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WTCC: Gabriele Tarquini ends Chevrolet's winning streak

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Khatir Soltani
Gabriele Tarquini (Seat Leon) has ended the winning streak of the Chevrolet team by winning race 1 at Slovakia Ring on Sunday.

The last non-Chevrolet victory in this championship was back in April 2011, when Gabriele Tarquini won in Belgium, at Zolder.

WTCC Gabriele Tarquini Seat Leon
Gabriele Tarquini, Seat Leon. (Photo: FIA WTCC)

In the first race on the Slovakia Ring last weekend, the team Seat Lukoil set a brilliant 1-2, as Russian driver Alexei Dudukalo took second position behind his team leader. In qualifying, Norbert Michelisz’s BMW 320 TC set the pole position, but the Hungarian driver, who was passed in the first lap by both Seat driver, lost every chance of victory when he was hit by Yvan Muller’s Chevrolet Cruze.

In Race 2, the result was more usual, with a 1-2 for Chevrolet. This is the first 2012 season victory win for Rob Huff ahead of his team mate Yvan Muller, who remains the leader of the championship.

Slovakia Ring – Race 1:
1. Gabriele Tarquini (Seat Leon)
2. Alexei Dudukalo (Seat Leon) +2’’284
3. Alain Menu (Chevrolet Cruze) +4’’194
4. Alberto Cerqui (BMW 320 TC) +6’’992
5. Stefano D’Aste (BMW 320 TC) +7’’978
Etc.

Race 2:
1. Rob Huff (Chevrolet Cruze)
2. Yvan Muller (Chevrolet Cruze) +2’’029
3. Gabriele Tarquini (Seat Leon) +2’’555
4. Tom Coronel (BMW 320 TC) +8’’859
5. Pepe Oriola (Seat Leon) +9’’932
Etc.

Championship:
1. Muller 149 points, 2. Huff 122, 3. Menu 121, 4. Coronel 89, 5. Tarquini 87, 6. D’Aste 55, 7. Oriola 53, 8. Michelisz 47, 9. Engstler 34, 10. Dudukalo 22, etc.



Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada