Race 2 - Muller takes last lap victory

Chevrolet’s Yvan Muller claimed a last lap victory as the lead SEAT León TDI of Danish rookie Michel Nykjær sprung a front-left puncture on the final lap of Race 2.

Tom Coronel and Rob Huff completed the podium as Nykjær did not finish the race, pulling off the track at the second chicane.

Nykjær made a clean start from pole to lead the pack into the first chicane while Muller had a great getaway from fifth to come through to second.

Gabriele Tarquini dropped to third initially but passed Muller for second and briefly took the lead from Nykjær before being called in for a drive-through penalty. Tarquini was deemed to have made a jump start, creeping forward before the lights went out, but after being penalised retired in the pits. Mehdi Bennani also made a clear jump start and was also given a drive-through penalty losing him the lead in the Independents class.

A number of battles were going on throughout the field with Huff and Augusto Farfus battling for fifth while Jordi Gené was challenging Tiago Monteiro for eighth. After starting third, rookie Fredy Barth ran wide at the Parabolica on lap four and dropped back. The order after lap five was Nykjær from Muller, Coronel, Huff, Farfus, Priaulx, Monteiro, Gené, Michelisz and Menu while Stefano D’Aste was leading the Independents in eleventh.

Nykjær continued to push in the lead, edging out a gap of over a second from the rest of the field, but disaster struck on the final lap with the rookie picking up a puncture which ended his race. Muller was poised to collect victory and assert his place at the top of the championship, finishing ahead of Coronel and Chevrolet team mate Rob huff.

Farfus finished fourth ahead of Priaulx, Gené and Monteiro. Norbert Michelisz was top rookie in eighth ahead of Alain Menu.

Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden’s Argentine newcomer Leonel Pernía finished an impressive tenth coming through from 20th on the grid.

Stefano D’Aste claimed the Independents’ victory finishing eleventh, after Bennani paid his drive-through penalty.