Farfus scores first BMW win of 2009
Augusto Farfus scored his and BMW's first win of the World Touring Car season at Valencia this afternoon
Front row starters Sergio Hernandez and Tom Coronel both went backwards on the first lap. Coronel's petrol SEAT was outdragged by its diesel cousins and the rear-wheel-drive BMWs, while Hernandez ran wide at Turn 2.
Farfus made a great start from fifth on the grid, following his fourth place in race one, to fall into line behind his Schnitzer BMW team-mate Jorg Muller on the first lap. Then Farfus dived inside Muller mid-way through the third lap for the lead.
The pair marched away at the front as Gabriele Tarquini, who was up to third from sixth, struggled to match their pace and held up a string of BMWs behind.
Muller looked threatening behind Farfus and the Brazilian never dropped him, though his lead was never seriously threatened.
Andy Priaulx briefly made it past Tarquini but surrendered the place back on the next lap and couldn't get it back again. He was set for run at the SEAT into the tight left hander at Turn 8 but he touched Tarquini on the way out of Turn 6 and lost his momentum.
Alex Zanardi and Hernandez followed Priaulx home in fifth and sixth, with the SEATs of Yvan Muller and Tiago Monteiro completing the top eight.
Pos Driver Car Gap
1. Augusto Farfus BMW 23m16.075s
2. Jorg Muller BMW +0.540
3. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT +5.426
4. Andy Priaulx BMW +5.884
5. Alex Zanardi BMW +6.676
6. Sergio Hernandez BMW +7.178
7. Yvan Muller SEAT +11.169
8. Tiago Monteiro SEAT +11.569
9. Stefano D'Aste BMW +13.052
10. Tom Coronel SEAT +16.936
11. Jordi Gene SEAT +17.978
12. Alain Menu Chevrolet +20.965
13. Nicola Larini Chevrolet +23.139
14. Rickard Rydell SEAT +23.635
15. Felix Porteiro BMW +24.470
16. Franz Engstler BMW +29.515
17. Vito Postiglione BMW +32.556
18. Marin Colak SEAT +33.721
19. Tom Boardman SEAT +34.859
20. Kristian Poulsen BMW +35.793
21. Viktor Shapovalov Lada +36.289
22. Robert Huff Chevrolet +43.503
23. Mehdi Bennani SEAT +43.550
24. Kirill Ladygin Lada +46.540
Retirements
Jaap van Lagen Lada 3 laps
Fastest lap, Farfus 1:45.974
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