NEWS ARCHIVE

The FIA World Touring Car Championship visits Imola for the third time after last year’s successful event that marked the reopening of the glorious racetrack after a two-year closure due to extensive renovation works. On the WTCC’s first appearance on this track, in 2005, Alfa Romeo’s Fabrizio Giovanardi and BMW’s Dirk Müller shared victories.

At the eve of his home race meeting at Imola, the current leader of the FIA WTCC Gabriele Tarquini will be a special guest at www.eurosport.yahoo.it next Monday, September 14th. Like other sport stars before him, Tarquini will act as a guest editor, taking part in the editorial meeting, selecting the news to be published on the home page and writing an editorial column.

Title contenders will run on the same weight next week at Imola. BMW drivers and their competitors in the SEAT turbodiesel cars will have the maximum 40-kilos compensation weight on board. The SEAT León TDI emerged as the fastest model during the German weekend, especially due to the changeable weather that plagued the qualifying session on Saturday. According to the calculation that took into account the lap times set in the three previous events, BMW and SEAT remain on the maximum weight.

Andrea Larini, younger brother of Chevrolet driver Nicola, will join the field at Imola. The Italian will be at the wheel of a SUNRED Engineering SEAT León, having won participation as the best scoring driver during the SEAT Eurocup meeting at Oschersleben last Sunday.

BMW cars made the most out of their home race meeting, as Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus shared victories in yesterday’s races at Oschersleben. The Briton won the first one from SEAT Sport’s Gabriele Tarquini and Rickard Rydell, ending a 15-month drought. Later Priaulx claimed another podium result, finishing second between Farfus and Tarquini.

Robert Huff and Kristian Poulsen were given a 10-position grid penalty for today’s Race 1. Huff was penalised because he applied for an engine change on his Chevrolet Cruze car after this morning’s warm up. He will be demoted from 6th to 16th on the grid. Poulsen – who had qualified 23rd – breached the yellow flag rules three times during yesterday’s practice sessions and was also given a 1500 euro fine.

Andy Priaulx has taken his first win since Pau 2008. Pole man Gabriele Tarquini crossed the line second to take the championship lead and Rickard Rydell came home third. As the field entered the first chicane five abreast there was no room for manoeuvre. Jörg Müller was sent into a spin collecting team-mate Farfus on his way. While Farfus continued to a valuable sixth place Jordi Gené, Robert Huff, Félix Porteiro and Jason Watt were all casualties of the opening lap.

Augusto Farfus provided BMW Team Germany with a win on home soil. Priaulx boosted BMW’s points with second place ahead of Gabriele Tarquini. In fact Tarquini was the only non-BMW driver in the top five. Jörg Müller came from 23rd to finish fourth with Sergio Hernández taking fifth.

Andy PRIAULX “I thought a win might never happen again! I’m very happy to be back winning again. Turn one here is carnage so you have to pick your way through and hope you come out the other side. To be honest I was surprised because in qualifying Gabriele’s (Tarquini) pace was sensational. The pace appears to drop off in the SEATs so it was nice to reel them in. Yes, there is a mathematical chance of winning the championship but I think it’s unlikely, very unlikely.”