Photo: Citroën Racing, Honda Racing

Yvan Muller: “You can’t pass” at Vila Real, Rob Huff: “You can”

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Citroën’s Yvan Muller has his best shot of victory of the 2016 WTCC season in Vila Real tomorrow starting on the front row alongside the Honda of Tiago Monteiro, but the Frenchman says it’ll all be down to the start as there are no overtaking opportunities at the street circuit, although Honda’s Rob Huff, starting P4, has a different opinion.

Muller’s Citroën C-Elysée WTCC will line up second on the grid for the main race on Sunday, and the Frenchman described his very basic strategy for the race.

“My plan is to do a better start than Tiago, and then I’ll be in front and then I’ll win the race as you can’t overtake on this circuit,” he said. “Unfortunately, motor racing is not that easy.

“It’s all about the start, as after that there is no opportunity to overtake (here). If the guy in front of you doesn’t do a mistake, you cannot pass, and even if he does a mistake you’ll probably hit him. I hope (Monteiro) will not do any mistakes as we’ve had (a crash) already,” he joked, referring to the two drivers’ collision at the Nürburgring.

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Rob Huff also made a error in qualifying and believes he threw away pole position, but is hoping to make use of the potential-pole-winning pace from his Honda on race day, and after starting both races near the back at the track last year, he believes passing is possible at the circuit.

“This was probably the easiest chance of pole position I’ve probably ever had, and I made a right balls-up of it,” said Huff to TouringCarTimes. “At Turn 4 when I locked up and went off I was already a tenth faster than my Q2 lap, and then in the last sector I was two-tenths faster, so I think a 1:56.0 was there somewhere, but it’s all ifs and buts. I locked up, and I ruined the lap, which is a shame.

“Last year in the Lada I overtook ten cars in the two races, so it’s a circuit you can overtake on. I’m not sure how I did it but I’m sure it’ll come flooding back to me. The Honda is very quick, I’m very comfortable with it, so I’m pretty sure we can go forward, certainly in the (reversed grid) race one, and I’ll aim for the same in race two. We’ve got nothing to play for between us, though it’s very difficult to overtake someone in the same car on a street circuit, but as we’ve also seen today, it’s very easy to make a mistake.”