Gilles Magnus: “So happy I cannot describe it”

Comtoyou’s Gilles Magnus claimed a solid victory in the last-ever FIA WTCR race at Jeddah, with the Belgian acknowledging it was the best way to thank his team after an intense season.

Magnus started from sixth place on the grid and was up to fourth place after one lap after overtaking his team-mate Viktor Davidovski and Hyundai’s Mikel Azcona.

On lap three, Comtoyou’s Franco Girolami tried an impossible move on Hyundai’s Nicky Catsburg, collecting him and the race leader Attila Tassi (Honda), leaving Magnus in the lead.

The Belgian built a comfortable lead until an incident between his team-mate Nat Berthon and Zengo’s Rob Huff brought the safety car into action, with the race ending under neutralised conditions.

“I’m really sorry about Nath (Berthon),” said Magnus after the race. “I would have liked to see him in P2 in the standings. But this is the way to thank Comtoyou, and I’m so, so happy I cannot describe it. It was a really emotional moment when I crossed the line.

“Although I’ve had bigger victories than this one this is really emotional because of everything that has happened before,” added the Belgian driver.

“Really happy to end this way, thanks to Comtoyou, thanks for all the long night they have done in Bahrain and I’m very happy. I was suffering, even more in Race 1 than in Race 2.”

“Maybe this was the toughest race this season,” said the Audi driver. “Really happy it was by night because if it was by day I’m not really sure I would have made it to the end, it was really tough.”

“I was sorry for Franco that he made the mistake,” added Magnus referring to the incident that gave him the lead. “We all make mistakes, I made one myself in Bahrain, so I was sorry for him. At the same time it really opened the field up for me, so these kind of things happen. It’s racing.”