Event>>wtcc – Brazil 2009

A quick follow-up post, given our World Touring Car Championship Preview, which we posted last week.

Despite recent rule revisions, SEAT Sport continued their domination of the WTCC with rounds 1 and 2 of the 2009 season in Curitiba. Current champion Yvan Muller was on Pole Position for race 1, the nearest BMW in 5th place. Muller would take a lights to flag victory with team mates Jordi Gene, Rickard Rydell and Gabriele Tarquini just a couple of seconds behind.

5th place was originally Nicola Larini, driving the new Chevrolet Cruze. Post-race, Larini and three other drivers were given time penalties for overtaking before the start finish line after a safety car period.

Agusto Farfus, above, was the first of the BMW's in disapointing 5th place.

Despite BMW on the first two rows, wet weather conditions helped SEAT move to the front again for Race Two. The race started behind the safety car for the first two laps. Tarquini, in the SEAT taking the lead from pole sitter Feliz Porterio on lap 5.

Tarquini remained up front with team mates Rydell and Gene taking the remaining podium positions. Yvan Muller was 4th, with unrelated name sake, Jorg Muller, the first of the BMW's in 5th. It was a surprising result for the Spanish team and a very disappointing one for BMW.

Chevrolet had a reasonable debut, with Alain Menu scoring fastest lap in race two and Nicola Larini's performance in race one. Lada also scored their first manufacture points and lay 3rd, ahead of the Bow-tie.

It will be interesting to see if BMW can redress the balance in Puebla, Mexico towards the end of March.

-Andy Blackmore

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1

Puebla is on March 22nd, eh?

2

I must say it was rather frustrating to see the Seat column in the front for most of the two races and the misfortunes suffered by Andy Priaulx. Yet the 2nd race still managed to be pretty exciting with the wet track and the on going battle between Porteiro and the factory 320Si drivers (I think it was mainly Farfus).



Jorg Muller did a great job in race 2 as well!

3

I just got pissed off by the time penalties... I mean, they couldn't overtake, but the front cars could speed up? Didn't like that at all...



Wasn't a bad race in general, just nothing great about it either.



The second round was a little more exciting because of the rain, and there were even a few cars sliding off-track (was impressed at how Gené managed to slide out at a point and getting back on track in the same position!)

4

Que legal! I like that Lada. It looks like a 10 year old bodystyle compared to the other cars in the field! Tudo Bem!

5

Love the way BMW complained last season because of SEAT's dominance. They did NOT complain when they dominated before the TDi because of rear wheel drive. Oh the irony.

6

Are the Cruze rims Enkei RC-T4s'?

7

Yes Russian Lada!!! I love this car!

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