Chevrolet driver Alain Menu lost just five points to Yvan Muller during the Race of Portugal, and closes by four points to Rob Huff after fifth and a win whilst racing in the guise of fictional French racing driver Michel Vaillant.
Alain Menu won the second race of the day at Portimão, passing the pole sitting SEAT of Pepe Oriola at the start and going on to take his third win of the season, whilst his Chevrolet team-mates had to fight hard for what was eventually fourth and fifth place.
Tom Boardman has moved from the SEAT 2.0 litre TDI engine to the new 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol engine from this weekend, and is happy with the progress made throughout Saturday despite a lack of testing ahead of Portimão.
Gábor Wéber qualified seventh in Portugal, taking his best grid position in what’s presently scheduled to be his last race of the season, whilst team-mate Norbert Michelisz’s third sealed a great qualifying result for the Hungarian team.
Gabriele Tarquini has taken pole position for the second time in 2012 at Portimão, setting a new lap record around the Portuguese circuit of 1:53.966. Yvan Muller for Chevrolet and Norbert Michelisz for BMW complete the top three.
Yvan Muller was fastest in the final free practice session of the day in Portimão. The Chevrolet driver left it to the last moment to take the top spot away from team-mate Alain Menu by three-tenths of a second with Rob Huff completing the top three.
Gabriele Tarquini was fastest in the first free practice session at Portimao, almost half a second clear of the Chevrolet of reigning champion Yvan Muller.
The WTCC heads to Portimão for the seventh meeting of the season this weekend, following on from a surprise result last time out due to tyre issues for a number of drivers.
Chevrolet, The WTCC’s only full manufacturer entry, have said they need competition to liven up the Championship as the US based manufacturer leads the way for the third season, with Honda, SEAT, Ford & Lada programmes on the way or in advanced talks for entry in 2013.
Lada Sport completed a test day at French track Magny-Cours last week with James Thompson behind the wheel.