Marrakech, Race 2 : Huff wins in an all-Honda podium at wet Marrakech

Lopez finishes fourth but keeps the championship lead

By Emmanuel Touzot

8 May 2016 - 19:14
Marrakech, Race 2 : Huff wins in (...)

Rob Huff led a one-two-three finish for Honda in wet conditions in the Main Race at FIA WTCC AFRIQUIA Race of Morocco.

For the first time, the WTCC drivers had to deal with rain on the new-look Circuit Moulay El Hassan. Huff held the lead from the DHL-presented pole position ahead of team-mate Norbert Michelisz as José María López got past Tiago Monteiro on the opening lap.

The combination of rain and recently-laid asphalt made the conditions difficult, and they caught out López when he ran deep on lap five, allowing Monteiro back through. Michelisz would run wide a few laps later, putting Monteiro and López onto his tail and allowing Huff to build a two-second lead.

That gap came down again as the rain came down harder but Huff stayed out front and won by six tenths of a second. Michelisz took second and Monteiro was third as López was made to settle for fourth after winning the Main Race at the first three rounds of the season.

Yvan Muller was a relatively distant fifth, finishing just in front of LADA driver Gabriele Tarquini, who passed team-mate Hugo Valente on lap seven after contact out of Turn 1.

Mehdi Bennani took eighth and the WTCC Trophy victory at home after a great first lap from 13th on the grid. James Thompson and Tom Chilton completed the top 10 after Opening Race winner Tom Coronel struggled in the conditions and slipped back to 12th.

Pos. Driver Team Car Time
1 Rob Huff Honda Racing Team JAS Honda 22 laps
2 Norbert Michelisz Honda Racing Team JAS Honda +0.611
3 Tiago Monteiro Honda Racing Team JAS Honda +1.251
4 Jose Maria Lopez Citroen Total WTCC Citroen +2.710
5 Yvan Muller Citroen Total WTCC Citroen +9.916
6 Gabriele Tarquini LADA Sport Lada +10.517
7 Hugo Valente LADA Sport Lada +32.503
8 Mehdi Bennani Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen +36.143
9 James Thompson Munnich Motorsport Chevrolet +37.222
10 Tom Chilton Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen +44.097
11 Nicky Catsburg LADA Sport Lada +46.695
12 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet +64.823
13 John Filippi Campos Racing Chevrolet +67.716
14 Ferenc Ficza Zengo Honda +68.035
15 Thed Bjork Polestar Cyan Volvo +1 lap
16 Fredrik Ekblom Polestar Cyan Volvo +1 lap
17 Grégoire Demoustier Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen DNF

WTCR

Search

Motorsport news

Pics

Videos