Tarquini takes Race 1 victory at Valencia

Gabriele Tarquini claimed his fifth win of the season this afternoon with a lights-to-flag victory in Race 1 at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Yvan Muller finished second ahead of his Chevrolet teammate Rob Huff while Alain Menu finished eighth to take pole position for Race 2.

Fredy Barth won the Rookie Challenge in seventh and will start alongside Menu on the fron row for the second race of the day. After a race-long battle Kristian Poulsen emerged victorious in the Independents’ class.

Tarquini controlled the rolling start as the pack piled into Turn 1 for the first time. Huff followed in second ahead of Muller, Menu, Jordi Gené and Tiago Monteiro. Augusto Farfus lost out on the start as Barth moved ahead of him and Andy Priaulx’s good start helped him jump them both into P7. Farfus then lost another position to Tom Coronel who had also made a good start to move from 16th to ninth on lap one.

As Tarquini pulled a slight gap out in front, Farfus was pushing Barth for eighth and ultimately Race 2 pole. His BMW Team RBM teammate was also trying to make progress, getting alongside Monteiro and making the move stick to take sixth position. With Priaulx and Monteiro fighting, Barth and Farfus had closed up on the duo and in the action Farfus made a move taking eighth exiting the final corner on lap seven. As Barth fought back the pair came together and Farfus ran wide losing eight positions before returning to the pits with damage to his BMW 320si.

Muller got ahead of his Chevrolet teammate making the order now Tarquini from Muller, Huff, Menu, Gené, Priaulx, Monteiro and Barth.

The battle was on in the Independents’ Trophy with Hernández passing Carol for third. As Carol was re-taking the position, Stefano D’Aste hit the Spaniard sending him into a spin. Following the collision D’Aste lost a wheel and ended in the gravel whilst Hernández pited for repairs.

Carol then moved ahead of O’Young for second in class before setting his sights on Poulsen. Carol passed Poulsen through the final corner to take the class lead, 12th overall, but the Dane re-took the position to claim his fourth category win of the season.

Tarquini took the chequered flag to claim victory in his SEAT León TDI, 0.513s ahead of Muller and Huff. Priaulx brought his BMW home safely in fifth behind Gené and ahead of Monteiro and Barth.

Menu and Barth will make it an all Swiss row for Race 2 later today.