Brands Hatch - Race 2: Britannia rules the world

BMW Team RBM’s Andy Priaulx converted pole position into a race win on home turf at Brands Hatch this afternoon. Independent racer Colin Turkington went one better than in Race 1 to bring his BMW 320si across the line in second to complete a great result for the British drivers in their home race meeting.

Reigning champion Gabriele secured the final podium spot for SR-Sport. Norbert Michelisz continued his Rookie Challenge winning streak finishing seventh overall.

The Chevrolet team worked had to change the engine on "Cacá" Bueno’s car but their effort was vain and the Brazilian could not make the grid. Robert Dahlgren’s Volvo C30 pulled off on the warm up lap with a broken water pipe.

Priaulx had a difficult start, wheel-spinning off the grid while Augusto Farfus made a fantastic start to come through between his teammate and Alain Menu to take the lead into Paddock Hill. Priaulx held second ahead of the Chevrolet while further down the field Fredy Barth and Kristian Poulsen made contact. Poulsen spun out while Barth picked up a slow puncture, then running sideways and almost collecting Jordi Gené. Yvan Muller, Tiago Monteiro and Norbert Michelisz ran three abreast as they jostled for position.

As the field came round to complete the first lap the drama continued with Sergio Hernández running through the gravel at Clark bend. After making contacts with Michelisz, Gené and also Tom Boardman, Monteiro retired from the race.

On lap three the battle for the lead was heating up as Farfus was being pushed by his teammate. Priaulx found a way through at Druids and Chevrolet’s Menu tried to take the opportunity to follow the BMW. Farfus closed the door and the pair touched with Farfus spinning and Menu running off the road with a broken steering column. Turkington capitalised moving up into second ahead of Tarquini, Coronel and Huff.

Mehdi Bennani swapped places with Stefano D’aste for 11th while Priaulx edged out a small gap out in front from a chasing Turkington and Tarquini.

The battle in the Independents was also raging with Boardman, Engstler and Bennani fighting for ninth overall and second in class, holding up a recovering Farfus. Only a couple of laps later the fight ended as Bennani tapped the back of Engstler BMW 320si sending him into a sideways spin with the pair dropping down, Bennani to 15th and Engstler to 17th.

Championship leader Muller got ahead of teammate Huff for fifth. On lap 11, Farfus took 10th from Boardman on the exit of Surtees before Boardman then ran through the gravel and out the race at Sheene. Bennani was involved in another incident, with Darryl O’Young at Druids. The pair were both beached in the gravel bringing out the safety car.

With the action diffused, Priaulx led from Turkington, Tarquini, Coronel, Muller, Huff, Michelisz, Nykjær, Farfus and Gené. The race restarted for two final laps of racing action and Muller immediately began pushing Coronel, the Chevrolet driver having a scary moment as he nearly lost the back of his car. Engstler made a move stick through Surtees to take 13th from Harry Vaulkhard while Farfus took eighth from rookie driver Nykjær. On the last lap Farfus began to chase down Michelisz but could not get through as Nykjær also continued to fight back.

Priaulx took the chequered flag to claim a home victory in his BMW 320si ahead of a delighted Turkington. Reigning champion Tarquini secured some good points in third ahead of Tom Coronel. Muller continues to lead the drivers’ standings after finishing fifth ahead of Huff with top rookie Michelisz in seventh. Farfus, Nykjær and Gené rounded out the top ten.