WTCC: Imola

[Plex]

Rydell takes pole position at Imola

Rickard Rydell will start the first of tomorrow's WTCC races from pole position after triumphing in a close-fought qualifying battle at Imola.

"I've been struggling a little bit in qualifying this year," Rydell said. "In 2006 I had the best average in qualifying out of all the cars, but this year we have been struggling to get the set-up right. I'm really pleased, I think we did a good job."

The SEAT driver's 1:54.761 was enough to edge out teammate and championship leader Yvan Muller by just 0.067, but any disappointment that the Frenchman may have felt at missing pole was offset by the fact that both of his main title rivals will start several rows behind him. Gabriele Tarquini qualified sixth and Andy Priaulx ended up tenth.

Chevrolet achieved lock-out of the second row when Alain Menu, in his special 'art car'-liveried Lacetti, just got the edge over Rob Huff, while James Thompson was again quick in the N.Technology Honda and will start fifth.

Just two tenths of a second covered the five fastest cars and the tightness of the competition was not lost on Menu.

"It's great for Rickard that he got the pole," he said. "But for sure it could have also been Yvan, or me, or even Rob. So I think it's going to be interesting tomorrow."

Independent Trophy points leader Sergio Hernandez claimed pole in the privateer class.


Pos Driver Car Time Gap
1. Rickard Rydell SEAT 1:54.761
2. Yvan Muller SEAT 1:54.828 +0.067
3. Alain Menu Chevrolet 1:54.862 +0.101
4. Robert Huff Chevrolet 1:54.901 +0.140
5. James Thompson Honda 1:54.954 +0.193
6. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT 1:55.046 +0.285
7. Nicola Larini Chevrolet 1:55.213 +0.452
8. Jorg Muller BMW 1:55.226 +0.465
9. Augusto Farfus BMW 1:55.287 +0.526
10. Andy Priaulx BMW 1:55.446 +0.685
11. Tiago Monteiro SEAT 1:55.486 +0.725
12. Alex Zanardi BMW 1:55.591 +0.830
13. Jordi Gene SEAT 1:55.604 +0.843
14. Sergio Hernandez BMW 1:55.619 +0.858
15. Felix Porteiro BMW 1:55.656 +0.895
16. Pierre-Yves Corthals SEAT 1:55.679 +0.918
17. Stefano d'Aste BMW 1:55.777 +1.016
18. Franz Engstler BMW 1:56.000 +1.239
19. Tom Coronel SEAT 1:56.321 +1.560
20. Andrey Romanov BMW 1:57.290 +2.529
21. Ibrahim Okyay BMW 1:57.974 +3.213
22. Kirill Ladygin Lada 1:58.874 +4.113
23. George Tanev BMW 1:58.949 +4.188
24. Jaap van Lagen Lada 1:59.399 +4.638
25. Viktor Shapovalov Lada 1:59.634 +4.873

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[Plex]

Muller extends lead with Imola victory

Yvan Muller extended his World Touring Car Championship lead with a victory in the opening race at Imola this afternoon.

The Frenchman passed pole-sitting teammate Rickard Rydell on the run into the first corner and Rydell was able to protect him from any challengers, leaving Muller to take the win by a margin of just over 0.4s.

James Thompson gave the N.Technology squad their first podium of the season with a hard-fought third place in his Honda Accord, although the Briton was involved in a clash with Chevrolet's Alain Menu that prompted an investigation by the stewards.

Thompson was shuffled back into the pack early in the race but caught the leaders by half-distance. He was fighting Menu for fourth when the pair touched on the way through Tamburello, spinning the Chevrolet into the gravel.

Honda's claim to the podium was secured a couple of laps later when Thompson found a way past Rob Huff at Rivazza to take third.

Augusto Farfus was the first of the BMWs to cross the line in seventh, but reigning champion Andy Priaulx's hopes of retaining his crown were dealt a blow when he lost a number of positions during the jostling on the first lap and was unable to recover any higher than 11th.

But the German marque is in a strong position for the reverse grid race, with Jorg Muller set to start from pole courtesy of his eighth place finish, and teammate Farfus to line up alongside him.

Meanwhile, Sergio Hernandez took an easy win in the Independents' Trophy, finishing ninth outright and well clear of main title rival Stefano D'Aste.


Pos Driver Team Gap
1. Yvan Muller SEAT 21:24.523
2. Rickard Rydell SEAT +0.411
3. James Thompson Honda +0.773
4. Robert Huff Chevrolet +1.376
5. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT +2.086
6. Nicola Larini Chevrolet +3.047
7. Augusto Farfus BMW +3.364
8. Jorg Muller BMW +3.906
9. Sergio Hernandez BMW +6.255
10. Felix Porteiro BMW +7.545
11. Andy Priaulx BMW +8.411
12. Alex Zanardi BMW +14.356
13. Tiago Monteiro SEAT +14.743
14. Pierre-Yves Corthals SEAT +14.820
15. Tom Coronel SEAT +15.355
16. Franz Engstler BMW +15.804
17. Jordi Gene SEAT +22.172
18. Stefano D'Aste BMW +22.414
19. Jaap van Lagen Lada +22.748
20. Andrey Romanov BMW +29.464
21. George Tanev BMW +41.517


Retirements

Alain Menu Chevrolet 6 laps
Viktor Shapovalov Lada 4 laps
Ibrahim Okyay BMW 3 laps
Kirill Ladygin Lada 3 laps


Fastest lap, Thompson 1:55.388 on lap 3

Autosport

[Plex]

Thompson scores landmark Honda win

James Thompson and the N.Technology team took their first WTCC win of the season, and the Honda Accord's first victory on the global stage, with a commanding performance in the second race at Imola this afternoon.

The Englishman, who started the race from fifth on the grid, took the lead from BMW's Jorg Muller on lap seven and never looked threatened from thereon, eventually crossing the line 1.1s clear of the German.

But Thompson survived an early scare when Gabriele Tarquini stalled his SEAT right in front of him as the field took off at the start.

Thompson was able to avoid the stricken Leon, but BMW driver Felix Porteiro was less fortunate and plowed straight into Tarquini's rear. Both cars were retired on the spot, and the field gathered behind the safety car while the debris was swept off the straight.

Thompson had already made his way up to third before the safety car came out, and shortly after the restart he passed the Chevrolets of Rob Huff and Nicola Larini before setting off in pursuit of Muller.

Huff made it past his teammate in the closing laps to claim third and hustled Muller through the last few corners in the hope of gaining one more spot, but the BMW was too wide and Huff settled for the final podium place.

Yvan Muller added further padding to his championship lead by finishing fifth behind Larini, with Rickard Rydell close behind in sixth. Andy Priaulx dived inside the sister BMW of Augusto Farfus at Acque Minerali on the final lap to pick up a couple of points for seventh.

In the Independents' Trophy, Sergio Hernandez capped off a perfect weekend in his Proteam BMW and took his second win of the day.


Pos Driver Car Time
1. James Thompson Honda 30:20.607
2. Jorg Muller BMW +1.120
3. Robert Huff Chevrolet +1.858
4. Nicola Larini Chevrolet +3.353
5. Yvan Muller SEAT +4.034
6. Rickard Rydell SEAT +4.378
7. Andy Priaulx BMW +5.142
8. Augusto Farfus BMW +6.029
9. Alex Zanardi BMW +6.179
10. Sergio Hernandez BMW +6.349
11. Tiago Monteiro SEAT +7.016
12. Alain Menu Chevrolet +11.521
13. Pierre-Yves Corthals SEAT +12.393
14. Franz Engstler BMW +13.757
15. Tom Coronel SEAT +14.437
16. Stefano D'Aste BMW +14.850
17. Jordi Gene SEAT +20.103
18. Jaap van Lagen Lada +20.504
19. George Tanev BMW +31.190
20. Andrey Romanov BMW +33.742
21. Ibrahim Okyay BMW +34.731
22. Kirill Ladygin Lada +40.905

Not classified

Driver Car Laps
Gabriele Tarquini SEAT 0 laps
Felix Porteiro BMW 0 laps
Fastest lap, Tiago Monteiro 1:55.592 on lap 11

Autosport

[Plex]

Thompson praises team's progress

James Thompson praised the progress made by his N.Technology team that allowed him to score the first victory for a Honda in the World Touring Car Championship at Imola last weekend.

The Briton, who finished third in the championship for the team in an Alfa Romeo last season, was delighted to take the first win for the Honda Accord Euro R - also the first for any Japanese manufacturer in the WTCC - given that the project began just weeks before the season and the team had to sit out the first four races of the year until the car was ready.

He finished third in the first race at Imola on Sunday, before fighting his way to victory from sixth on the grid in race two.

"I want to thank everyone concerned with the whole programme," said Thompson. "To be here after having such a strong weekend is testament to having a fantastic team with such a strong belief in the project.

"The car was so fast this weekend that I always had it in the back of my mind that we could be on the podium. We had a really clean race and I was beaming like a Cheshire cat as I crossed the line.

He is hoping to add to yesterday's success in the remaining six races of the year.

"We've achieved so much and we now need to concentrate on the last third of the season," he added. "Monza plays well to the strengths of our car, so we'll be aiming to get on the podium once or twice more in the remainder of the season."

N.Technology team manager Andrea Muller added: "It's been a fantastic weekend. We were very fast and it shows how good the Honda really is. The team did a really good job and James drove a perfect race, I'm very happy.

"I hope for another good result at Monza as it is another fast track."

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