Slovakia Ring, Race 2: Girolami and Guerrieri score team 1-2

Néstor Girolami headed ALL-INKL.Com Münnich Motorsport team-mate Esteban Guerrieri for a Honda one-two in the reverse-grid Race 2 at WTCR Race of Slovakia.

The Argentinian pair overcame Pole Position starter Rob Huff to claim the top two positions in their Honda Civic Type R TCRs, as Kevin Ceccon claimed Team Mulsanne’s second podium of the day by finishing third in his Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR.

“Congratulations to all the guys in the team because my car was really damaged after my Race 1 accident,” said points leader Girolami, whose victory was his third of the season. “I didn’t know if we would even do the race, so thanks guys.

“We’ve had an amazing car all weekend and it’s amazing to have Esteban second and to be leading the points. As soon as I saw he was second I knew we were okay, because we don’t want to fight. Sometimes I win, sometimes he wins. That’s the way we want to work.”

Huff looked to have lost his lead to Girolami from the lights, but took a wide line at Turn 1 and undercut the Honda to head the field. But his advantage didn’t last as Girolami made his definitive move on the second lap. Guerrieri, who had started in sixth, was the next to demote Huff on lap three.

The SLR VW Motorsport driver did his best to cling on third in his Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, but Ceccon overpowered him at the start of lap seven to claim third, following team-mate Ma Qinghua’s second place in Race 1.

By the end of the nine-lap contest, Race 3 DHL Pole Position starter Nicky Catsburg had also passed Huff to claim fourth for BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Racing. Huff finished fifth ahead of Race 1 podium finisher Norbert Michelisz and PWR Racing’s Daniel Haglöf in his Cupra TCR.

Comtoyou Team Audi Sport’s Niels Langeveld was eighth ahead of Ma, who did well to finish ninth after an early moment. Tom Coronel completed the top 10 after getting the best of old rival Yvan Muller, the pair having started in P27 and P20 respectively.

The other points finishers were Leopard Racing Team Audi Sport duo Jean-Karl Vernay and Gordon Shedden, Mehdi Bennani and Johan Kristoffersson.

Race 3 of WTCR Race of Slovakia is due to start at 16h45 local time.