Former BTCC driver Alex MacDowall took his first independents’ class win in the WTCC in Austria after a strong showing all weekend in the Bamboo Engineering Chevrolet Cruze.
MacDowall secured his first class pole position yesterday with fifth on the grid, with only Gabriele Tarquini’s Lukoil Racing Team SEAT separating him from the three works Chevrolets, and without his team-mate Pasquale Di Sabatino in Q2 was left without a slipstreaming partner.
In the first race, MacDowall dropped a spot to Tiago Monteiro at the start, but the 21-year-old from Carlisle held position to finish as the top placed independent driver and took 11 points in the Yokohama Independents’ Trophy.
“It’s been a good weekend,” said MacDowall after the race. “It’s what we needed, that little boost, our spirits are very high.”
“I was looking healthy during the race, I could see the three works Chevrolets battling quite hard with the tow, so it was a shame Monteiro got ahead at the start. It was just so tough to try and get past him and Tarquini was very wise in his defensive moves.”
“I thought I’d play it safe and if it an opportunity comes I’d take it, but it didn’t happen but I’m still happy to take my first independent win.”
Alex MacDowall is now in a clear sixth in the independents’ standings, just three points behind Mehdi Bennani going to the next round at Portimao.
