Beijing Goldenport WTCC: Rob Huff gives Lada maiden WTCC win

The 2012 WTCC champion exploited his pole position for qualifying 10th in Q2 to the full, but had the required strength of pace to protect his lead from a late threat offered by Dutch veteran Tom Coronel.

ROAL Motorsport's Coronel had good incentive to secure a top finish after witnessing his team-mate Tom Chilton take victory in the opening race.

Coronel resisted the advances of nine-time World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb in the early laps to aid Huff's break, but when the Briton encountered a vibration in the closing laps Coronel narrowed the deficit to a tense 0.765 seconds at the finish.

"At no point before August did I think we were close to this result," said Huff, referring to the intensive development work carried out by Lada in the summer break.

"The first three laps were strong and I was helped by my friend Tommy.

"I was looking at his pitboard that said I had 2.5s gap, and was gauging my pace to that.

"But about three laps from the end I developed a vibration, and I could imagine Tommy's eyes lighting up.

"It is perhaps was my hardest win because of all of the work that has gone into it by the team."

Championship leader Jose Maria Lopez was the most dynamic performer of the afternoon, utilising the speed of this year's dominant Citroen C-Elysee to fight his way up from seventh to fourth.

Lopez's charge took him to the brink of a podium, and the Argentinean took the chequered flag just half a car's length behind team-mate Loeb after the rally ace lost time sliding on dust at Turn 5 on the last lap.

Having taken three points off his title rival Lopez by finishing second in race one, Yvan Muller ended the weekend losing further ground to his adversary in the drivers' standings.

In a repeat of race one, Muller was unable to progress past his former team-mate Chilton, who pegged him back to ninth.

Behind Lopez, Zengo Motorsport's Norbert Michelisz held off sustained pressure from James Thompson to finish fifth.

RESULTS - 26 LAPS:

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: