[WTCC] Race 5 & 6 - Valencia (SPA), 17/18 May 2008

[racingdude]

Pos Driver Car Time
1. Robert Huff Chevrolet 22:52.987
2. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT + 5.376
3. Jordi Gene SEAT + 10.095
4. Yvan Muller SEAT + 10.491
5. Jorg Muller BMW + 10.982
6. Nicola Larini Chevrolet + 11.679
7. Andy Priaulx BMW + 12.114
8. Alain Menu Chevrolet + 13.189
9. Tom Coronel SEAT + 19.643
10. Rickard Rydell SEAT + 21.075
11. Tiago Monteiro SEAT + 22.016
12. James Thompson Honda + 24.900
13. Alex Zanardi BMW + 26.985
14. Jose Perez Aicart SEAT + 29.021
15. Stefano D'Aste BMW + 31.461
16. Olivier Tielemans BMW + 33.208
17. Andrey Romanov BMW + 42.738
18. Franz Engstler BMW + 46.632
19. Alexander Lvov Honda + 54.226
20. Viktor Shapovalov Lada +1:19.208
21. Andrey Smetsky Honda + 1 lap
22. Felix Porteiro BMW + 1 lap
23. Sergio Hernandez BMW + 1 lap
24. Ibrahim Okyay BMW + 1 lap

Retirements:

Driver Car Laps
Augusto Farfus BMW 5
Pierre-Yves Corthals SEAT 2
Jaap van Lagen Lada 1

[Sodemo]

It seems that the BTCC race and the WTCC races are now on at the same time, which sucks a bit.

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

It seems that the BTCC race and the WTCC races are now on at the same time, which sucks a bit.

Add STCC to that, and DTC as well I think. Tricky indeed

[Bramzel]

Highly entertaining race with various good fights. Couple of thoughts:

- Menu drove around with a damaged splitter, hanging lower to the ground then normal. I hope that won't cause him any problems after the race.

-Felt a bit sorry for Thompson though, looked like he had a crosshair on his rear or something. First one of the Seats (Monteiro?) using too much force to get past there, then Porteiro divebombing from miles away twice.

- Huff had a day he can't complain about, seems he took some proper revenge for the last couple of years

- The price for bad parking went to Corthals, he might as wel had parked it in the middle between the two rows at the start

- When will Farfus learn that other cars are actually solid objects? He completely spoiled it for himself again by moving out on Muller.

Now, if only WTCC would start at Valencia next season, where the cars are equal and the racing is always good, instead of those obscure little tracks in South America...

[roachy101]

It's good to see Huff back in the reckoning after having some bad fortune recently. And i wonder if target will be looking to sponsor Thompson after all the hits in both races

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

Add STCC to that, and DTC as well I think. Tricky indeed

And the SEAT EuroCup delayed coverage. On Eurosport 2 at the same time as the WTCC on Eurosport. Crazy scheduling!

[Nortad]

[quote=Bramzel]
-Felt a bit sorry for Thompson though, looked like he had a crosshair on his rear or something. First one of the Seats (Monteiro?) using too much force to get past there, then Porteiro divebombing from miles away twice.

-quote]

I think monteiro has more reasons to complain about that move than thompson, cuz he wasnt shoving, thompson was the one "closing the door" hard and pushing him off track, everyone else hit him on that corner and only monteiro got a drive thru

[Blackadder]

Looks like Priaulx has been penalised for an incident in race 1, Valencia, http://www.andypriaulx.com/news/?p=392 mmm...

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by Blackadder

Looks like Priaulx has been penalised for an incident in race 1, Valencia, http://www.andypriaulx.com/news/?p=392 mmm...

Barely. Andy so rarely creates contact, a suspended penalty is almost not one at all in his case.

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by Nortad

I think monteiro has more reasons to complain about that move than thompson, cuz he wasnt shoving, thompson was the one "closing the door" hard and pushing him off track, everyone else hit him on that corner and only monteiro got a drive thru

Thompson was only defending his line, and in a completely acceptable manner.

[Ellmau]

Originally Posted by TouringCarTimes

Engstler's team mate Andrey Romanov was also fined and received an official warning, for threatening and intimidating Olivier Tielemans during the discussion that followed after the race.

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=2333

That just makes me sad

[racingdude]

Originally Posted by Ellmau

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=2333

That just makes me sad

....

[Bramzel]

Truely pathetic, definitely not something I would have expected from a respected team like Engstler.

[werner]

It's pathetic indeed, but what strikes me even more is the little punishment that has been given. I think 'causing avoidable contact' is not the same as 'ramming an oponent into retirement'. A disqualification and maybe even a race-ban would be in place IMO.
Would there be a possibilitie that a civil court would take this on. Threatening, vandalism on the car, trying to injure someone....

[racingdude]

Indeed, i think it's still not a big punishment. Tielemans could have won in Valencia, because he was behind D'aste. Stefano D'aste was getting problems during the race. They had to get banned! what if the team is getting one more warning? are they getting banned?

[stedevil]

Yeah, that was a real disgrace. If they had a problem with Tielemans driving they should have taken it up with the Stewards, not act like judge jury and executioner them selves. If it happens again, they should be thrown out of the championship.

Originally Posted by roachy101

And i wonder if target will be looking to sponsor Thompson

Sure would be fitting. He should put a HUGE bullseye at the back of the car, perhaps even add the running score of hits from certain people next to it. :P

[Sodemo]

I thought Thompson's treatment by other "racers" over the two races was appalling.

I thought John Cleland did a great job though.

[Icebaby]

Cleland was brilliant in the commentry box, The contact Thompson had to take was disgraceful and he'll proberbly need every panel on the car replaced, good potential from the Honda in a straight line but I can't help thinking what he would have done with the Alfa again...proberbly won.

[the sniper]

Much better racing this weekend then in Brazil and Mexico, hopefully the Honda will go better in Pau.

I also though that John Cleland did a great job, I can't wait to hear his comments over the rest of the season.

[Valenok]

Originally Posted by stedevil

Yeah, that was a real disgrace. If they had a problem with Tielemans driving they should have taken it up with the Stewards, not act like judge jury and executioner them selves. If it happens again, they should be thrown out of the championship.

Take it easy. "After that - not because of that". If Engstler something told to Tielemans, and after that they had accident, it doesn't mean that Engstler try to do it. It may be a race accident.
And I don't understand what is "threatening and intimidating". Romanov threatened by mafia and by panishment? Did Tielemans understand him right?
I think that tactic of protesting on every action is not right. That's racing, and those accidents - common thing. But I think, Engstler and Romanov must think more about their words in future, to avoid such cases.

[werner]

Well, they did give Engstler a penalty and Romanov a fine, so at least something must have happened.
And ramming people out of a race is very serious IMO. It's not only very unsportive, but, more importantly also very costly and potentially very dangerous.

[Ellmau]

Originally Posted by Valenok

And I don't understand what is "threatening and intimidating". Romanov threatened by mafia and by panishment? Did Tielemans understand him right?

The FIA doesn't punish anyone if it's one drivers word against the other. I'm very sure there were other people present that could confirm what happened to the FIA, or maybe there was even a FIA representative present, so it's not a matter of Tielemans understanding him right or not.

[cg7aa]

I've been meaning to ask this but I keep forgetting. Its about Huff's start in race one. Did he edge ahead slightly before the start line or not?

What exactly is the rule for passing during rolling starts? Are there some grey areas in the rules?

[stedevil]

I think both Huff and that other Seat (forgot the name of the driver at the moment) BOTH was ahead of Yvan at the start. So I'm guessing Seat & Cheavy just agreed upon to not complain either of them. After all, that would have meant they both lose points and give them to BMW drivers instead.

This is all a guess BTW.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by stedevil

I think both Huff and that other Seat (forgot the name of the driver at the moment) BOTH was ahead of Yvan at the start. So I'm guessing Seat & Cheavy just agreed upon to not complain either of them. After all, that would have meant they both lose points and give them to BMW drivers instead.

This is all a guess BTW.

I got the same feeling myself when wathing it, just odd that BMW didnt notice it and complaind, cause they would have been the big winners. But its also wrong from FIA to not take action against this, it was clearly a violation and they choose not to do anything, which is wrong.