Photo: Tamara Aller

Viktor Andersson takes his second victory of the year at Valencia

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Monlau Motorsport’s Viktor Andersson scored his second victory of the TCR Spain season in Race 1 at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.

Andersson took the lead from third on the grid in the opening lap, overtaking polesitter Sten-Dorian Piirimagi, with Enzo Gianfratti settling in third.

Erik Zabala was fourth and closed the gap to Gianfratti, as Sandro Pelatti and René Polvsen sat behind.

Gianfratti closed the gap to Piirimägi to half-a-second on lap twelve, with the Brazilian eying second place. Despite the Brazilian’s efforts, the Estonian made the most of the difficult layout for overtaking to stay ahead for the remainder of the race.

Andersson won at the chequered flag, with Piirimägi second and Gianfratti completing the podium.

Zabala was fourth, with Pelatti next and Polvsen in sixth place. Cupra’s Samuel Chaligne finished seventh, ahead of the Audis of Luke Sargeant, Mathieu Casalonga and Busián Fontán who completed the top ten.

Andersson has extended his lead in the championship after Race 1 with 154 points, 16 ahead of Zabala and 32 over Piirimägi.

The TCR Spain field returns to the track on Sunday morning at 11:55 for Race 2, competing jointly with the TCR World Tour.