Last win in 2008 for Robert Huff

During the last weekend the Chevrolet Lacetti will race in WTCC, it has been given a well deserved goodbye by taking victory in both races. In a chaotic race, Robert Huff was handed the last win of the 2008 World Touring Car Championship season. Newly crowned champion Yvan Muller finished the race in second, just ahead of Andy Priaulx.

Just three laps from the end James Thompson looked on his way to take his second victory of the season. The Briton had started from pole position and led through the entire race. In the first two laps he had been under pressure from Augusto Farfus, but after a mistake from the Brasilian, Thompson had a little lead over the BMW driver and Gabriele Tarquini in the SEAT.

But things turned for the worse three laps from the finish when Farfus touched the side of Thompsons car, forcing him into the concrete wall. Thompsons car was heavily damaged, but the Briton continued driving, despite that almost all suspensions and steering arms were broken, and parked his car on the main straight.

Farfus took over the lead, but his car was not undamaged by the accident. With just 1,5 lap to go, his front wheel broke off and the BMW hit the barrier. Gabriele Tarquini was unable to avoid Farfus’ wheel and flew into the air, while Alain Menu crashed into the wall as well.

This left Robert Huff in the lead, with Yvan Muller and Andy Priaulx able to avoid the carnage as well. Rickard Rydell, who had started from the back of the grid after his retirement in race 1, finished race 2 in fourth. This was however not enough to keep third place in the championship. In fact, because of Priaulx’s podium, the Swede dropped back to fifth in the standings.

Before chaos had started three laps from the end, there had already been a lot of casualties. Nicola Larini jumped the start from the fifth row, and went into the first corner in third. But he soon was given a drive through penalty.

At the Melco hairpin Lada driver Ladygin was the first non-finisher, as he had to park his car behind the barrier during the first lap.

On the second lap it was Andre Couto who failed to finish another home race as he crashed his Honda at Lisboa. Jörg Müller was unable to avoid the strucken car and had to end his race at the spot as well.

On lap 4 Tom Coronel retired in the pits. An example that was followed by Jordi Gené, who parked his car at the side of the road on lap 5.

Nicola Larini did the same thing in the Melco hairpin that lap, and George Tanev joined Larini and Ladygin there a lap later. Independents Trophy winner Sergio Hernandez parked his car in the pits on lap 6 as well.

A happy moment for Franz Engstler on the podium, as he took his first Independents win. He finished in sixth place overall.