9.10.2006
Chevrolet on podium again

With Nicola Larini finishing third in race 1 yesterday, Chevrolet scored its third World Touring Car Championship podium in a row. Larini was also the best Chevrolet driver in race 2, finishing on four.

Nicola Larini showed a strong performance in race 1, consolidating his starting position and then gradually moving up the leader board. “It was a race without any problems,” he said. “I had a good, clean fight with Tavano, as well as with Rangoni, who both drove great races and made no mistakes.” Finishing third is another success for the Chevrolet racing Team. Larini finished race 2 on four, less than one second behind the third-ranked Luca Rangoni (BMW).

Race 1 started well for Chevrolet driver Alain Menu who moved into third at the start. Rob Huff was just outside the top ten. Unfortunately, at Turn 1 following the long start-finish straight, Rob Huff’s race was over as he got hit by reigning World Champion, Andy Priaulx, who spun out the turn and collected Huff on the way to the gravel trap.

The safety car was deployed to clear up the mess, adding two laps to the total race distance in the process. Once the track went green again, Alain Menu lost sixth gear. “On the long straight, in fifth, I had to lift to avoid hitting the rev limiter,” he said. “The other cars behind were much quicker through the second part of the corners, resulting in me getting bumped a few times. But I managed to hang on to eighth which means pole position for race 2.”

Race 2 was unfortunately a different story for Menu, as he passed in third in Turn 1 and then gradually lost ground after he ran wide in Turn 12 and damaged the splitter. He finished the race on nine.

Thanks to a titanic job by his mechanics, Rob Huff managed to start race 2 from the pitlane and finished in 15th, while Maurer Motorsport’s Vincent Radermecker finished in third in the Independents Cup.

The 2006 World Touring Car Championship finale takes place in Macau on November 19. A record 11 drivers mathematically can still become the 2006 World Touring Car Champion.

VALENCIA RACE 1 RESULTS
1. A. Farfus (Alfa Romeo) 15 laps (60.075kms) in 28m20s311 (127.190kph)
2. L. Rangoni (BMW) + 0s743
3. N. Larini (Chevrolet) + 2s268
4. S. Tavano (Alfa Romeo) + 6s397
5. P. Terting (SEAT) + 7s698
8. A. Menu (Chevrolet) + 14s738
18. V. Radermecker (Chevrolet) + 23s517
21. M. De Villota (Chevrolet) + 41s052
DNF R. Huff (Chevrolet) Accident (0 laps)

VALENCIA RACE 2 RESULTS
1. J. Müller (BMW) 13 laps (52.065kms) in 23m15s498 (134.310kph)
2. D. Huisman (BMW) + 0s861
3. L. Rangoni (BMW) + 1s485
4. N. Larini (Chevrolet) + 2s395
5. A. Farfus (Alfa Romeo) + 4s435
9. A. Menu (Chevrolet) + 13s238
14. V. Radermecker (Chevrolet) + 20s670
15. R. Huff (Chevrolet) + 21s256
DNF M. De Villota (Chevrolet) Accident (7 laps)