Photo: WTCC Media

Tom Coronel wins frenetic race two in Slovakia

By

Tom Coronel has taken the first win of the 2013 FIA World Touring Car Championship season at the Slovakiaring for BMW, his first since Japan 2011, with Yvan Muller’s RML Chevrolet and Gabriele Tarquini’s Honda completing the top three.

The Dutchman shot away at the start in the rear-wheel drive BMW, whilst Michel Nykjaer’s Nika Racing Chevrolet failed to get away at all and was almost collected by Fredy Barth’s BMW in the mid-field.

Coronel led into Turn 1 with Pepe Oriola’s Tuenti Racing Team SEAT second during the early stages, with Rob Huff’s Münnich Motorsport SEAT up to third and battling with the Spaniard. Tiago Monteiro was in fourth place in the Honda, but a light tap from Yvan Muller’s Chevrolet in Turn 1 on lap two was enough to unsettle the Honda and drop him behind Muller as well as team-mate Tarquini and Chilton’s Chevrolet.

Yvan Muller was now battling with his former team-mate for third throughout the next phase of the race, making a successful pass into Turn 1 on lap four, but Huff was able to switch back and get the inside line for Turn 2 and retake the position.

Reigning champion Huff then closed in on Pepe Oriola’s SEAT and grab second place on lap six, whilst Muller and Tarquini also joined in on the manoeuvre into Turn 1, with Tarquini emerging in third with Muller and Oriola side-by-side behind him. Through Turn 2, Tarquini ran Oriola wide which saw the Italian lose time with Muller able to accelerate past and grab third.

All this had allowed Tom Coronel to build a three second lead and was unchallenged up front.

Yvan Muller closed and passed Rob Huff’s Chevrolet at Turn 1 on lap nine, with Tarquini also able to sneak past and up to third. Huff now was forced to defend from Monteiro’s Honda, whilst Pepe Oriola had to fight off Tom Chilton’s Chevrolet to hold on to fifth.

Yvan Muller clawed back three points in the standings after race two and is now 24 points ahead of Gabriele Tarquini going to the next round of the Championship next weekend at the Hungaroring.