Photo: TC2000

Toyota dominate Buenos Aires with a 1-2-3

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Toyota Team Argentina have won their first race in over a year, with a debut victory for Bernardo Llaver and Mauro Giallombardo as well as a 1-2-3 podium sweep at the Buenos Aires 200km.

Llaver and Giallombardo crossed the line 4.8 seconds ahead of team-mate Facundo Ardusso & Agustín Canapino, with pole sitters Mariano Werner & Esteban Guerrieri finishing third to secure a dream result for TTA, with the fourth car finishing in seventh place.

Nestor Girolami and Matías Russo rescued a good result for Equipo Petrobras with fourth, whilst team-mate and championship leader Leonel Pernía, sharing with Ricardo Risatti finished eighth just two places behind championship rival Norberto Fontana.

With only one race remaining, it is now a two way fight between 2002 champion Fontana and Pernía, who is looking for his first TC2000 title.

This means that two-time champion José María López will not be able to acheive a hat-trick of titles this year, with the Honda driver not finishing the race.

Of the international contingent, Yvan Muller, co-driving with Christian Ledesma, picked up fifth place for Chevrolet Elaion, with the team’s second car in ninth driven by Guillermo Ortelli & Alain Menu.

Gabriele Tarquini, Stefan Johannsson and Nicolas Minassian all retired from the race.