WTCC @ OKAYAMA // BMW KEEP TITLE RACE OPEN

After a rather wet race day at the Okayama International Circuit in Japan, both BMW and Augusto Farfus remain in the 2009 title hunt after a double victory for the Bavarian cars. After both races at the Japanese circuit took place under torrential rain, three drivers will go to Macau on November 22nd still in contention for the 2009 title while the manafacturer's standings are still too close to call... [read more]

Race one saw a BMW 1-2 as Andy Priaulx (Below) capitalised on a mistake by championship leader Gabriele Tarquini as the field were released from behind the safety-car after three laps. Priaulx resisted race long pressure from Jorg Muller and while Tarquini battled his way back to 5th behind Seat team-mate Yvan Muller, Farfus also fought back from a trip through the gravel to claim 8th place and a vital pole for the reversed grid second encounter.

Priaulx commented "That was tough. There was standing water in turn 2, and it was far from easy to keep the car on the track. When Gabriele Tarquini went off after the start, I almost followed him into the gravel. But all went well. Jörg Müller drove a strong race behind me, and he was always in my mirrors. Had the race been one lap longer, he might have overtaken me. The fight was good fun, but I must admit I was happy when it was over."

Claiming the last step on the podium in race one was Britian's Rob Huff (Below) in his RML Chevrolet who put in a sterling performance with the wet conditions seeming to suit the Cruze as he came up from ninth on the grid.


WTCC Okayama Race One Result:

1 Andy Priaulx BMW 320si 32:18.887
2 Jörg Müller BMW 320si +0.484
3 Robert Huff Chevrolet Cruze +2.552
4 Yvan Muller SEAT León 2.0 TDI +12.066
5 Gabriele Tarquini SEAT León 2.0 TDI +15.757
6 Jordi Gené SEAT León 2.0 TDI +17.131
7 Tiago Monteiro SEAT León 2.0 TDI +18.693
8 Augusto Farfus BMW 320si +25.403
9 Alain Menu Chevrolet Cruze +28.163
10 Tom Coronel SEAT León 2.0 TFSI +30.133

Race two got underway without a safety-car start even though the circuit was now more flooded than during race one. From the line Farfus made no mistake and easily led into the first corner, behind however saw the fast starting Jorg Muller tap Tiago Monteiro's Seat into a spin which again forced Tarquini into traversing the gravel trap dropping him to the tail of the field.

Farfus was now gone and with Priaulx who had captilised on the first corner incident acting as his tail-gunner the Brazilian brought the 3 series home to remain in the title fight going to Macau.

Augusto (below) was a relieved man and said "“We had a good start to the weekend and looked really strong in dry conditions. The rain, however, made it all a bit more complicated
That’s why I’m really happy now that I scored another win and that BMW was able to reduce the gap in the manufacturers’ standings. We are in the middle of the title fight when we go to Macau. In the first race I unfortunately made a mistake in turn 2, which cost me dearly. Race two went according to plan, although it was really difficult out there. As the leader you are always the first hitting standing water or aquaplaning.”


Behind the rear wheel drive leaders Tarquini again had to play catch up, this time bringing the TDI home in seventh. Meanwhile team-mate and fellow championship contender Yvan Muller ran in Priaulx's wheel tracks from lights to flag to claim third place and close to within just two points of the Italian going into the season finale at Macau.

WTCC Okayama Race Two Result:

1 Augusto Farfus BMW 320si 26:55.015
2 Andy Priaulx BMW 320si +0.761
3 Yvan Muller SEAT León 2.0 TDI +3.298
4 Alain Menu Chevrolet Cruze +5.878
5 Nicola Larini Chevrolet Cruze +13.725
6 Robert Huff Chevrolet Cruze +17.538
7 Gabriele Tarquini SEAT León 2.0 TDI +24.104
8 Rickard Rydell SEAT León 2.0 TDI +26.212
9 Jordi Gené SEAT León 2.0 TDI +27.272
10 Stefano D´Aste BMW 320si +35.619


2009 FIA WTCC Drivers' Championship:

1 Gabriele Tarquini SEAT León 2.0 TDI 115
2 Yvan Muller SEAT León 2.0 TDI 113
3 Augusto Farfus BMW 320si 102
4 Andy Priaulx BMW 320si 84
5 Robert Huff Chevrolet Cruze 69
6 Jörg Müller BMW 320si 66
7 Rickard Rydell SEAT León 2.0 TDI 64
8 Jordi Gené SEAT León 2.0 TDI 39
9 Alain Menu Chevrolet Cruze 36
10 Sergio Hernández BMW 320si 36
11 Tiago Monteiro SEAT León 2.0 TDI 36
12 Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si 31
13 Nicola Larini Chevrolet Cruze 25
14 Tom Coronel SEAT León 2.0 TFSI 15
15 Félix Porteiro BMW 320si 10
16 Franz Engstler BMW 320si 7
17 James Thompson LADA Priora 6
18 Stefano D´Aste BMW 320si 3
19 Eric Cayrolle SEAT León 2.0 TFSI 1


2009 FIA WTCC Manafacturers Championship:

1. SEAT, 289 points.
2. BMW, 286.
3. Chevrolet, 192.
4. Lada, 84.

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Photo: WTCC Media/SEAT Sport
Editorial: Neil Tozer