Photo: TCR Media

Jean-Karl Vernay wins eventful Race 1 at Monza

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Jean-Karl Vernay won the first race of the weekend at Monza from pole position. Despite this, the Frenchman did not have it easy as eventual second-place finisher Mikel Azcona challenged his lead all race long in his Cupra TCR, with Josh Files completing the podium.

Vernay’s start was decent off the line, but Azcona and Attila Tassi were quicker and became first and second respectively, as several drivers cut the first chicane. The Audi driver quickly regained second from Tassi, who was also overtaken by team-mate Files in his Honda. Two separate incidents, with front runner Daniel Nagy going off at Lesmo 2 with a likely suspension issue and Benjamin Lessennes locking up due to a technical problem and crashing at the Parabolica, triggered a safety car period.

The restart was smooth on the fourth lap, but on the following tour Vernay re-claimed the lead courtesy of a slipstream from Azcona and kept it all through the end of the race. As Dusan Borkovic gained a position from Tassi at Turn 1 to fifth behind Maxime Pottys Voksagen Golf GTI TCR, the racing was short-lived as contact between Cosimo Barberini in the Subaru and José Sapag triggered another safety car.

At the restart several entertaining fights began to entertain even more, as Stefano Comini, Peter Terting and Stian Paulsen all fought for seventh, whereas Fabrizio Giovanardi had made up several places from 21st on the grid to fight for tenth with Jens Reno Møller. The pair made contact at the Ascari after the Honda driver and Stian Paulsen both went off and rejoined at Lesmo 2, for which the Italian is under investigation.

On the last lap Giovanardi overtook Terting to claim eighth.

Vernay won the race ahead of Azcona and Files, with Potty fourth in the Volkswagen. Dusan Borkovic managed to limit the damages by finishing fifth in his Target Competition Hyundai, ahead of Tassi and Comini. Giovanardi finished eighth in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR, but is still under investigation, ahead of Terting in his Honda Civic TCR and Paulsen, who completed the top ten in his Cupra.

Azcona’s championship lead is now up to ten points from Borkovic, as Vernay gets closer to the Spaniard with his win and is now 34 points down on the leader. Daniel Nagy’s retirement leaves him fourth in the championship, 40 points off the lead. The second race of the weekend is scheduled for tomorrow at 12:10 CEST.