Jean-Karl Vernay thanks Rob Huff as team work helps him to Spa victory

Jean-Karl Vernay took his first win since Singapore last year in the second race at Spa-Francorchamps, with new team-mate Rob Huff handing over the lead at Les Combes in a coordinated multi-car manoeuvre.

The two Team WRT Volkswagens of Huff and Vernay made a strong start, with Huff up to second into the first corner after a melee at the start involving WRT’s Maxime Potty, Boutsen Ginion’s Tom Coronel and Craft-Bamboo’s Pepe Oriola.

Vernay was fourth and would work his way forward after Benjamin Lessennes and Rob Huff made contact on lap four. Vernay then caught Huff and Mondron a lap later, with Huff blocking Mondron down the inside which allowed Vernay around the outside into the lead, and the two WRT Volkswagens controlled the race from there.

“I didn’t expect to win, I hoped to get to around P4 or P5, but we got lucky at the start,” said Vernay to TouringCarTimes

“I’m sorry for the guys in the accident, but this is part of racing so we took advantage.”

“(On the fifth lap) I was trying to pass Mondron, but when Rob saw me he braked early and played for the team and let me past. After that I had a really good rhythm. Working with Rob has been a huge advantage with all his experience, and we’ve both worked for factories before so we speak exactly the same language, so that’s going to make the difference at the end of the year.”

Vernay now leads the standings on 91 points, 25 clear of Comini, with M1RA’s Attila Tassi in third place.