Brands Hatch Sees Müller, Menu Record WTCC Victories

The British stage of the FIA World Touring Car Championship – staged this weekend in front of 35,000 at a humid Brands Hatch, Kent – saw Jörg Müller of BMW Team Germany and Chevrolet’s Alain Menu claiming 13th and 14th round victories.

The reigning world champion, the UK’s Andy Priaulx, racing for BMW Team UK, found things tougher going in both races; he was first held at arm’s length for all 14 laps by Yvan Muller in the SEAT – who remains the championship leader thanks to that determined display – and then suffered a puncture-enforced retirement in the second outing. In spite of this setback, Priaulx leapfrogs Rickard Rydell of Sweden into third place overall. Priaulx stated afterwards that he was relatively happy with the performance.

Muller meanwhile stated his surprise in post-race interviews that he was able to finish so well, considering his weight handicap, thanks to his high-flying championship position. At each stage of the WTCC, leading championship drivers are made to carry additional graduated weights as a handicap depending on their position. Muller’s podium finish and a fourth-placement in race two meant that he was able to overcome the handicap enough to overtake his teammate Gabriele Tarquini, who managed respectable seventh and fifth place finishes.

With ten stages yet to take place after the August-spanning break, the championship is still up for grabs; only one point separates Muller and Tarquini’s SEATs in the top positions, while Priaulx, Rydell and Müller will feel that the gap – 16 points in Priaulx’s case – can still be closed come the final race of the year in Macau, China on 16 November.

In the manufacturers’ championship race, the weekend proved most fruitful for BMW, who cut the gap between second and top-placed SEAT to 29 points. Chevrolet has more to do, a further 31 points behind BMW, though the win for veteran Menu in race two should be regarded as no mean achievement, with the Lacetti being considerably heavier than its rivals.

The Independents’ Trophy saw Stefano D’Aste winning twice, closing the championship gap on Proteam Motorsport rival Sergio Hernández to a solitary point.

The WTCC tyre supplier, Yokohama – whose Advan tyre adorns every partaking vehicle – stated that the weekend exemplified why the WTCC is one of motorsport’s premier events, alongside Formula One and the World Rally Championship under the FIA umbrella. MD, David Seward said that the company was “delighted to be involved” in such an event and that Yokohama looks forward to future involvement in the WTCC series.