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WTCC: Gabriele Tarquini Is Crowned World Champion As Chevrolet And BMW Share Victories
Gabriele Tarquini set a couple of new records: he has become the oldest FIA World Champion ever and scored the highest number of points (127) ever for a WTCC season.
The 47-year old Italian eclipsed Juan-Manuel Fangio’s record that lasted since 1957, when the Argentine ace claimed his fifth F1 title. Tarquini is the first Italian to win an FIA world championship since Teo Fabi in the 1991 World Sportscars Championship.
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The two races in Macau were frantic as usual and contained plenty of drama. Chevrolet and BMW shared victories, with Robert Huff in the first race and Augusto Farfus in the second respectively. This was Farfus’ sixth win in the season, which also marked a new record for WTCC. But in the end SEAT took all for the second consecutive year, including the Manufacturers’Championship with a slim three-point margin ahead of BMW.
Tom Coronel completed SEAT’s triumph by winning the Independents’ Trophy for the second time.
The championship now faces a three-month winter break, before the new season will start in Curitiba, Brazil, on March 7th, 2010.
RACE 1 – HUFF WINS, TARQUINI CLOSER TO THE TITLE
Robert Huff won the race with Gabriele Tarquini second and Jordi Gené third. Augusto Farfus finished eighth; he is now out of the championship but will line up on pole for Race 2 in a bid to score maximum points for BMW. Yvan Muller is still in with a chance of the title - after coming home fifth he is six points behind Tarquini. SEAT lead BMW by 10 points in the Manufacturers’ Championship.
In the final two laps it became a race of tactics as the positions from second to eighth shuffled. The outcome was that Farfus and Müller made it an all-BMW front row for Race 2. Menu took fourth place while Monteiro, who had blistering pace and at one point was challenging Huff for the win, finished sixth.
Men of the race
Jordi Gené and Tiago Monteiro played a crucial role in ousting Farfus from championship contention, presenting Tarquini with second place and strengthening SEAT’s grip on the manufacturers’ title. Their starts and composed driving meant SEAT could place them like pawns on a chess board to maximum effect.
Key moment
The opening lap didn’t feature the usual Macau pile-up but the pack was shuffled within the first couple of corners which consequently dictated the rest of the race. Andy Priaulx hit the barrier at the Mandarin Oriental bend and had to drag his damaged car to the pits. At the end of the first lap Tarquini was lying third with the comfort of Monteiro in front and Gené behind. In this scenario, Farfus’ hopes were dashed.
Withdrawals
A. Priaulx: race incident; A. Couto; drive-shaft; J. van Lagen: engine; Liu Lic Ka: gearbox.
RACE 2 – BMW MAKES A DOUBLE BUT SEAT TAKES ALL
Augusto Farfus and Jörg Müller claimed a 1-2 for BMW, but the laurels went to SEAT. Gabriele Tarquini was crowned the new world champion; despite Yvan Muller finishing third in the race Tarquini took fifth and stretched his overall point lead to six, taking the title from his team-mate. Thanks to their results and to those of Jordi Gené and Tiago Monteiro, SEAT retained the Manufacturers’ Championship.
The race ended prematurely after a massive crash involving Félix Porteiro, Franz Engstler and André Couto at the end of lap eight. Because the final results took into consideration the lap before the suspension, Porteiro won the Independents’ race anyway. There was also a safety car spell for four laps, mid-way into the race, after Tom Boardman crashed on the way to Moorish Hill involving Tom Coronel.
Larini’s last WTCC race came to an end after he was hit by Zanardi coming into Lisboa bend on lap eight.
Man of the race
Gabriele Tarquini – the oldest FIA world champion ever. His track record at Macau is one tarnished with accidents but this year he kept his head when it counted and had two faultless races. As a family man with a smile for everyone in the paddock Tarquini will be a popular champion. A mention should also go to his team who worked tirelessly on the damaged car after qualifying to make his dream a reality.
Key moment
The crash involving Porteiro, Engstler and Couto spelt the end of the season. Porteiro went off at ‘R’ bend, bounced into the racing line and was smashed into by Engstler. Seconds later Couto added to the carnage by hitting Engstler’s car. With three laps left of battle there is no knowing what could have been. And as demonstrated this weekend – you never know what the next corner of Macau will bring.
Withdrawals
T.Coronel: race incident; K. Poulsen: race incident; T. Boardman: race incident.
FLASH NEWS
BROKEN COLLARBONE FOR ENGSTLER
Franz Engstler and Félix Porteiro were both taken to the hospital after the three-car crash at the Firshermen’s bend that prematurely ended the second race.
The young Spaniard was discharged soon after all the clinical checks were all clear, while x-rays revealed a fracture in Engstler’s left collarbone. However Engstler was discharged from the hospital as well.
CHEVROLET SIGNS YVAN MULLER FOR 2010
Yvan Muller will move to Chevrolet for the 2010 WTCC season. The 2008 world champion joins Robert Huff and Alain Menu in the three-car line up and underlines Chevrolet’s commitment to the WTCC.
Speaking of the move Yvan said, "I am delighted to join Chevrolet. After four successful years with SEAT, I was looking for a new challenge and Chevrolet was my first choice. Having witnessed their growth in the WTCC and knowing RML since my years in the BTCC, I am extremely confident in the potential of the Cruze."
Wayne Brannon, manager of Chevrolet Europe commented: "To be able to secure the services of a world champion such as Yvan Muller is a valuable plus to our WTCC programme. I am convinced that he will contribute a lot to the development of the Cruze."
THE WORD TO THE WINNERS
Gabriele TARQUINI – 2009 FIA World Touring Car Champion
"Maybe this was my last chance to be world champion and I took it. It was a tough season, against great drivers like Yvan (Muller) and Augusto (Farfus). I became the champion without knowing – the team was smiling and crying but I didn’t have a radio so realised a little bit later. I started the weekend with a crash which is obviously not the best way to win a championship. The mechanics were fantastic and spent all night and one day to re-build the car better than it was before! I must say thank you to the team who are unbelievable."
Robert HUFF – winner of Race 1
"It is certainly easier to win starting from pole but winning is never easy in Macau, sometimes it’s an achievement in itself to finish a lap. Monteiro made life difficult in Race 1 but then I got a gap and focused until the end. I’d like to thank Chevrolet for giving me a great car all season."
Augusto FARFUS – winner of Race 2
"We had a tough start to the season with the first three events being disappointing which could have made the difference. My thanks go to BMW, Jörg (Müller) and Andy (Priaulx). We pushed hard to the end but unfortunately it didn’t work and hopefully we can look to a better season in 2010."
PaddockTalk Perspective
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