Zanardi defeats Rydell for win
Alex Zanardi made the perfect start to beat Rickard Rydell to the first corner at Istanbul Park to score his maiden victory of 2006
The ex-Champ Car and Formula One ace, who topped both free practice sessions yesterday and the race morning warm-up, was never headed in the first of today's two races, and eased clear of Rydell's SEAT. He controlled the gap to the chequered flag for a superb win.
Gabriele Tarquini's SEAT held grid position to finish third, ahead of the tussling BMW pair of Dirk Muller and Duncan Huisman. Muller took fourth place on the last lap.
Peter Terting kept his nose clean and stealthily rose through to sixth, an incredible result given that he started from the 10th row following an engine change on Saturday.
The race was marred by a number of collisions. Yvan Muller's heavy SEAT, carrying 50 kilos of success ballast, proved a stubborn car to pass in the early stages. The Frenchman was running fourth in the early stages as a gaggle of BMWs furiously tried to find a way through.
Dirk Muller and Huisman made it past, but when Jorg Muller got alongside his namesake he simply barged him off the circuit. But it cost Jorg dear because the contact appeared to damage his car and he was out. Yvan Muller kept going but finished down in 13th.
An entertaining scrap for Independent Trophy honours went the way of Tom Coronel, after he cleared the N-technology Alfa Romeos of Augusto Farfus and Gianni Morbidelli.
But championship leader Andy Priaulx was not smiling after the race. Luca Rangoni had punted him off at the first corner, an incident that James Thompson also got caught up in. Priaulx finished 14th, Thompson 17th and Chevrolet's Rob Huff, a winner at Brno last time out, between them in 15th.
CLASSIFIED:
Pos Driver Make Time
1. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si 21:19.910
2. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon + 1.002
3. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Leon + 3.937
4. Dirk Muller BMW 320si + 11.685
5. Duncan Huisman BMW 320si + 12.005
6. Peter Terting SEAT Leon + 14.936
7. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti + 16.630
8. Tom Coronel SEAT Leon + 23.418
9. Augusto Farfus Alfa Romeo 156 + 25.097
10. Gianni Morbidelli Alfa Romeo 156 + 25.928
11. Pierre-Yves Corthals Honda Accord Euro R + 28.436
12. Stefano d'Aste BMW 320i + 28.566
13. Yvan Muller SEAT Leon + 30.938
14. Andy Priaulx BMW 320si + 32.683
15. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti + 32.684
16. Maurizio Ceresoli SEAT Leon + 33.386
17. James Thompson SEAT Leon + 36.068
18. Diego Romanini BMW 320i + 42.763
19. Ibrahim Okyay BMW 320i + 56.909
20. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti + 1 lap
21. Luca Rangoni BMW 320si + 1 lap
NOT CLASSIFIED/RETIREMENTS:
Driver Make On Lap
Salvatore Tavano Alfa Romeo 156 6
Jordi Gene SEAT Leon 4
Jorg Muller BMW 320si 4
Fastest Lap: Duncan Huisman, 2:06.959 on lap 8
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