French flyer bags second 2020 victory at WTCR Race of Germany for Cyan Racing Lynk & Co *He becomes youngest World Touring Car race winner on iconic Nürburgring Nordschleife *Penalty heartbreak for Girolami as Björk and Tassi complete Race 2 podium *CUPRA-powered Azcona claims fourth following late pass on Honda’s Race 1 winner Guerrieri *Boldizs scores maiden Rookie Driver triumph, Vernay victorious in WTCR Trophy
WTCR Race of Germany, Nürburgring Nordschleife, September 24-26: Race 2 report
WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup, rounds 3 and 4 of 16
Yann Ehrlacher overtook DHL Pole Position starter Néstor Girolami to win Race 2 at WTCR Race of Germany as the Goodyear #FollowTheLeader extended his points advantage on a slippery Nürburgring Nordschleife.
The Cyan Racing ace slipstreamed his Lynk & Co 03 TCR ahead of Girolami’s ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Honda Civic Type R TCR on the long Döttinger Höhe straight at the end of the first lap of the legendary 25.378-kilometre track to score his second win of the 2020 WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup season.
“It’s such an amazing feeling to win a race on the greatest track in the world,” said an overjoyed Ehrlacher, 24, who also collected the TAG Heuer Best Lap Trophy. “I can’t believe we won on the Nordschleife in those conditions. It’s the best win of my career, absolutely insane. It’s good for the team and for the drivers’ championship.”
Girolami, second in the points before the race, suffered a blow to his title hopes when he was penalised 30 seconds for a start procedure violation. The regulations allow for two reconnaissance laps and one pass through the pitlane prior to lining up on the grid. However, in error, Girolami completed three reconnaissance laps, passing through the pitlane twice.
Thed Björk completed a Cyan Racing one-two after passing Girolami on Döttinger Höhe on the second lap, with Attila Tassi inheriting the final podium position from his penalised ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport team-mate. Girolami was classified in P11 after his penalty was applied.
Behind Tassi, Mikel Azcona scored a brilliant fourth place in Zengo Motorsport’s new CUPRA Leon Competición after passing Race 1 winner Esteban Guerrieri on the run to the finish.
Jean-Karl Vernay (Team Mulsanne Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR by Romeo Ferraris) held off Yvan Muller’s Lynk & Co to finish seventh and win the WTCR Trophy. Tom Coronel was eighth in his Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport Audi RS 3 LMS, despite having started fifth on the grid. The Dutchman lost ground when he slid into the gravel at Aremberg on lap one.
Tiago Monteiro placed ninth in his Honda as Santiago Urrutia’s Lynk & Co completed the top 10 from the back of the grid, ahead of Girolami. Nathanaël Berthon was P12 in his Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport entry, in front of the CUPRAs of Bence Boldizs and Gábor Kismarty-Lechner.
WTCR Rookie Driver award contender Gilles Magnus, who is competing with the support of the Belgian federation’s RACB National Team initiative crashed out on lap two in his Comtoyou Audi.
RACE 1 REPORT: BRAVE GUERRIERI BEATS MULLER FOR NORDSCHLEIFE WTCR GLORY
Ehrlacher continues as the Goodyear #FollowTheLeader
Yann Ehrlacher continues to wear the Goodyear #FollowTheLeader yellow jacket after he extended his advantage at the top of the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup standings from seven to 31 points. The Cyan Racing Lynk & Co driver scored eight points in qualifying, 16 points for finishing third in Race 1 and 25 points for winning Race 2 at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. As well as wearing the Goodyear #FollowTheLeader yellow jacket, Ehrlacher will carry the Goodyear #FollowTheLeader yellow windscreen trip on his Lynk & Co 03 TCR at the start of the WTCR Race of Slovakia weekend next month. Goodyear is the WTCR’s official tyre supplier, providing its Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport race tyre for dry and wet weather use.
More funds raised for WTCR’s #RaceToCare
WTCR Race of Germany provided another opportunity for funds to be raised for the WTCR promoter Eurosport Events’ #RaceToCare campaign, in support of the FIA’s #PurposeDriven movement, in the fight against COVID-19. More information: https://www.fiawtcr.com/race-to-care/
RACE WINNER QUOTES
Race 1: Esteban Guerrieri (ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R TCR)
“It’s never easy at this track. There are so many situations that can hurt you. It’s between being confident and not over-confident. At the start, I followed Yvan and I had an idea from last year where the grip might be in other sections and the part where I could attack a bit more. I saw Yvan braking on the inside a bit early so I tried around the outside, I didn’t know what was going to happen. Then we went side by side out of that corner and very fair going down the hill, the Yvan lifted so basically it was a very fair move. After that to be honest I really pushed on that first lap because I needed to make a gap because we believe the Lynk & Cos are quicker down the straight. I went to the grass in one section, I hit a kerb in another corner somewhere, so it was quite a crazy first lap. I have to say, probably a bit too much. But then after that I created a gap and could with experience from the first lap plus the gap I created I could kind of control it. It was mega, really nice to again win at the Nordschleife, so I’m really happy.
Race 2: Yann Ehrlacher (Cyan Racing Lynk & Co, Lynk & Co 03 TCR)
“Definitely it was a really good race for us. The start was not bad even if it was behind the safety car. I was a bit cautious in the first few corners and the first part of the Nordschleife because the conditions were changing quite quickly on this long track, then I just prepared my move on Bebu at the end of lap one. And on lap two I pushed like hell to make a big lap and definitely that was one of the craziest laps of my career. Then on lap three I was just managing the gap, and here we are leading the championship and winning this race, which is one of the craziest I have ever done, so I’m really happy about that. Honestly, the feeling we had out there was absolutely insane, not even comparable to something we have on other tracks. It’s like you are driving on the edge if you make a 30cm mistake on your line or you are off on your braking. The conditions are changing corner after corner, drier, wetter and so on. It’s absolutely insane.”