Belgian fans who flocked to the Zolder track on a sunny Easter Sunday were rewarded by two close WTCC races that saw Rob Huff and Gabriele Tarquini sharing victories.
It was another great weekend for the Chevrolet team in sunny and warm Zolder in Belgium; the Cruze took its first win in Belgium with a clean sweep for Rob Huff, Alain Menu and Yvan Muller who dominated Race 1 to gratify the many Chevrolet fans with an all-blue podium. Huff encored the successful result achieved one month ago in Brazil, converting pole position to his second win of the season. He was followed by team-mates Alain Menu and Yvan Muller who secured Chevrolet's second 1-2-3 finish of the year.
The second race was one of the most exciting ever with Gabriele Tarquini and his SEAT León TDi being able to interrupt Chevrolet's supremacy.
The tough fight for the lead between the Italian and Huff will be remembered and today's result proved that even a great team with great drivers can fail when put under pressure.
Which is good news for the championship that is still led by Huff who has only a one-point margin ahead of Menu.
The battle for the Yokohama Trophy was equally thrilling. Kristian Poulsen and Darryl O'Young (the latter having just swapped to the Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T) grabbed one victory apiece. But the competition was extremely close and involved Michel Nykjær, Norbert Michelisz, Pepe Oriola and Javier Villa who even managed to post the overall fastest lap in Race 2.
Good news also for Volvo, as Robert Dahlgren scored his first points in what could be the last race for the C30 with the 2.0L normally aspirated engine. Polestar Racing are working hard to bring the new 1.6L turbo at Monza, which could definitely boost the ambitions of the Swedish patrol. The same aim have SUNRED that hope to fit the turbo unit on Tarquini's and Monteiro's cars at the Italian event.
The championship will resume at Monza, Italy, on May 15th for rounds 5 and 6.
ZOLDER RACE 1 RESULTS
1. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze
2. A Menu Chevrolet Cruze
3. Y Muller Chevrolet Cruze
4. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI
5. T Monteiro SEAT León TDI
ZOLDER RACE 2 RESULTS
1. G Tarquini, SEAT Leon TDI
2. A Menu, Chevrolet Cruze
3. T Monteiro, SEAT Leon TDI
4. D O’Young, Chevrolet Cruze
5. M Nykjaer, SEAT Leon TDI
DNF Y Muller
DRIVERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 4 OF 24
1. R Huff (Chevrolet), 70 points; 2. A Menu (Chevrolet), 69; 3. G Tarquini (SEAT), 51; 4. Y
Muller (Chevrolet), 48; 5. T Monteiro (SEAT), 31; ... etc
MANUFACTURERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 4 OF 24
1. Chevrolet, 156 points; 2. SEAT, 107; 3. BMW, 85; 4. Volvo, 28.
It was another great weekend for the Chevrolet team in sunny and warm Zolder in Belgium; the Cruze took its first win in Belgium with a clean sweep for Rob Huff, Alain Menu and Yvan Muller who dominated Race 1 to gratify the many Chevrolet fans with an all-blue podium. Huff encored the successful result achieved one month ago in Brazil, converting pole position to his second win of the season. He was followed by team-mates Alain Menu and Yvan Muller who secured Chevrolet's second 1-2-3 finish of the year.
The second race was one of the most exciting ever with Gabriele Tarquini and his SEAT León TDi being able to interrupt Chevrolet's supremacy.
The tough fight for the lead between the Italian and Huff will be remembered and today's result proved that even a great team with great drivers can fail when put under pressure.
Which is good news for the championship that is still led by Huff who has only a one-point margin ahead of Menu.
The battle for the Yokohama Trophy was equally thrilling. Kristian Poulsen and Darryl O'Young (the latter having just swapped to the Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T) grabbed one victory apiece. But the competition was extremely close and involved Michel Nykjær, Norbert Michelisz, Pepe Oriola and Javier Villa who even managed to post the overall fastest lap in Race 2.
Good news also for Volvo, as Robert Dahlgren scored his first points in what could be the last race for the C30 with the 2.0L normally aspirated engine. Polestar Racing are working hard to bring the new 1.6L turbo at Monza, which could definitely boost the ambitions of the Swedish patrol. The same aim have SUNRED that hope to fit the turbo unit on Tarquini's and Monteiro's cars at the Italian event.
The championship will resume at Monza, Italy, on May 15th for rounds 5 and 6.
ZOLDER RACE 1 RESULTS
1. R Huff Chevrolet Cruze
2. A Menu Chevrolet Cruze
3. Y Muller Chevrolet Cruze
4. G Tarquini SEAT León TDI
5. T Monteiro SEAT León TDI
ZOLDER RACE 2 RESULTS
1. G Tarquini, SEAT Leon TDI
2. A Menu, Chevrolet Cruze
3. T Monteiro, SEAT Leon TDI
4. D O’Young, Chevrolet Cruze
5. M Nykjaer, SEAT Leon TDI
DNF Y Muller
DRIVERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 4 OF 24
1. R Huff (Chevrolet), 70 points; 2. A Menu (Chevrolet), 69; 3. G Tarquini (SEAT), 51; 4. Y
Muller (Chevrolet), 48; 5. T Monteiro (SEAT), 31; ... etc
MANUFACTURERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 4 OF 24
1. Chevrolet, 156 points; 2. SEAT, 107; 3. BMW, 85; 4. Volvo, 28.