Honda celebrate second 1-2-3 result of the season in China

Honda celebrated a best-possible 1-2-3 finish for the second time this year in race two at the Shanghai International Circuit, in what will be the penultimate race for the current generation of regulations, with Tiago Monteiro leading Gabriele Tarquini and Norbert Michelisz.

In the tricky conditions of race one, Tarquini finished as the best placed Honda in seventh in a melee of cars all fighting over third position in the closing stages, with Zengõ Motorsport’s Norbert Michelisz tenth and the JAS Honda of Tiago Monteiro staying out of trouble in 11th.

Monteiro then started from pole for race two with team-mate Tarquini alongside and Michelisz starting on the row behind in fourth position. At the start, Monteiro was able to get the jump on Tarquini, while Michelisz was able to get ahead of the Münnich Motorsport SEAT of outgoing champion Rob Huff to grab third, and held him off till the finish to achieve a strong podium position.

Michelisz however drops one position in the standings to seventh, now just one point behind Huff going into the final race weekend at Macau in two weeks’ time.

“That was a dream race really,” said Michelisz. “I never thought I could get this result in Shanghai. I knew that I must overtake right at the start and then there was a heavy fight going on behind me so I had to concentrate all the way. I had to use some different lines and really work the brakes and tyres hard. There was little grip left on the last laps but I got home with a great result.”

Tarquini was closing on Monteiro’s Civic in the closing stages of the race, but ultimately finished in second place, but crucially extended his points lead over race one winner Tom Chilton in the drivers’ standings, and goes to Macau 24 points ahead of the RML driver with 55 still to play for.

“Without question I had to give maximum attack from the start. But I have to recognise that Tiago made a fantastic race and he had the edge over me today. It was a fantastic race for us and I’m so happy for this second Honda hat-trick.”

A delighted Tiago Monteiro, who took only his fifth WTCC career victory and his first since Valencia in 2010, then driving the turbo-diesel SEAT León of SR-Sport, said: “I said before this weekend that I hoped for a win before the end of the season but maybe I didn’t expect it here before the event started.

“But everything worked just great, my luck seems to have changed for the better recently. It may have looked quite simple but that was as hard a race as I’ve had. From the very first metre off the line it was like a qualifying lap every lap. I really wanted this win.”