Photo: TCR Media

Jean-Karl Vernay completes perfect weekend with Monza Race 2 win

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Jean-Karl Vernay scored all available points after winning the second race of the weekend at Monza in his WRT Audi RS 3 LMS. The victory also puts him in second in the championship, after Target Competition driver Dusan Borkovic retired due to the damage from cutting the first chicane. KCMG team-mates Josh Files and Attila Tassi completed the podium in their Honda Civic TCRs.

At the start pole sitter Francisco Abreu stayed in the lead in his Peugeot308 TCR, as several drivers cut the first chicane, including Stefano Comini in his Honda, the Swiss retiring due to the damage. Vernay was fifth at the end of the first lap after starting from tenth, and made up enough places on the second lap to claim the lead on the third tour.

Meanwhile title contender Dusan Borkovic cut the first chicane whilst defending his second place from Maxime Potty’s Volkswagen Golf, which caused damage to his Hyundai and put his race to an end. Contact between Danny Kroes’ Cupra and Jens Reno Møller’s Honda Civic caused the Dane to retire, as well as Kroes picking up a penalty, and the safety car was deployed.

At the restart championship leader Mikel Azcona looked to be on the roll and overtook Tassi, while also attacking Files. Abreu made contact with Potty and Azcona, before finally touching Benjamin Lessennes and sending the Honda driver into the wall at high speed at Ascari, for which he was penalised with a stop & go penalty and the safety car was deployed again.

With just two racing laps remaining, Azcona managed to overtake Peter Terting for sixth, which became fifth after Abreu’s penalty was applied as the top four remained unchanged with Vernay winning ahead of Files and Tassi. Potty was fourth ahead of championship leader Azcona and Terting. Kris Richard finished seventh in his Hyundai i30 N TCR ahead of Fabrizio Giovanardi, who once again cut through the field from 21st to eighth in his Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR. Reece Barr and Ollie Taylor, who also went from 20th to tenth in his Honda Civic TCR, completed the top ten.

Azcona still leads the championship, his advantage now up to 19 points over Vernay. Borkovic’s failure to finish means the Serbian loses second in the standings, although for a single point from the Frenchman.

The season finale is scheduled for 21st October at Barcelona, Spain.