Menu and Chevrolet take race two
Alain Menu took his second victory of the season in today's second World Touring Car Championship round at Brands Hatch
Felix Porteiro led initially after his rear-wheel drive BMW charged into the lead off the line from the second row of the grid. But Menu regained the lead shortly after a Safety Car period down the inside of Porteiro at Paddock Hill Bend.
The Safety Car was called out when Jordi Gene crashed at Paddock Hill Bend after tangling with James Thompson's Honda and Tom Coronel's SEAT.
Menu's Chevrolet held a comfortable two-second lead in the closing laps to give the Swiss driver his third WTCC victory at Brands in as many years, with Alex Zanardi completing the podium and Jorg Muller following his victory earlier in the day with a fourth place.
Gabriele Tarquini was the first SEAT home, and the only one in the points, in fifth place. The Italian regained the ground he lost to Yvan Muller in race one with his chief title rival only finishing 11th this afternoon.
Augusto Farfus recovered from his retirement in the first race to finish sixth, ahead of Independent class leaders Stefano d'Aste and Sergio Hernandez, who completed the top eight in their BMWs.
Andy Priaulx was unable to make it a brace of podiums as he retired his BMW mid-way through the race with a puncture, while fellow Britons Rob Huff and Thompson finished 10th and 14th respectively for Chevrolet and Honda.
Pos Driver Car Gap
1. Alain Menu Chevrolet 30:05.069
2. Felix Porteiro BMW +1.055
3. Alex Zanardi BMW +1.379
4. Jorg Muller BMW +2.172
5. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT +8.087
6. Augusto Farfus BMW +8.265
7. Stefano d'Aste BMW +10.663
8. Sergio Hernandez BMW +13.282
9. Rickard Rydell SEAT +14.971
10. Robert Huff Chevrolet +15.399
11. Yvan Muller SEAT +16.457
12. Nicola Larini Chevrolet +17.747
13. Franz Engstler BMW +18.338
14. James Thompson Honda +19.542
15. Tiago Monteiro SEAT +21.685
16. Pierre-Yves Corthals SEAT +22.182
17. Kristian Poulson BMW +28.158
18. Jaap van Lagen Lada +30.634
19. Lourenco Beirao SEAT +38.522
20. Viktor Shapovalov Lada +41.323
21. Aytac Biter BMW +1:03.518
22. Tom Coronel SEAT +1 lap
Retirements
Andy Priaulx BMW 10 laps
Ibrahim Okyay BMW 6 laps
Jordi Gene SEAT 0 laps
Fastest Lap, Augusto Farfus 1:34.429 on lap 10
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