Muller takes race two win and lead as SEAT’s suffer

Yvan Muller won the second race at Monza, as Gabriele Tarquini was given a jump start penalty, then Michael Nykjaer was also denied his first victory after a puncture on the final lap.

This was the second race in a row a final lap puncture cursed the front running car – on this occasion, Muller with a more conservative set-up was able to take the victory.

Michael Nykjaer had started the race from pole position, and held the position from the start.

Yvan Muller climbed into second as Tarquini suffered a slow getaway, into the first corner, Tarquini half knocked Yvan into a spin, but the Frenchman managed to steer out of it and hold the position.

Race 1 independent category winner Mehdi Bennani climbed to 8th, but an obvious jump start penalty was observed, and Bennani was awarded a drive through – which gave the class win to Proteam’s Stefano D’Aste.

On lap 2, Yvan Muller was passed by the TDI powered SEAT of Tarquini, and then on the following lap Tarquini moved past Nykjaer for the lead, as a seven car train formed at the front.

The following lap however, Tarquini was hit with a drive through penalty for an effective jump start. Replays showed he rolled his car before the lights went out, despite stopping and actually losing any advantage – hence why Muller had managed to pass him – but as he started outside of his grid box, the penalty was awarded, and Tarquini fell back, and later retired from the race.

Michael Nykjaer continued to keep a healthy one second lead over Yvan Muller, but then like in race one with Huff and Tarquini, the Danish driver was robbed of a historic first win in the WTCC as his León TDI cut a tyre on the final lap, and Nykjaer had to pull off the circuit.

This left Yvan Muller to take his second win of the season, and into a 24 point lead over second place, which is now shared between team mate Rob Huff and Gabriele Tarquini.

The top classified rookie after Nykjaer’s retirement would be Norbert Michelisz in 8th.

Tom Coronel was again the top SEAT, finishing in second place, with Chevrolet’s Rob Huff rounding off the podium.