Yann Ehrlacher scores opening win in El Pinar

Yann Ehrlacher converted pole into victory in the opening TCR World Tour race of the weekend at the El Pinar circuit in Uruguay.

Ehrlacher was able to hold the lead off the start ahead of the Hyundais of Mikel Azcona and Norbert Michelisz but there was drama behind for the Honda of Marco Butti, who had started in twelfth spot but saw his race end before turn one when he was turned into the wall.

With the Toyota of Thiago Vivacqua then spinning mid-way through the lap before being collected by Guilherme Reischl, the safety car was deployed as Butti’s car was recovered and Vivacqua returned slowly back to the pits.

It would be lap five before the action resumed, with Ehrlacher able to keep Azcona at bay on the run down to turn one as the lead pair edged slightly clear of Michelisz behind.

In fact Michelisz instead found himself under pressure from Thed Bjork, who slipped down the inside into the final hairpin to grab third spot, with Santiago Urrutia and Esteban Guerrieri rounding out the top six.

As the lead pair broke away, Nestor Girolami overhauled compatriot Guerrieri to move into the top six whilst further down the order, Ma Qing Hua was charging his way through from his grid penalty and soon found himself running inside the top ten as he cleared the TCR South America field.

Ehrlacher was managing the race at the front before the Cupra of Galid Osman went off and came to rest of the edge of the circuit after a clash with Norberto Fontana left him with a damaged wheel, bringing the safety car back out for a second time with seven minutes left to run.

As Fontana recovered to the pits, Osman’s Cupra was dragged out of the way so that the race could resume with four minutes left on the clock with Ehrlacher again nailing the restart to maintain his position at the front.

It was the fight for fourth that garnered the interest, with Michelisz coming under pressure from Urrutia who dived down the inside into the final corner and forced the Hyundai wide – allowing Guerrieri to follow him through.

Michelisz then found himself dropping further down the order as Ma’s charge through the pack continued but the Lynk & Co man then tagged Guerrieri’s Honda and plummeted down the order – allowing Michelisz to regain some of the positions he had lost.

Out front, Ehrlacher was comfortable in P1 as he secured the victory from Azcona, with Bjork in a lonely third spot – unable to keep pace with the front two but clear of Urrutia in fourth.

Michelisz would be classified in fifth spot ahead of Girolami, with Esteban Guerrieri and TCR South America leader Pedro Cardoso rounding out the top eight.

Ma would end up back in 15th after the contact that undid all his good work, with fellow World Tour runner Dusan Borkovic also failing to make the top ten after mid-race contact.

John Filippi failed to take the start after pulling off at the end of the green flag lap.

The second race of the weekend starts 15:25 local time/20:25 CEST.