NEXT STOP: PUEBLA, MEXICO
The WTCC stays in America for its second race meeting. After the season started one week ago in Curitiba, Brazil, the championship is now heading to Mexico’s Autódromo Miguel E. Abed, where rounds 3 and 4 will take place on March 22nd.
This is the fourth time the 3.2 km circuit, located some 30km East of Puebla, hosts the championship.
The WTCC visited Puebla for the first time in July 2005. Fabrizio Giovanardi’s Alfa Romeo won the first race, while SEAT’s Peter Terting claimed his first and only WTCC victory in the second.
The following year’s event – on a completely revised track – was dominated by the Alfa Romeo men, Salvatore Tavano, who won the first race, and Augusto Farfus, victorious in Race 2.
After a one-year break, the WTCC returned to Puebla in 2008. The SEAT León TDI cars dominated both races: Jordi Gené and Rickard Rydell finished 1-2 in the first one, while Tiago Monteiro won Race 2 followed by five other SEAT cars, including Tom Coronel, sixth in the SUNRED petrol-powered León.
SEAT turbodiesel cars dominated last year’s races in Mexico
SEAT MEN FILL THE STANDINGS‘ TOP SPOTS
SEAT Sport’s drivers arrive in Mexico on top of the point table.
Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini (first and second in the 2008 Drivers‘ championship) are co-leaders with 15 points, having shared victories and fourth places in Curitiba.
Their team mates Jordi Gené and Rickard Rydell are joint in third position with 14 points, having swapped second and third positions in the Brazilian races.
The SEAT quartet is followed by five BMW men, led by Augusto Farfus on 7 points.
In the Manufacturers‘ Championship, SEAT have scored 36 points against BMW’s 22. Surprisingly LADA lie in third position with 10 points, one more than Chevrolet.
PORTEIRO LEADS THE INDEPENDENTS‘ TROPHY
Félix Porteiro has already built a comfortable lead in the Independents‘ Trophy, having scored 31 points in Curitiba. On his first appearance at the wheel of Proteam Motorsport’s BMW, the young Spaniard dominated the field and fought hard with the works driver. He even managed to lead the second race for four laps and to score three points in the overall classification.
"With the new point system that awards three points for each one scored in the overall championship, my results in Brazil were very important. Counting this bonus and the points awarded for the pole position and the fastest laps, I have collected 11 additional points," a pleased Porteiro commented.
SUNRED’s Tom Coronel is the closest competitor, as he claimed two second places and 19 points: "I also scored one point in the overall championship. Not bad when you consider that my car is 55kg heavier than last year. For now this was the best possible result and I am really looking forward to the next round in Mexico," the Dutchman said.
Porteiro and Coronel chase Farfus in Curitiba’s Race 2
EUROSPORT COVERAGE FROM CURITIBA
Saturday, 21st: Qualifying – LIVE Eurosport International, 23.00/23.30
Sunday, 22nd: Warm up – LIVE Eurosport 2, 16.00/16.30
Race 1 – LIVE Eurosport International, 18.45/20.00
Race 2 – LIVE Eurosport International, 22.30/23.30
Wednesday, 25th: WTCC Magazine Eurosport International, 01.00/01.30
Times are CET (Central European Time)