Photo: M. Longo - insideracing.com.br

Menu fights off Coronel for race two victory

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Alain Menu took victory in the second race at Brazil beating Tom Coronel in a race long battle, with Yvan Muller taking the final place on the podium.

Menu had started from pole, but Tom Coronel surged through on the standing start in his rear-wheel drive BMW, with SEAT’s Gabriele Tarquini also moving ahead of the Swiss driver into second place from fourth on the grid

The remaining Chevrolets quickly moved through the field, with Michel Nykjaer rapidly being shoved down the order from the front row.

The Dane’s race ended on lap six in a collision with countryman Kristian Poulsen, removing the drivers from the top two positions in the independents’ class.

Alain Menu passed the SEAT León of Tarquini for second place on lap three, with the other three Chevrolets of Rob Huff, Yvan Muller and Cacá Bueno following through one lap later.

Fredy Barth meanwhile crashed out of the the independents’ lead and ninth overall. The 31-year-old Swiss driver had started from the back after losing his qualifying times, and had done well to move into the points placings. His departure promoted Spanish drivers Javier Villa to the independents’ lead and Pepe Oriola to the top of the Jay-Ten Trophy positons, with the two taking their first class victories in their first WTCC weekend.

The four Chevrolets had now caught up to the back of the ROAL Motorsport BMW of Tom Coronel, with Menu passing the Dutchman with light contact into the first corner at the start of lap 10.

Yvan Muller passed team-mate Rob Huff on lap 10 for third, with the Briton quickly attempting to try and get back past the Frenchman. The inter-team battle dropped them away from the fight between Coronel and Menu for the lead.

Coronel kept with Menu right until the end of the race, but was unable to stop Menu from claiming a double victory for Chevrolet at the opening round of the season.

Rob Huff leads the championship leaving Curitiba with 37 points, four points ahead of Alain Menu and Yvan Muller who are tied for second place.