Huff leaves Belgium with one point championship lead

Rob Huff leaves Zolder with a one point lead in the World Touring Car Championship over Chevrolet team-mate Alain Menu, with Gabriele Tarquini still within striking distance.

Huff took a comfortable victory in race one ahead of his two Chevrolet team-mates, but was unable to pass the turbo-diesel SEAT of Tarquini in race two, with the two making contact on lap eight.

“I was pressuring Gabriele quite a lot,” said Huff after the race.

“He was very slow in the two chicanes, I just got a good run coming out of the first chicane going up the hill and I had no track left to the right hand side so I was on the grass, and he squeezed me a bit more.”

“(There was) a bit of contact, that broke my steering, or 80% broke my steering. I went off the track two or three times just because the car wouldn’t turn to the right hand side but still managed to nurse it home to get a few points.”

Huff still leads the championship, but the gap has been reduced from four to one point over team-mate Alain Menu, who took two second-place finishes at Belgium.

“I can’t be unhappy,” said Huff.

“(I’m) disappointed with race two to be honest, because we should have had a better result than that, but that’s motorsport.”

SUNRED Engineering driver Gabriele Tarquini still rules himself as out of contention for the championship, despite speculation that the 2009 champion could have a 1.6 turbo engine as soon as the next race at his home track in Monza.

“I was trying harder than him as I have nothing to lose, as I’m not playing for the championship,” said Tarquini.

“…and he’s involved in the championship like me two years ago, but I know that when you are involved in the championship you must pay attention to your (championship) position.”

As a result of his win, Tarquini has moved up to third place in the championship ahead of Yvan Muller, whom had retired with a broken radiator in race two.

Championship Standings