Three fighting for independents lead

After four races, three men are sharing the leadership in the WTCC’s Yokohama Independents’ Trophy on 28 points. After four races, three men are sharing the leadership in the WTCC’s Yokohama Independents’ Trophy on 28 points: Pierre-Yves Corthals, Olivier Tielemans and Stefano D’Aste.

At the wheel of his Exagon Engineering SEAT León TFSI, Corthals completed a hat trick in Puebla, setting pole position and winning both rounds 3 and 4. Thus the Belgian driver made up for the penalty that cost him the victory in the first race at Curitiba.

Wiechers-Sport’s Tielemans – a double winner in Curitiba – collected only two fifth places in Mexico, but these were enough for him to maintain the lead.

As for D’Aste, the reigning champion, he has yet to win a race but thanks to his consistency has collected more points than everybody else: 30. However, the 2-point penalty he received (equal to the gap with which he won the 2007 title) placed him on equal points as his two rivals.

But it won’t be a three men fight for the Independents’ crown as there are two other serious pretenders: D’Aste’s team-mate at Proteam Motorsport, Sergio Hernández, and Liqui Moly Team Engstler’s Franz Engstler. They currently lie fourth and fifth with gaps of 5 and 7 points repsectively.