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Gabriele Tarquini swings out wide in Race 2

Gabriele Tarquini clinched and excellent victory at the tenth scoring race of the FIA World Touring Car Championship held today in Brno, after a spectacular finish, taking the chequered flag only three-tenths of a seconds ahead of Alex Zanardi. Thanks to this victory and to the points scored in both races, SEAT and Tarquini keep their leadership in the overall standings after an especially difficult weekend due to the ballast with which the León TDI had been penalised.

The SEAT team has been able to make the best of the circumstances, especially in the second race, where team work for the car’s set-up has been essential for Tarquini’s victory. Yvan Muller scored points in both races thus keeping the second place in the overall standings.

Race 1
The SEAT Sport drivers spent the race defending their positions against the BMW drivers who had no problems improving positions with their lighter cars. Tarquini and Muller made a defensive race to finish among the points, after a hard finish with their tyres degrading much faster due to the heavy weight carried by the Leon TDIs. Tiago Monteiro was penalised due to a hit during the start, while Rydell and Gené drove in a group without having the chance to improve. The victory went to Alex Zanardi

Race 2
Muller and Tarquini made an excellent start which allowed them to take up the top two positions and to resist the first attacks of James Thompson. Tarquini overtook Muller in the second lap while Thompson could not follow the pace of both SEAT holding back the rest of the pack. But Zanardi finally managed to pass moving up to second position.

During the last laps, Zanardi was able to close the gap to Tarquini and started the last lap right behind the SEAT León TDI. In an exciting final sprint, in which the cars were even driving in parallel, Tarquini managed to keep the lead by only three tenths of a second. Further in the back, Yvan Muller managed to score points after finishing fiveth.

Statements

Gabriele Tarquini (SEAT León TDI no. 11), 6th/1st: ‘I couldn’t even dream about scoring so many points and getting a victory on this track which is so favourable for BMW and with such a heavy car. It’s been a great day for me and the keys of the race have been the good start, Yvan Muller’s help and Thompson’s fight with the BMW’.

Yvan Muller: (SEAT León TDI no. 12), 8th/5th: ‘Gabriele and the team have done a great job winning under these conditions, but with so much weight and on this track it was difficult for me to find the right setting’.

Rickard Rydell (SEAT León TDI no. 10), 10th/17th: ‘The car was doing well during the race, especially in the first one, but I did not achieve a good result in qualifying and I had to fight in a very hard group. I hope to do better in Estoril’.

Tiago Monteiro (SEAT León TDI no. 18), 12th/10th: ‘During the first race, another car hit me after failing the braking manoeuvre. In the second race I was just making up positions when it suddenly became a stock car race, with too aggressive drivers’.

Jordi Gené (SEAT León TDI no. 9), 13th/14th: ‘Bad weekend for me. At least Gabriele’s victory sorted things out for SEAT but we’re still lacking race pace’.

Jaime Puig, SEAT Sport Director: ‘I’m very happy for the great work done by the team throughout the weekend under rather unfavourable conditions. SEAT achieved its first victory in Brno thanks to Gabriele’s excellent driving and the outstanding performance of Yvan; and we have achieved our aim of keeping the leadership in the world championship.

I hope that this weekend the FIA Bureau will take measures that will allow all constructors to fight under equal conditions’.

RESULTS

RACE 1

1. A. Zanardi (BMW)
2. F.Porteiro (BMW), + 0’825
3. A.Menu (Chevrolet) + 1’707
6. G.Tarquini (SEAT León TDI), + 15’840
8. Y.Muller (SEAT León TDI), + 17’577
10. R.Rydell (SEAT León TDI), + 19’573
12 T.Monteiro (SEAT León TDI), + 30’246
13. J.Gené (SEAT León TDI), + 31’226
17. P.Y.Corthals (SEAT León WTCC), + 36’882
18. T.Coronel (SEAT León WTCC), +37’448
22. Michal Matìjoský (SEAT León WTCC), +52’935

RACE 2

1. . G.Tarquini (SEAT León TDI)
2. A. Zanardi (BMW), + 0’360
3. A.Farfus (BMW), + 5’718
5. Y.Muller (SEAT León TDI), + 11’931
10 T.Monteiro (SEAT León TDI), + 17’416
12. T.Coronel (SEAT León WTCC), + 21’348
14. J.Gené (SEAT León TDI), + 25’633
15. P.Y.Corthals (SEAT León WTCC), + 27’391
17. R.Rydell (SEAT León TDI), + 35’936
Ab. Michal Matìjoský (SEAT León WTCC)

OVERALL STANDINGS

Drivers
1.G. Tarquini (SEAT), 58
2. Y.Muller (SEAT), 43
3. R.Rydell (SEAT), 37
4. A.Priaulx (BMW), 34
5. J. Gené (SEAT), 30
6 R. Huff (Chevrolet), 27
7. A.Farfus (BMW), 26
8. J. Muller (BMW), 25
9. A. Menu (Chevrolet), 22
13 Monteiro (SEAT), 12

Manufacturers
1. SEAT 138
2. BMW 117
3. Chevrolet 95
4. Honda 19″