Photo: TCR

Teddy Clairet controls second Spa race

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Teddy Clairet controlled the second TCR Europe race of the weekend at Spa as the Frenchman strolled to a comfortable victory.

Viktor Andersson started on pole at the wheel of his Lynk & Co but Teddy Clairet was able to get the cutback at La Source for the first time to hit the front in his Audi, with Jimmy Clairet in third trying to find off Junesung Park and race one winner Marco Butti on the run up to Les Combes.

Butti moved ahead of Park at the end of the opening lap, making contact with the Hyundai going into the bus stop and then running off track on the exit as he took the inside line on the run down to turn one.

The Italian soon closed down on points leader Jimmy Clairet for third and dived down the inside at the Bus Stop at the end of lap two to move into the podium spots.

Teddy Clairet was breaking clear of Andersson at the front, and the Swede soon had Butti fixed on his tail. The Honda duly swept ahead into second spot but did so having run off track – resulting in officials calling on Butti to give the place back to his rival.

Butti allowed the Lynk & Co to reclaim second only to promptly dive down the inside into La Source, with Jimmy Clairet then getting a run up the Kemmel Straight that allowed him to also pass the MA:GP entry to move third.

At the front, Teddy Clairet was untroubled as he stormed to victory but Butti’s hopes of a second podium finish of the weekend would be ended by late on when he went off at speed on the tenth lap at Blanchimont and clattered into the tyres.

That moved Jimmy Clairet up into second spot as the brothers wrapped up a 1-2 finish, with Andersson behind in third spot.

Junesung Park took the flag in fourth ahead of Junui Park, with Ruben Volt making up for his retirement in the opening race as he secured sixth.

Nicola Baldan, Eric Gené, Nicolas Taylor and Filippo Barberi rounded out the top ten, with Taylor having been forced to battle back from going off track during the midfield battles on the opening lap.

Outside the top ten, Jenson Brickley endured another tough race as a puncture late on – having already had a trip off track – meant he was classified back in 15th, whilst there was also disappointment for Sten Dorian Piirimägi after he was forced to pit having been running inside the top five.

Teddy Clairet now leads his brother by four points in the standings.