Menu wins Race 1, Muller and Huff make it 1-2 in Race 2
The RML Chevrolet Cruzes brought home two more wins, as they dominated both races in Budapest, where the WTCC raced for the first time in front of an impressive and enthusiastic crowd. Alain Menu took a flag to flag win in Race 1, while Yvan Muller and Rob Huff scored a 1-2 in the second race. With these results, both Chevrolet and Rob Huff stay firmly in command of the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ overallstandings.
In Race 1, starting from the pole, Alain Menu produced a flawless drive to take a flag to flag win, while Huff and Muller finished 4th and 5th, respectively. Race 2 was much more chaotic, because of a torrential downpour and the Race Director red flagged the race for half an hour.At the re-start, Yvan Muller took the lead of the race to record his first win of the season while Rob Huff drove to a sensational second place, ending the weekend in the best way possible after only qualifying in 12th . Unfortunately Alain Menu recorded a DNF due to a collision with Tom Coronel on lap 4 after looking good for another good haul of points.
• QUOTES
Yvan Muller (5th / 1st): “I am of course very happy after taking my first win of the season, itwas about time, but not entirely satisfied with the overall result this week end. In Race 1, Iwas hit from the back at the start, losing many positions. Something got bent in the incidentand the car wasn’t running that well. I could climb some positions but got passed by Rob atthe end, when Villa and Tarquini clashed. In Race 2, on the contrary, I did benefit from thefirst lap incident and after the storm, I could control everything and cruise to victory.”
Alain Menu (1st/ Ret): “I have some mixed feelings at the end of this weekend. Clearly, itwas very nice to win Race 1. I had a good start and tried to spare the tyres in the first part ofthe race, and although Michelisz was right behind me and pushing a little bit, I had thingsunder control. Then I could pull away and it was done. Race 2, of course, is a source ofregret, as Coronel put me out of the track in turn 3, when I had already passed him. It’sfrustrating to lose a good result like that, but that’s racing, I guess.”
Rob Huff (4th / 2nd): “I am of course delighted with today’s results, after the disaster I madefor myself in qualifying. Yesterday evening, I would never have thought that I would leaveBudapest with a 4th and a 2nd, and with a 31 point lead in the championship. In Race 1, I hada good start, did some overtaking and could find an opportunity to pass Yvan when Villa andTarquini got tangled. In Race 2, the rain came hard and fast, it was impossible to stay on thetrack. We changed something in the set-up while sitting on the grid and that proved effective,as the car was just perfect. I could climb up to 2nd and then stayed quiet behind Yvan as itmade no sense to push with rain tires on a drying track.”
Eric Nève: “The best thing of the weekend is certainly the immense and cheerful crowd wehave seen in this first WTCC event in Hungary. One would have thought that we were in astadium for a football World Cup final! It is really heart warming to see such an atmosphereand a marvelous feeling to win both races in front of such a crowd. I think the manyChevrolet dealers from the region who visited us are delighted and couldn’t hope for a betterchristening for the new Aveo, which is being launched here as from tonight!”
BUDAPEST RACE 1 RESULT1. A Menu Chevrolet Cruze 12 laps in 23m45s8742. N Michelisz BMW 320 TC + 1s0473. J Villa BMW 320 TC + 17s3834. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze + 17s9835. Y Muller Chevrolet Cruze + 18s365
BUDAPEST RACE 2 RESULT1. Y Muller Chevrolet Cruze 14 laps in 59m02s5072. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze + 3s6313. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI +10s1064. T Coronel BMW 320 TC +11s6995. T Monteiro SEAT León TDI +22s9958. D O’Young Chevrolet Cruze +31s267DNF A Menu Chevrolet Cruze 4 laps (accident)
DRIVERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 8 OF 24:1. R Huff (Chevrolet), 150 points; 2. Y Muller (Chevrolet), 119; 3. A Menu (Chevrolet),104; 4. G Tarquini (SEAT), 75; 5. T Monteiro (SEAT), 74; ... 10. D O’Young (Chevrolet), 31;11. C Bueno (Chevrolet), 25; etc.
MANUFACTURERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 8 OF 24:1. Chevrolet, 322 points; 2. SEAT, 193; 3. BMW, 185; 4. Volvo, 46.
NEXT RACE: Round 5, Race of Czech Republic, Brno, 18-19 June 2011.
