Menu continues Brands winning streak

The Swiss driver, who is an expert around the British track after winning two BTCC titles during a decade in the series, converted his pole position into his 11th career WTCC victory.

Menu's RML Chevrolet team-mate Rob Huff took the lead around the outside of Paddock Hill Bend as the pair worked to keep Andy Priaulx's BMW at bay. As part of a deal the pair had made before the race, Huff gave the lead back to Menu on the run to Hawthorn once things had settled down.

Once back in front, Menu had the pace to pull away from Huff so the battle for second raged between Huff, Priaulx and Gabriele Tarquini's SEAT. Priaulx's first attempt to pass Huff lost him momentum and he found himself out-dragged by Gabriele Tarquini into Surtees.

But Priaulx got Tarquini back at the same spot five laps later and resumed his pressure on Huff, who was struggling to match Menu's pace even when there was a lapse in the pressure from behind.

But Huff absorbed the threat from Priaulx and held on to make it a Chevrolet 1-2, while Tarquini and Rickard Rydell finished fourth and fifth for SEAT. Jorg Muller was sixth for BMW after passing Tiago Monteiro in the closing laps.

Augusto Farfus will start this afternoon's second race from pole position after a stunning comeback drive to eighth place. The Brazilian was turned around on the approach to Druids by championship leader Yvan Muller on the first lap.

That was the calatyst for a pile-up as Felix Porteiro was launched airborne and landed in the side of Muller's SEAT. Guest racer Norbert Michelisz was clouted as cars scattered and his broken suspension pitched him into the side of Muller's car, putting both out of the race.

The field bunched behind the safety car while the track was cleared with Farfus down in 24th place. But in the remaining 12 laps he stormed through the field to take eighth place away from Nicola Larini at the start of the final lap as the Italian's Chevrolet faltered.

Stefano D'Aste won the independent class, pouncing on long-time leader Tom Coronel for ninth overall just after Farfus made his way past the Dutchman's SEAT.

Pos Driver                 Car             Time/Gap
 1. Alain Menu             Chevrolet     28m25.945s
 2. Rob Huff               Chevrolet         +1.051
 3. Andy Priaulx           BMW               +1.240
 4. Gabriele Tarquini      SEAT              +2.024
 5. Rickard Rydell         SEAT              +2.420
 6. Jorg Muller            BMW               +5.815
 7. Tiago Monteiro         SEAT              +6.300
 8. Augusto Farfus         BMW               +8.307
 9. Stefano D'Aste         BMW               +9.225
10. Tom Coronel            SEAT             +10.884
11. Tom Boardman           SEAT             +11.737
12. Alex Zanardi           BMW              +12.415
13. Jordi Gene             SEAT             +13.331
14. Felix Porteiro         BMW              +13.675
15. Robert Dahlgren        Volvo            +14.087
16. Sergio Hernandez       BMW              +17.753
17. Philip Geipel          BMW              +22.188
18. James Thompson         Lada             +25.447
19. Kirill Ladygin         Lada             +37.466
20. Kristian Poulsen       BMW              +41.831
21. Vito Postiglione       BMW              +42.677
22. Nicola Larini          Chevrolet         +1 lap

Retirements

    Franz Engstler         BMW              11 laps
    Tommy Rustad           Volvo             6 laps
    Jaap van Lagen         Lada              5 laps
    Yvan Muller            SEAT              0 laps
    Norbert Michelisz      SEAT              0 laps


Fastest lap, Menu 1m34.362s