Priaulx scores sixth win of season

The BMW driver has now won more races this season than in any of his three championship-winning campaigns, as he continues to claw back ground on points leader Yvan Muller.

But Muller was able to limit the damage by moving up to third from sixth on the grid, largely thanks to former SEAT team-mate Tiago Monteiro.

Norbert Michelisz and Michel Nykjaer ran second and third in the early stages of the reverse-grid race, with Monteiro close behind.

The former grand prix driver tapped Nykjaer out of his way to take third, but was given a drive-through penalty for the contact. Before he had taken it, he was battling Michelisz for second and pushed the Hungarian off the road at the final corner.

Muller was able to capitalise on both incidents and then gained another spot when Monteiro pulled in to serve his penalty. It also allowed Augusto Farfus, who was ahead of Muller, to move up to second and complete a 1-2 for BMW on home soil.

Nykjaer and Tom Coronel finished fourth and fifth, with Kristian Poulsen sealing his second independents' class win of the day in sixth.

There was more drama to come for Michelisz as a fierce battle for the final point developed late in the race. He had rejoined in eighth and was caught by Gabriele Tarquini, Rob Huff and Jordi Gene, who had all started down the back.

They arrived at Turn 1 three wide on one lap as Huff dived inside Tarquini. Huff then touched the back of Michelisz a couple of laps later and ducked ahead. Tarquini also drew alongside Michelisz but then ran the Zengo SEAT off the road. Michelisz rejoined in 11th behind Gene.

Pos  Driver              Car           Time/Gap
 1.  Andy Priaulx        BMW         22m51.499s
 2.  Augusto Farfus      BMW           + 2.729s
 3.  Yvan Muller         Chevrolet     + 8.740s
 4.  Michel Nykjaer      SEAT         + 10.304s
 5.  Tom Coronel         SEAT         + 10.982s
 6.  Kristian Poulsen    BMW          + 11.989s
 7.  Rob Huff            Chevrolet    + 16.691s
 8.  Alain Menu          Chevrolet    + 17.243s
 9.  Gabriele Tarquini   SEAT         + 17.919s
10.  Jordi Gene          SEAT         + 19.193s
11.  Norbert Michelisz   SEAT         + 20.295s
12.  Darryl O'Young      Chevrolet    + 22.964s
13.  Sergio Hernandez    BMW          + 23.582s
14.  Andrey Romanov      BMW          + 32.831s
15.  Tiago Monteiro      SEAT         + 34.318s
16.  Yukinori Taniguchi  Chevrolet    + 35.324s
17.  Franz Engstler      BMW          + 38.679s
18.  Stefano D'Aste      BMW          + 47.949s
19.  Fabio Fabiani       BMW        + 1m28.517s
20.  Fredy Barth         SEAT           + 1 lap

Retirements:

     Mehdi Bennani       BMW        0 laps