Terting hands Tarquini win
SEAT's comeback hero Peter Terting showed he is the ultimate team player by handing victory to teammate and title challenger Gabriele Tarquini at the end of a rain-delayed second World Touring Car race in Istanbul
A huge downpour following the first race led to a two-hour delay for the second. A flood at Turn 9 looked certain to force a cancellation, but a fast drainage job by circuit officials just allowed the race to go ahead before the 6.30pm curfew.
Reverse grid poleman Tom Coronel ceded the lead to Nicola Larini's Chevy at Turn 1, but Terting was on the move too and took the lead on the start/finish straight at the end of lap two.
Terting, Larini and BMW's Dirk Muller moved away from the field, while a pack of cars splashed around in their wake.
But Tarquini was now the man to watch, latching on to the top three and passing both Muller and Larini on lap 7. He then closed in on leader Terting, who had suffered engine and gearbox dramas earlier in the weekend.
Terting totally deserved what would have been one of the great WTCC victories, but he eased up on the back straight on the last lap to allow Tarquini through. His face in parc ferme gave away his true feelings.
The win has lifted Tarquini right into the title hunt. He is now just one point behind leader Andy Priaulx, who suffered a disasterous double no-score in Turkey. Priaulx's weekend ended with a tyre blow-out on lap two.
Larini just held off the SEATs of Rickard Rydell and Jordi Gene with a brilliant defensive drive to deliver a podium for Chevrolet.
CLASSIFIED:
Pos Driver Make Time
1. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Leon 23:06.124
2. Peter Terting SEAT Leon + 0.652
3. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti + 8.139
4. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon + 8.276
5. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon + 8.479
6. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti + 9.513
7. Dirk Muller BMW 320si + 10.465
8. Jorg Muller BMW 320si + 12.925
9. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si + 19.688
10. Duncan Huisman BMW 320si + 21.514
11. Stefano d'Aste BMW 320i + 34.585
12. Tom Coronel SEAT Leon + 35.020
13. James Thompson SEAT Leon + 35.224
14. Ibrahim Okyay BMW 320i + 51.892
15. Salvatore Tavano Alfa Romeo 156 + 52.282
16. Gianni Morbidelli Alfa Romeo 156 + 54.099
17. Maurizio Ceresoli SEAT Leon + 54.159
18. Diego Romanini BMW 320i +1:23.422
19. Pierre-Yves Corthals Honda Accord Euro R +1:23.760
20. Augusto Farfus Alfa Romeo 156 + 2 laps
21. Luca Rangoni BMW 320si + 3 laps
NOT CLASSIFIED/RETIREMENTS:
Driver Make On Lap
Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti 2
Yvan Muller SEAT Leon 1
Andy Priaulx BMW 320si 1
Fastest Lap: Gabriele Tarquini, 2:15.830 on lap 6
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