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José Manuel Urcera takes qualifying race win on Citroën’s debut

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Citroën Total Racing’s José Manuel Urcera has won the first Super TC 2000 qualifying race of 2017 in Buenos Aires from pole position. He was followed by Renault Sport’s Leonel Pernía and Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina’s Matías Rossi.

At the start, Urcera held onto the lead as Pernía allowed him into Turn 1, followed by Rossi in third position.

Behind the leaders, Facundo Ardusso was chasing Rossi for third, but the Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina driver defended his line throughout all Buenos Aires Turn 9. The Renault Sport driver took his first attempt over the Corolla at Mixtos (Turn 3) braking by the outside, but failed.

After a disappointing qualifying, Esteban Guerrieri pushed hard in his factory Citroën to gain places for tomorrow’s feature race. At the same time, Ardusso tried again, without success, to overtake Rossi repeating his move at Turn 3.

On lap eight, Pernía gave some air to Urcera, and both leaders pulled a large gap of five seconds over Rossi, Ardusso, Spataro and Werner.

Nobody could stop Urcera, whose factory Citroën C4 Lounge took the chequered flag in first place, followed by Pernía and Rossi. Ardusso finished in fourth, with Spataro and Werner behind. Reigning champion Agustín Canapino came home in seventh, with Ignacio Julián, Facundo Chapur and Luciano Farroni rounding off the top ten.

Following the new sporting regulations, this result will decide tomorrow’s feature race grid. This means that Urcera will start again on pole, joint by Pernía on the front row, as Rossi and Ardusso will share second row. The race will start at 12:05 local time, and is set for 40 laps.

After the first points were awarded, Urcera has taken the championship lead with six points, five for his win plus one for pole position, Pernía has four, Rossi three, Ardusso two and Spataro one.