WTCC: SEAT dominance in Imola with Tarquini, Muller and Rydell

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WTCC: SEAT dominance in Imola with Tarquini, Muller and Rydell

The SEAT Sport team has achieved an excellent 1-2-3 result in the qualifying session for the first of two races of the World Touring Car Championship that will be staged tomorrow at the Italian circuit of Imola. Gabriele Tarquini, Yvan Muller and Rickard Rydell have taken their SEAT León TDI to the top three positions, with Tiago Monteiro fifth and Jordi Gené eighth.

The SEAT Sport drivers have led the free sessions with Tarquini and Gené, as well as Q1, taking the top five positions with Yvan Muller on top. In the definitive session, the drivers followed the instructions received from the pit wall, taking relays and making sure that those drivers with a better position in the overall standings get a better place on the grid.

The efforts of Monteiro and Gené, who finished a bit further in the back on the grid in order to favour their team mates, may also bear fruit. We should not forget that the second race starts with the eighth top drivers from the first race in reverse order, so that having a driver close to that lower positions can also be a good tactical option.

Tom Coronel was the best qualifier of the four SEAT León TSFI among the independent drivers, finishing 17th, ahead of Mehdí Bennani (18th), Tom Boardman (21st) and Andrea Larini (22nd).

Despite the excellent result achieved today, the statements of Tarquini, Muller and Rydell have been very prudent. For all of them, the main aim is scoring points. ‘I’m still convinced that the title will be decided in Macao – said Tarquini – but it is evident that the pole is the best way to face tomorrow’s race’. This opinion is shared by Muller: ‘The five cars have been perfect and the most important for tomorrow is to score points, not to fight against Gabriele’. Rydell has set another important aim for the team: ‘Score as much points as possible in Imola in order to reach Okayama with advantage enough for the championship’.

Classification:

1. G.Tarquini (SEAT León TDI), 1’55’530
2. Y.Muller (SEAT León TDI), 1’55’726
3. R.Rydell (SEAT León TDI), 1’55’891
4. R.Huff (Chevrolet), 1’56’044
5. T.Monteiro (SEAT León TDI), 1’56’252
6. A.Priaulx (BMW) 1’56’286; 7. A.Farfus (BMW), 1’56’317.
8. J. Gené (SEAT León TDI), 1’56’418.

TV Schedule: Both races will be broadcasted live by Eurosport at 12.30h and 14 30h and by Teledeporte the first race live at 12.45h and the second recorded at 16.30h.

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