Proteam Racing driver Mehdi Bennani secured his two best WTCC career results at the Hungaroring, first claiming fifth on the grid and the independent class pole, followed by fourth place in race one and third in race two to take his first WTCC podium result.
The Moroccan was left without a team-mate this weekend after the late withdrawal of Spaniard Isaac Tutumlu, whilst Bennani established himself as the top BMW driver of all in the first race, finishing behind the three works Chevrolets after fighting off the SR León of Tiago Monteiro in the early stages.
“The first one when I finished fourth it was a wonderful result, my best result ever in WTCC,” Bennani told TouringCarTimes.
“In race two when I started just behind Michelisz, I was thinking why we couldn’t fight for the podium. But I had contact with Oriola in Turn 2, and after that there was a big gap to Michelisz. But we could fight for second and third place, which was a dream for me because we’ve begun this championship with too many problems with the engine and the turbo, but now since Slovakia it’s resolved and I think we’re going to have a new fight in the remaining races.”
Bennani’s results in Hungary have launched him into the top ten in the drivers’ standings, just one point behind Franz Engstler, and up to fifth in the independents’ classification.
