Yves Matton: “Considering the nature of the circuit and the compensation ballast introduced before the meeting, this has been a very positive weekend for us. We can be proud of winning the top three spots in qualifying and finishing first and second in race 1. We knew that it would be almost impossible to get back on the podium at the end of race 2. The starts were the only opportunities we had to move up the field. After that, there was no overtaking in either race. The other thing this meeting has taught us is that the teams are now demonstrating very similar levels of performance. That’s a good sign for the rest of the season.”
Yvan Muller: “We knew that the start would be crucial on this circuit. In race 1, I attacked and managed to open up a bit of a lead on José. When he came back at me, I was able to show him that I could respond in kind. I was able to look after my tyres in the last few laps and notch up another win. I’ve always won the first race here and it’s nice to continue that run! I’m also satisfied with fifth place in race 2. It’s not just the podium finishes that help you win a championship.”
José-María López: “Yvan was just better in every department this weekend. But after three meetings I’m still leading the championship and that’s better than I had hoped for before the season began! Even though it’s almost impossible to overtake here, I think the public saw some interesting races, and that’s good for the championship as a whole.”
Sébastien Loeb: “I had two difficult starts: each time I chose the worst option! In race 1, when I saw that my competitors were all keeping tight to the inside, I tried to get round on the outside, but I ended up getting boxed in. So as not to suffer the same fate twice, I positioned myself on the inside in race 2, but I still got overtaken on the other side. I don’t know if you can put it down to a lack of experience or success, but my starts meant I was out of the running from the off. I hope to put things right next week in Slovakia!”
RESULTS
RACE 1
1. Yvan Muller (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) 14 laps
2. José-María López (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) +1’’282
3. Tiago Monteiro (Honda Civic WTCC) +8’’961
4. Gabriele Tarquini (Honda Civic WTCC) +13’’980
5. Mehdi Bennani (Honda Civic WTCC) +14’’747
6. Norbert Michelisz (Honda Civic WTCC) +16’’672
7. Sébastien Loeb (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) +17’’475
8. Tom Coronel (Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1) +22’’863
9. Gianni Morbidelli (Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1) +27’’891
10. Hugo Valente (Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1) +36’’287
Fastest lap: Yvan Muller (1’50’’119)
RACE 2
1. Gianni Morbidelli (Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1) 14 laps
2. Tiago Monteiro (Honda Civic WTCC) +0’’350
3. Hugo Valente (Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1) +1’’206
4. Tom Coronel (Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1) +5’’104
5. Yvan Muller (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) +5’’435
6. José-María López (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) +5’’605
7. Tom Chilton (Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1) +6’’306
8. Gabriele Tarquini (Honda Civic WTCC) +7’’828
9. Sébastien Loeb (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC) +8’’308
10. Norbert Michelisz (Honda Civic WTCC) +8’’842
Fastest lap: Tiago Monteiro (1’51’’088)
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: DRIVER STANDINGS
1. José-María López: 115 points
2. Yvan Muller: 105 pts
3. Sébastien Loeb: 84 pts
4. Tiago Monteiro: 65 pts
5. Gabriele Tarquini: 48 pts