Race 1 – Double for the Seat Leon Diesel, Muller ahead of Gené

Yvan Muller won the first race of the weekend at Monza for the penultimate event of the season in Italy. The Frenchman secured pole position with an over-boosted Seat Leon TDi and finished ahead of his teammate in the same car, Gené. [Race 1]

Yvan Muller snatched this victory to the end despite a front tire puncture in the last lap.

At the start, the drivers went through the first corner all bunched together. Unfortunately for some, the corner didn’t go smoothly, and notably, Andy Priaulx (championship leader) and Tiago Monteiro bore the brunt of it.

The English driver was pushed by another BMW, D’Aste’s, causing a spin, and then it was Jorg Muller, unable to do much, who hit the reigning champion. With a broken left rear suspension, Priaulx could not continue the race and returned to the pits to retire.

Tiago Monteiro also got pushed, stopping a few meters further in the gravel.

The first BMW, Farfus’s, is only 7th while Thompson in the Alfa Romeo 156 had a good race. He started in 8th position and finished this first race on the podium.

The Frenchman is very strong at this end of the season and is getting back into the world championship battle, especially since the leader, Augusto Farfus, has retired.

In the standings, and before Race 2 which will start at 3:30 PM, Yvan Muller comes within 4 points of the leader, in second place. There will still be one more event, in Macau.

Race 1 Standings in Monza