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SUNRED Engineering’s Tom Coronel took a fantastic first WTCC win as he managed to hold off a charging Augusto Farfus in the second race in Japan. Coronel began from pole on the reverse grid,
but was overtaken into the first corner by Tiago Monteiro who came up from the second row to take the lead. Farfus also lost places at the start once again, but was quick to claw his way ahead of the Portuguese. He then chased Coronel for several laps, but the Dutchman made his car as wide as possible and refused to make a mistake on the drying track.
Championship leader Yvan Muller fell from second on the grid to fifth, and was to struggle for pace for the rest of the race, eventually finishing sixth. Independent driver Stefano D'Aste was in the mix again finishing the first lap in fourth position and chasing those ahead of him. D'Aste was hungry for a podium position and tried to pass Rickard Rydell early in the race. He was successful, but then ran wide into the gravel and fell back down to eleventh.
While the fight for the points was going on behind, the leaders fought until Coronel finally overtook Monteiro and made it stick. Coronel took his chance to put some space between himself and the other drivers, leaving Monteiro to be caught. Priaulx went past Monteiro for third position, only to brake too late into a corner, run wide into the gravel and retire. At almost the same moment a climbing D'Aste attempted a move over Monteiro, and ended up losing a wheel and having to retire.
As Coronel defended his lead against Farfus, the fight for third eventually calmed down, and Independent driver Sergio Hernández found himself not only leading his own race, but also set for an overall podium. After a competitive but unlucky first race James Thompson fought his way up to fourth, ahead of Robert Huff. Huff scored some valuable points this weekend to keep his hopes for third in the Championship alive.
Championship runner up Gabriele Tarquini ended a scoreless weekend in his garage after suffering mechanical problems with the car and being forced to retire with a couple of laps to go.
Knap hoor
but was overtaken into the first corner by Tiago Monteiro who came up from the second row to take the lead. Farfus also lost places at the start once again, but was quick to claw his way ahead of the Portuguese. He then chased Coronel for several laps, but the Dutchman made his car as wide as possible and refused to make a mistake on the drying track.
Championship leader Yvan Muller fell from second on the grid to fifth, and was to struggle for pace for the rest of the race, eventually finishing sixth. Independent driver Stefano D'Aste was in the mix again finishing the first lap in fourth position and chasing those ahead of him. D'Aste was hungry for a podium position and tried to pass Rickard Rydell early in the race. He was successful, but then ran wide into the gravel and fell back down to eleventh.
While the fight for the points was going on behind, the leaders fought until Coronel finally overtook Monteiro and made it stick. Coronel took his chance to put some space between himself and the other drivers, leaving Monteiro to be caught. Priaulx went past Monteiro for third position, only to brake too late into a corner, run wide into the gravel and retire. At almost the same moment a climbing D'Aste attempted a move over Monteiro, and ended up losing a wheel and having to retire.
As Coronel defended his lead against Farfus, the fight for third eventually calmed down, and Independent driver Sergio Hernández found himself not only leading his own race, but also set for an overall podium. After a competitive but unlucky first race James Thompson fought his way up to fourth, ahead of Robert Huff. Huff scored some valuable points this weekend to keep his hopes for third in the Championship alive.
Championship runner up Gabriele Tarquini ended a scoreless weekend in his garage after suffering mechanical problems with the car and being forced to retire with a couple of laps to go.
Knap hoor
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