WTCC @ BRANDS HATCH // SPLIT HONORS

Alain Menu and Augusto Farfus won a race each at Brands Hatch this past weekend, during rounds 15 and 16 of the World Touring Car championship. Swiss driver Menu won race one despite briefly dropping to second behind Chevrolet team mate Robert Huff, who ended second after a fierce battle with fellow Briton Andy Priaulx, who took third... [read more]

Farfus, who is BMW’s best hope of a drivers’ championship, won race two from team mate Jorg Muller, who held station behind for a comfortable 1-2 for the works team. Gabriele Tarquini was third, who forced his way through Priaulx and was then allowed through to the podium by his Seat compatriot Rickard Rydell, as the Italian is better placed in the title standings

The first race was delayed by two safety car periods, the first triggered by an incident at Druids between championship leader (at the beginning of the weekend, at least) Yvan Muller, BMW’s Farfus, and Felix Porteiro, also in a BMW.  There was also carnage as Michelisz went off heavily.  The second neutralised period came as the result of a clash between Sergio Hernández (BMW), Vito Postiglione (BMW) and Tommy Rustad (Volvo). 

Race two also saw a safety car to allow the medical helicopter clearance to leave the circuit after a heavy crash for Henry Surtees in the Formula Two event.  Stefano D’Aste took Independents’ victory in round 15 for BMW, and Britain’s Tom Boardman (Seat) won round 16.

In Sunday's F2 race Spainard Andy Soucek took the win despite three red flags (the first to retrieve a stricken car, the second for Surtees’ heavy crash, the third as the cars ran out of time- though a chequer should have flown) interrupting the race. Canada’s Robert Wickens was second, and Mikhail Aleshin of Russia took third.

More to come from Neil Tozer in the week.

Photo/Editorial: Jake Yorath