Yann Ehrlacher emerged with probably the most factors from spherical 4 of the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour at Vila Actual, because the Frenchman took pole and victory in Race 1 earlier than a top-eight end within the reverse-grid second race
Yann Ehrlacher underlined his title credentials by claiming his first pole place of the season and changing it right into a commanding lights-to-flag win in Race 1. His efficiency throughout the weekend, which additionally included topping all observe periods, strengthened his grip on the championship because the season reached its midway level.
The Lynk & Co Cyan Racing driver headed a one-two in qualifying with teammate Santiago Urrutia simply 0.180s adrift, whereas Esteban Guerrieri positioned third within the GOAT Racing Honda in a session interrupted by three pink flags.
Within the opening race, Ehrlacher led away cleanly and was by no means challenged, with Urrutia and Guerrieri following him dwelling to say the rostrum locations. Aurélien Comte jumped previous Mikel Azcona at the beginning to say fourth, whereas the latter’s afternoon unravelled with a puncture that dropped him to eleventh.
There was misfortune for a number of drivers. Viktor Andersson suffered a gasoline pump challenge earlier than the beginning, and each Marco Butti and Dušan Borković retired with mechanical issues, with the Serb’s automobile sustaining harm in touch with the obstacles. Ignacio Montenegro, regardless of a pit-lane begin and a drive-through penalty, recovered to ninth with a late move on native wildcard Daniel Teixeira.
Ehrlacher’s Race 1 victory stretched his factors result in 31, although he confronted a more durable problem in Race 2 from tenth on the reversed grid.
Within the second race, it was Thed Björk and Ma Qing Hua who continued Lynk & Co Cyan Racing’s stranglehold on the weekend. Ma allowed Björk to get by mid-race, with the Swede taking a managed victory, his first of the season. Montenegro accomplished the rostrum to attain his maiden World Tour high three end.
Montenegro had began on pole however was rapidly demoted by the Cyan vehicles. Behind, Comte once more impressed to complete fourth, whereas Azcona salvaged fifth following teammate Norbert Michelisz’s late-race drama.
Guerrieri completed sixth forward of Borković, whereas Ehrlacher got here dwelling eighth to restrict his factors loss. The Frenchman maintained a cushty 27-point cushion over Guerrieri heading into the summer season break, with Urrutia third within the standings on 215 factors.
The sequence resumes in September at Australia’s the Bend Motorsport Park for spherical 5 of the eight-event marketing campaign.
Kumho FIA TCR World Tour standings:
- Ehrlacher, 250pts
- Guerrieri, 223
- Urrutia, 215
