5 November 2012

WTCC: Huff claims a stake on world title

Rob Huff is only two races away from being 2012 FIA World Touring Car Champion. The young Englishman walked away from Shanghai as the new point leader, 15 days before the season's finale.

Huff claimed one second place in yesterday's first race and then won the second one benefitting from the collision between his Chevrolet team-mates Alain Menu and Yvan Muller.

An incident that almost terminated their hopes to keep on fighting until the last finish line. Winning the first race in China, Menu had managed to reduce his gap to 25 points and was set to further close it as he was leading the second race When Muller hit him in an attempt to overtake, Menu slipped down to third, while the Frenchman was later punished by the Stewards with a time penalty that dropped him out of the points.

This gave Huff a solid margin, although both menu and Muller are still in contention by the numbers, because they now lie 35 and 41 points behind, with 55 still to be awarded.

In the Yokohama Trophy, the fight for the title is going to the wire at Macau. Stefano D'Aste put in two strong performances - third and fourth overall - to win both races, and have gaps of just 15 and 3 points from Norbert Michelisz and Pepe Oriola who both experienced a black weekend.

Chevrolet has already won the Manufacturers' title. Sunday's race saw the the lead at the top extended further, with Chevrolet on 930 points, BMW in 2nd place on 602 points and SEAT in 3rd on 569.

The championship resumes for the final races - Rounds 23 and 24 - at Macau on November 18.