Russia, Race 2: Catsburg makes it a WTCC double for LADA

Catsburg led from start to finish

By Franck Drui

12 June 2016 - 14:02
Russia, Race 2: Catsburg makes it (...)

Nicky Catsburg has secured his maiden FIA World Touring Car Championship victory in the Main Race at Moscow Raceway, as LADA clinched a double one-two at home at FIA WTCC ROSNEFT Race of Russia.

In another wet race, Catsburg led from start to finish ahead of his team-mate and Opening Race winner Gabriele Tarquini. Catsburg led by more than three seconds at one stage, but as the track began to dry, he found himself under increasing pressure from Tarquini and the Italian cut the gap to just one second, but Dutch driver Catsburg held on.

Honda’s Norbert Michelisz looked as if he would offer up a challenge to LADA when he charged from fifth to third on the opening lap. After pressuring Tarquini for several laps, the Hungarian would finish up 12 behind. He was followed across the line by his team-mates Rob Huff and Tiago Monteiro. Huff cleared James Thompson and Hugo Valente early on, and Monteiro would pass the same two drivers out of the final corner on consecutive laps before the end.

Thompson overtook LADA driver Valente on the penultimate lap for sixth overall, as he completed a double WTCC Trophy triumph on his third appearance of the season in the ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Chevrolet Cruze.

The Citroën drivers struggled for speed in the conditions, with championship leader José María López the best of them in eighth, with Mehdi Bennani 10th and Yvan Muller 11th. Zengő Motorsport’s 19-year-old rookie Ferenc Ficza shone in the closing stages in his Honda, winning a great fight with Muller with a superb move around the outside of Turn 3, and then also passing Bennani for ninth soon afterwards. As he pursued López, Ficza set the fastest lap of the race on the final tour.

Pos. Driver Team Car Time
1 Nicky Catsburg LADA Sport Lada 17 laps
2 Gabriele Tarquini LADA Sport Lada +1.011
3 Norbert Michelisz Honda Racing Team JAS Honda +13.681
4 Rob Huff Honda Racing Team JAS Honda +20.120
5 Tiago Monteiro Honda Racing Team JAS Honda +25.497
6 James Thompson Munnich Motorsport Chevrolet +29.838
7 Hugo Valente LADA Sport Lada +30.611
8 Jose Maria Lopez Citroen Total WTCC Citroen +36.128
9 Ferenc Ficza Zengo Honda +37.289
10 Mehdi Bennani Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen +42.772
11 Yvan Muller Citroen Total WTCC Citroen +45.498
12 Fredrik Ekblom Polestar Cyan Volvo +54.460
13 Grégoire Demoustier Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen +56.782
14 John Filippi Campos Racing Chevrolet +65.333
15 Thed Bjork Polestar Cyan Volvo +79.323
16 Tom Chilton Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen +1 lap
17 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet DNF

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