Lopez drives Argentina crazy

Local here 'Pechito' Lopez rewrote the history books when the WTCC aid its first visit to Argentina over the weekend, writes Trish Whelan.

In 2005, Duncan Huisman become the first driver to win a WTCC round at his first attempt - but he had experience in FIA Touring Car Championships - and now Lopez's victory in Race 2 at Termas de Rio Honda was the first WTCC win by a 'rookie' driver.

Lopez

And he beat Yvan Muller who had taken maximum points in Race 1. But the RML Chevrolet driver was handed a drive-through penalty in Race 2 after making contact with Tiago Monteiro while the pair were battling for second place.

Gabriele Tarquni gave the Castrol Honda team something to celebrate by finishing second in Race 2 while Pepe Oriola recorded a pair of podium finishes and so collected a healthy points haul from the long journey to South America.

In the Championship standings, Muller now has a massive 132 point lead in the Drivers' table ahead of Michel Nykjaer, with Tarquini in third place. Nykjaer has also extended his lead in the Yokohama Trophy to nine points after the two races in Argentina, ahead of the British pair of James Nash and Alex MacDowall.

The Championship will resume after a one month break for rounds 17 and 18 at Sonoma, USA on 8th September.