Race 2: Monteiro claims victory for Seat

Portuguese racer Tiago Montiero won an action-packed Race 2 in Valencia. Monteiro came through from third on the grid to take victory ahead of Yvan Muller, who continues to lead the championship, and Gabriele Tarquini.

Michel Nykjær topped the rookies in seventh while Kristian Poulsen notched up his second Independents’ win of the day in tenth.

From the standing start, poleman Alain Menu had a slow getaway allowing fellow countryman Fredy Barth through into the lead followed by Andy Priaulx and Monteiro into Turn 1. Monteiro made a move on the outside line to get ahead of Priaulx before Turn 2.

Menu then began battling with Priaulx and the pair touched causing Menu to spin and drop down the field while the Guernseyman kept his car on the circuit. Muller made a great start from seventh then took the outside line through Turn 2 to emerge in fourth. Monteiro stole the lead from Barth and began pulling out a gap from the Swiss rookie.

By the end of lap one the order was Monteiro from Barth, Muller, Priaulx, Tarquini, Jordi Gené, Rob Huff, Poulsen, Michel Nykjær and Tom Coronel.

Poulsen and Nykjær were racing side-by-side before Coronel took the opportunity to get ahead of Poulsen.

Muller began chasing down Barth while Tarquini and Priaulx battled behind for fourth. On lap five Tarquini found a way through and Gené capitalized by following his teammate. Priaulx was now down to sixth with Rob Huff’s Chevrolet on his tail.

On lap seven Fredy Barth looked in trouble as the back end of his SEAT León TDI started snaking around. Muller sneaked through before the rest of the field followed as Barth retired in the pits.

Priaulx made a move on the inside of Turn 2, kissing Gené’s rear bumper and gaining fopurth position. Huff almost followed suit but the Spaniard held his position.

In the Independents’ Poulsen had another good race to finish tenth after a race-long battle with Farfus and Coronel.

Heading into the last lap Monteiro led with the three title rivals, Muller, Tarquini and Priaulx, battling for second behind him. On the last lap Priaulx managed to get ahead of the Italian who went wide on the last corner, but then Tarquini re-took the position to claim the final spot on the podium.

The final order across the line was therefore Monteiro from Muller, Tarquini, Priaulx, Gené, Huff, and Michel Nykjær. Farfus, Coronel and Poulsen rounded out the top ten. Spanish newcomer Marc Carol had another good race finishing second in the Independents’ Trophy once again.

The result means Muller extends his lead in the championship to 25-points to Priaulx with Tarquini just 4-points further adrift.