Hungaroring - Race 2: Muller claims first victory

while torrential rain flooded the track

By Franck Drui

5 June 2011 - 15:44
Hungaroring - Race 2: Muller claims (…)

Reigning world champion Yvan Muller claimed his first victory of the season managing to survive a race full of drama, that was suspended by the red flag when torrential rain flooded the track.

Just before the red flags were waved, Gabriele Tarquini performed an extraordinary overtaking manoeuvre to take the lead, passing Coronel and Menu on the outside. When the race resumed, the Italian desperately tried to defend the leadership, but he could do nothing to prevent Muller and Rob Huff from finishing first and second. Eventually he settled with a well deserved third position.

Tom Coronel finished fourth, after a long fight with Tiago Monteiro and Michel Nykjær, but the incident he had with Menu after the restart is currently under investigation.

Robert Dahlgren was impressive on the wet track and could have claimed the best result for Volvo; however he was involved in two different contacts – with Monteiro and Oriola – and received a drive-through that demoted him from fourth to ninth.

Franz Engstler put in a great performance, recovering on the wet track to finish fifth overall and best of the Yokohama Trophy drivers.

Key moments
Start – Menu takes a poor start; Coronel, Poulsen and Bennani sprint to fight for the lead
Lap 1 – Michelisz keeps the inside line at turn 1, brakes on the grass, loses control and collects Poulsen and Bennani
Lap 1 – Coronel leads from Menu and Tarquini
Lap 2 – Heavens open and a shower floods the track
Lap 2 – Tarquini overtakes Menu and Coronel on the outside at turn 3 and takes the lead
Lap 2 – the race is stopped by the red flag; the order is: Tarquini, Coronel, Menu, Muller, Huff, Monteiro
Restart – Rain has stopped, but the track is wet; the field completes the lap behind the safety car
Lap 4 – the race resumes; Tarquini leads from Menu and Coronel
Lap 4 – Menu crashes after a contact with Coronel
Lap 5 – Muller and Huff overtake Coronel for second and third
Lap 5 – Oriola is hit by Dahlgren and retires
Lap 6 – Dahlgren overtakes Coronel for fourth
Lap 7 – Fabiani hits Dudukalo at turn 1
Lap 8 – Dudukalo observes a drive-through for jumping the start
Lap 9 – Villa overtakes O’Young for eighth
Lap 10 – Huff overtakes Tarquini for second
Lap 11 – Nykjær and Monteiro swap sixth and seventh positions
Lap 12 – Dahlgren observes a drive-through for the incident with Oriola
Lap 13 – Nykjær retires with a blown front right tyre
Lap 14 – Engstler overtakes Villa for sixth and wins the Yokohama Trophy

Withdrawals
K. Poulsen: race incident; A. Menu: race incident; P. Oriola: race incident; F. Fabiani: race incident

Pos. Driver Car Time
01 Y. Muller Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 14 laps - 59m02.507
02 R. Huff Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T +3.631
03 G. Tarquini Seat Leon 2.0 TDI +10.106
04 T. Coronel BMW 320 TC +11.699
05 T. Monteiro Seat Leon 2.0 TDI +22.995
06 F. Engstler BMW 320 TC +23.070
07 J. Villa BMW 320 TC +26.322
08 D. O’Young Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T +31.267
09 R. Dahlgren Volvo C30 +36.832
10 F. Barth SR Leon 1.6T +37.247
11 Y. Taniguchi Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T +43.609
12 A. Dudukalo Seat Leon 2.0 TDI +1m34.238
13 M. Nykjaer SR Leon 1.6T +1 lap
14 M. Bennani BMW 320 TC +1 lap
15 N. Michelisz BMW 320 TC +1 lap
16 F. Fabiani BMW 320si DNF
17 A. Menu Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T DNF
18 P. Oriola SR Leon 1.6T DNF
19 K. Poulsen BMW 320 TC DNF
Best lap N. Michelisz BMW 320 TC 2m04.056s

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