which led to the car catching fire. The boys did an amazing job in trying to repair the car forRace 2, but it just wasn’t possible. It’s a real pity, because the car was going really well. After theproblems encountered in qualifying, we managed to have the right set-up for the race and in theinitial laps, I was really in the same pace of my rivals and only 4 tenths off the other Cruzes. Then,I started hearing a noise and having some vibrations in the gearbox, which were the first signs ofthe engine mounting problem. Still, I am very happy with this experience and would love to beagain part of the WTCC in the near future”.
Eric Nève: “It was a superb racing week-end, with a big crowd, good weather, a lot of friendsaround and exciting racing, but most of all, it is a perfect result for Chevrolet, with another one-twoand many points. What really matters is that we have strengthened our lead in bothchampionships. I was a little bit concerned about this tight program of 4 races in 6 weeks, whichclearly represents the crucial part of the season, but we are now ¾ through it, and still leading, so Ifeel quite optimistic about Brno and the rest of the season”.
BRANDS HATCH RACE 1 RESULTS1. Y Muller Chevrolet Lacetti 16 laps in 28m05s2042. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze + 0s2963. C Turkington BMW 320si + 0s8484. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI + 2s6155. T Coronel SEAT León TDI + 3s1587. A Menu Chevrolet Cruze + 5s041Ret C Bueno Chevrolet Cruze 7 laps (Fire)
BRANDS HATCH RACE 2 RESULTS1. A Priaulx BMW 320si 16 laps in 27m05s3242. C Turkington BMW 320si + 0s3993. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI + 1s3944. T Coronel SEAT León TDI + 1s8545. Y Muller Chevrolet Cruze + 3s0376. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze + 3s418NC A Menu Chebrolet Cruze 11 lapsDNS C Bueno Chevrolet Cruze
DRIVERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 12 OF 241. Y Muller (Chevrolet), 199 points; 2. G Tarquini (SEAT), 176 : 3. A Priaulx (BMW), 146 ; 4. RHuff (Chevrolet), 130 ; 5. T Monteiro (SEAT), 101; 7. A Menu (Chevrolet), 92; ... 16. L Pernía, 1.
MANUFACTURERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 12 OF 241. Chevrolet, 378 points; 2. SEAT, 361; 3. BMW, 317.
NEXT RACE: Round 7, Race of Czech Republic, Brno, 31 July – 1 August 2010.
