Muller extends championship lead

Date published : 18 Jul 2010 - 18:01:21

Yvan Muller extended his World Touring Car Championship lead as Britain's Andy Priaulx secured a home victory in race two at Brands Hatch.

Chevrolet driver Muller took the spoils in race one at the Kent circuit, and followed that up with a fifth place in the second race to increase his points lead over SEAT driver Gabriele Tarquini to 23 points.

Priaulx, who is himself in title contention, then took his fourth win of the season to end the day 53 points adrift of Muller.

Chevrolet had looked set to dominate the day's opening race after securing a one-two-three in qualifying on Saturday, and they did not disappoint as Muller led home British team-mate Rob Huff.

The Frenchman got away cleanly from pole and eased to the victory as Huff shadowed him all the way without threatening to make a move.

Third place went to the independent BMW of Colin Turkington, the reigning British Touring Car champion continuing his excellent qualifying form with a deserved podium finish.

Tarquini was next up ahead of Tom Coronel and Augusto Farfus, with the third Chevrolet of Alain Menu and BMW driver Priaulx finishing seventh and eighth to secure front-row starts on the reverse grid for the second race.

And the Guernseyman converted that advantage into victory. He initially fell behind team-mate Farfus, but passed the Brazilian to lead home Turkington.

Farfus eventually finished eighth after Menu made an optimistic lunge as he tried to follow Priaulx through so Tarquini took the final podium spot ahead of Coronel, Muller and Huff.