Photo: TCR Media

Roberto Colciago leads M1RA Honda 1-2 in Austria Race 2

Roberto Colciago has won the second race of the day for the M1RA Honda team at the Salzburgring, finishing ahead of team-mate Attila Tassi, and moving to just three points behind new championship leader Stefano Comini in the championship.

Roberto Colciago led the way from the reversed grid pole position in his M1RA Honda Civic into Turn 1, while Gianni Morbidelli from second in the WestCoast Volkswagen fought to keep back the Craft-Bamboo SEAT of James Nash.

Nash was soon passed after the exit of Turn 1 by the fast-starting Tassi in the Honda Civic, with Tassi soon passing Morbidelli’s Golf down the backstraight.

The Italian then retook the spot from the Hungarian into the final sequence, but Tassi was able to move back ahead using the power of the Honda.

Comini was working his way forward in the Comtoyou Racing Audi and was quickly past James Nash’s SEAT, and then overtook Morbidelli’s Volkswagen at Turn 9 to move up to third, and then began a race-long battle with Tassi for second in the race.

Race 1 winner Dusan Borkovic’s race ended on lap six, with the Serbian running off into the gravel at Turn 9.

Thomas Jäger was making up ground, passing James Nash in a close battle on lap ten for sixth, before passing Gianni Morbidelli’s WestCoast Racing Volkswagen a lap later for fifth, which soon became fourth as Pepe Oriola’s SEAT slid into the gravel with a puncture just ahead and out of the race, bringing out the safety car.

The race resumed on lap 15, with Colciago quickly pulling away from team-mate Tassi, who was defending to keep back Comini’s Audi and Jäger’s Opel, with the 23-year-old Austrian making two attempts to pass the two-time champion down the backstraight during the final laps.

Colciago’s win moves him ahead of Jean-Karl Vernay in the points, with the Frenchman unable to make the start following substantial damage in Race 1 to his Team WRT Volkswagen, while Comini’s third moves him into the lead of the championship for the first time this year, three clear of Colciago heading to the next race next week at the Hungaroring.