Tarquini wins Portimao thriller

Date published : 04 Jul 2010 - 16:21:47

Gabriele Tarquini came through from sixth on the grid to win Sunday's thrilling second World Touring Car race at Portimao.Front row starters Fredy Barth and Norbert Michelisz had shortlived reigns at the front. Barth made a terrible start and was eighth half way round the first lap. Michelisz lasted a little longer and led for the first four laps, but then his Leon TDi slowed and he plummeted down the order before retiring in the pits.Alain Menu also led briefly, passing Michelisz on the start/finish straight, but being overtaken by Tarquini just two corners later. Menu was unable to respond and slipped backwards during the rest of the race.Once ahead, Tarquini had a fairly free run as the Chevrolets squabbled over the remaining podium places. Yvan Muller made his way past Tom Coronel and then bumped past Menu on the inside of the Turn 5 hairpin.Huff had charged through the field from the back of the grid after his retirement in the first race. In the closing stages, he jumped the SEATs of Coronel and race one winner Tiago Monteiro to move into fourth, and then snatched the final podium spot from Menu at the same spot as Muller on the final lap.The BMWs of Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus also passed Coronel and Monteiro, and followed the Chevrolets home in fifth and sixth.Colin Turkington was again denied an independent class victory when he spun as a result of contact on the first lap.He made his way back up to second in class, passing Harry Vaulkhard on the final lap, but couldn't prevent Darryl O'Young from taking the class victory.Pos Driver Car Time/Gap 1. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT 21m49.935s 2. Yvan Muller Chevrolet +1.736 3. Rob Huff Chevrolet +2.587 4. Alain Menu Chevrolet +3.244 5. Andy Priaulx BMW +3.570 6. Augusto Farfus BMW +4.094 7. Tom Coronel SEAT +6.201 8. Tiago Monteiro SEAT +6.513 9. Fredy Barth SEAT +10.20710. Darryl O'Young Chevrolet +12.75111. Colin Turkington BMW +13.60912. Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet +14.85713. Mehdi Bennani BMW +18.10014. Stefano D'Aste BMW +19.12515. Franz Engstler BMW +21.27116. Andrey Romanov BMW +35.97717. Sergio Hernandez BMW +1 lapRetirements Jordi Gene SEAT 9 laps Norbert Michelisz SEAT 5 laps Michel Nykjaer SEAT 3 laps Kristian Poulsen BMW 1 lap Fastest lap, Gene 1m57.902s