Photo: FIA Media

Priaulx leads BMW 1-2, SEAT towards title

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Andy Priaulx has won a first wet race in Japan ahead of fellow BMW driver Jorg Muller, as the championship contenders Tarquini and Farfus recover from spins to score points.

Farfus claims pole for race two, but needs to outscore Tarquini to stay in contention for the title.

With a surprise rain shower giving us another wet race at the Okayama circuit for a second year running, the safety car was deployed to control the field for the first two laps.

When the race got going, title contenders Gabriele Tarquini and Augusto Farfus were the first to make mistakes, sliding off into the gravel on lap 3 but coming back on to the track in 8th and 12th respectively.

Rickard Rydell now the best placed SEAT, attempted to pass the now second placed Jorg Muller but damaged his suspension in the process and retired straight away, along with Spaniard Sergio Hernandez who also lost control in the wet.

The last few laps of the race would play a vital role in how this race would affect the championship, as Alain Menu and Augusto Farfus fought hard for the all important 8th place, the last points paying position but more importantly the position which will award pole for race two – with Farfus eventually snatching it after contact with Menu at the end of lap 15.

SEAT employed team orders to give Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini the best possible points, as third place Jordi Gené deliberately dropped behind his two team mates, as well as Chevrolet driver Rob Huff, to give the British driver the last spot on the podium.

With no championship to worry about, Jorg Muller and Andy Priaulx battled hard in the last few laps, but Jorg couldn’t succeed in passing the triple World Champion – and Priaulx went on to score his second win of the season.

Tom Coronel won the independent category and is close to claiming the Yokohama Independent Trophy.

Farfus will start race two from pole, with four SEAT TDI’s lining up behind him for the standing start. Although the championship can’t be decided this afternoon, it can be decided as to whether it’s just between two SEAT drivers, or whether Farfus can remain the outsider heading to Macau.