Jean-Karl Vernay: “I didn’t want to risk another puncture in Race 2”
World Touring Car Cup points leader Jean-Karl Vernay says he can be “happy” with a second-place finish in Race 2 at Estoril after admitting he didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks in the closing stages.
Vernay finished a close runner-up to first-time WTCR winner Attila Tassi in the second race of the weekend, which enabled the Team Engstler Hyundai driver to leave Portugal as the championship leader.
The result was much-needed for Vernay, who was forced to retire from the first race following a contact-induced puncture.
With that in mind, Vernay said he didn’t want to risk another retirement when in a good position, despite not taking the points race into account.
“I have the yellow [Goodyear] cap and I won’t refuse it!” said Vernay post-race.
“We tried to do as best we could in Race 2 and Attila defended really well and I tried just a few times to pass.
“After the tyre puncture in Race 1, I didn’t want to take any risks. We can be happy with P2, I think we showed strong pace and leading the championship after two races is pretty good.”
Vernay had started third on the grid but lost out to Tassi after pole sitter Esteban Guerrieri nearly stalled on the grid as the lights went out.
The navigation around the slow-starting Honda allowed Tassi’s other Honda to leapfrog into second by Turn 1, and then assume the lead after race-leader Tiago Monteiro was slowed by a loose bonnet.
“I was not thinking about the championship [in that race], it was a good race and a good start as well,” Vernay added.
“I don’t know what happened with [polesitter] Esteban [Guerrieri], I had to move to the right and spin the tyres and Attila was able to overtake me and I think that was the key.”
“Thanks to my team especially after Race 1 which was, let’s say, unfortunate with the puncture after hitting Girolami. It’s a good result and let’s move forward for MotorLand Aragon.”
Despite this, Vernay heads into the third round of the year with a five-point margin over Tassi and Cyan Racing’s Yvan Muller and Santiago Urrutia who are all tied on 56 points.
Behind those three, Monteiro is just four points further back in fifth, tied with Honda stablemate Guerrieri, with Ehrlacher only 12 points off Vernay.
Néstor Girolami, after an awful weekend in Portugal is relatively damage free in eighth, 19 points in arrears of Vernay at the top, while Luca Engstler is the first driver with a meaningful deficit to the top, some 33 points behind and tied in ninth with Norbert Michelisz.
Next up for WTCR is a trip to MotorLand Aragon on the weekend of the 9-11th July.
