Tarquini closes in on Muller

Date published : 04 Jul 2010 - 20:01:04

Gabriele Tarquini closed the gap on World Touring Car Championship leader Yvan Muller by following up his third place in race one with victory in race two at Sunday's round in Portimao.

The Italian's SEAT team-mate Tiago Monteiro won the first race 1.032seconds ahead of Frenchman Muller (Chevrolet).

The reigning champion came from sixth on the grid to clinch victory in the second race, 1.736secs ahead of Muller with the Chevrolet of Briton Robert Huff third.

Augusto Farfus (BMW) and Alain Menu (Chevrolet) were fourth and fifth in race one with Menu improving to fourth in race two in which Andy Priaulx (BMW) was fifth.

The win lifted Tarquini to within 15 points of the championship lead.

Huff's drive was perhaps the most impressive, though, as he came from 18th on the grid to claim a spot on the podium.

Three-time former champion Priaulx also produced a stirling second-race drive as he made his way through the field, moving up from 21st to finish fifth.

Priaulx had been forced to retire from race one after a coming together with the SEAT of Fredy Barth which damaged the left-hand side of his car.