8.3.2009 von Wolfgang.

ROUNDS 1 & 2 - CURITIBA
QUALIFYING REPORT

YVAN MULLER FIRST POLEMAN OF THE YEAR
The SEAT León TDI cars will fill the five top spots of the grid for tomorrow’s race 1 after Yvan Muller, Jordi Gené, Gabriele Tarquini, Tiago Monteiro and Rickard Rydell posted the five fastest laps in today’s qualifying session.
For the first time the drivers faced the new qualifying format with the session split in two parts. At the end of the 20-minute Q1 ten drivers were qualified for the 10-minute Q2.

Q1 - The session was red-flagged after only five minutes, when Kristian Poulsen spun at the last turn, crashing his BMW head-on into the inside wall.
After the restart SEAT and BMW drivers posted their first fast times, with Y. Muller leading the field with a lap of 1:24.345.
Gabriele Tarquini, who was 11^th in the final moments, saved himself with a lap of 1:24.537 that promoted him to second position, before he was demoted to third by Alain Menu’s last gasp attempt at 1:24.537 (only 0.003 seconds faster).
The top-ten drivers were covered by 0.6 seconds, with Nicola Larini claiming the last position valid to go ahead to Q2.

Q2 - SEAT Sport’s five men were the first to hit the track and Y. Muller set a new record at 1:24.196, a time good enough to eventually claim pole position.
Jörg Müller, Andy Priaulx, Augusto Farfus and Larini waited until the last minutes to make their only attempt; the German provisionally climbed to second with a lap of 1:24.637, but he was immediately demoted to sixth when the five-car SEAT train crossed the line placing Jordi Gené, Tarquini, Tiago Monteiro and Rickard Rydell in the order behind Y. Muller.

www.fiawtcc.com

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8.3.2009 von Wolfgang.

The last brush strokes have been given to the liveries, the stickers have been affixed, the teams get their reflexes back…everybody is in the starting blocks for this new season!

28 cars are now at the Castellet, 50 cars are entered for the full season: Le Mans Series is full up. From tomorrow at 9.30 am on, the engines will roar and the machines will parade in front of the brand new grandstands opened for the first time to the public.

Aston Martin, Ferrari, Corvette, Lamborghini…: choose your favorite category and "faites vos jeux". The Endurance big show of the  is back on the European circuits for 2009!

www.lemans-series.com

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8.3.2009 von Wolfgang.

MEEKE WINS IN BRAZIL!
Peugeot UK driver Kris Meeke has won the all-gravel Curitiba Rally in Brazil, round two of the IRC series. The Irishman claimed all seven stages on the opening day of the rally and then controlled his advantage on the second day to end up with a 26.2 second margin over Peugeot Belgium’s Nicolas Vouilloz, who finished second.
"This is one of the best rallies I have ever experienced," said Meeke. "From start to finish, it was simply awesome. The stages are just incredible: so enjoyable to drive. I had a really good feeling with the car and the team and at the end of it we got the perfect result."
Vouilloz overhauled Abarth driver Giandomenico Basso on the final afternoon, who finished third. Peugeot Belgium’s Freddy Loix was fourth, to move into the championship lead.
Abarth driver Anton Alen retired on the second stage of day two after going off the road. The rally finish, at the Curitiba circuit in Brazil, was immediately followed by the qualifying session for the opening round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship.
Freddy Loix now leads the championship on a total of 13 points, ahead of Kris Meeke, Sebastien Ogier and Giandomenico Basso - who are all tied for second on 10 points. Nicolas Vouilloz is third in the standings with eight points.
Full report, results, and points to follow later.
IRC FINAL RESULTS AFTER SS13, RALLY INTERNACIONAL DE CURITIBA (BRAZIL)*
1 Meeke/Nagle    Peugeot 207 S2000    2h08m05.7s
2 Vouilloz/Klinger    Peugeot 207 S2000    +26.2s
3 Basso/Dotta    Abarth Grande Punto S2000    +47.9s
4 Loix/Smeets    Peugeot 207 S2000    +2m32.1s
5 Cancio/Garcia    Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9    +5m20.0s
6 Tulio/Valandro    Peugeot 206 S1600    +19m04.0s
*subject to final confirmation
Two-wheel drive leader: Rafael Tulio (Peugeot 206 S1600)

Irishman Kris Meeke’s Peugeot UK 207 S2000 won the Rally Internacional de Curitiba in style

www.rally-irc.com

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