Rob Huff bounces back from clutch issue to prove “overtaking is possible” at Vila Real
Münnich Citroën driver Rob Huff wasn’t too downbeat despite throwing away a surefire chance of a podium, if not a possible win at the Vila Real street circuit this weekend, after he bounced back from a fluffed start to go from last to fifth in the main race.
The 37-year-old Briton had his second poor start of the year, the last was in Hungary when he started from pole position, though on that occasion he lost just three positions, whereas the problem at Vila Real dropped him to absolute last of the 16-car field.
“It certainly wasn’t the start we wanted,” said Huff to TouringCarTimes. “It’s the second problem we’ve had with the clutch, and I’m pretty sure it’s the car. When I tried to engage the launch procedure, I pulled the hand clutch and it disengaged the clutch.
“I was stone last going up the hill, then I think I overtook four cars on the first lap and built a gap to that lot, then I caught the Volvo, then took my joker lap and caught the Volvo again and got him on his joker lap.”
Huff also passed the Citroën of Mehdi Bennani after the Moroccan took his joker lap, and the closed down on the rival Citroën of Tom Chilton, making a move on lap 11 to win the independents’ classification.
“It was a good move on Chilton, I sold him a dummy and he took it. I didn’t touch him at all, except when he tried to squeeze me. He messed up the chicane, I went to the left, he accelerated to the apex and I cut back and got my nose on the inside at the exit; that’s when he squeezed me, we touched slightly and he realised I was there and couldn’t defend.”
Huff’s now moved into the lead of the independent drivers’ classification, while is the last of a group of seven drivers pulling away at the head of the championship, with just 37 points between Monteiro and Huff at the half-way point of the season.
