Chevrolet drivers Rob Huff and Yvan Muller bounced back from a tough opening race in Slovakia to secure a 1, 2 finish for the team during the eighth round of the 2012 World Touring Car Championship.
Alain Menu secured a podium finish during the first race of the weekend in Slovakia while Muller and Huff encountered problems. Huff ended up retiring in the pits after contact on the opening lap while Muller dropped down the order after being given a drive through penalty for spinning Norbert Michelisz.
“This was not a great weekend in terms of results, but a good weekend if we look at the championship. In Race 1, I had minimal contact with Michelisz, but he kept the throttle down and went off. I was later sanctioned with a drive through, which I think was a bit excessive,” said Muller about the first race and the incident with Michelisz.
Muller bounced back from his opening race disappointment to secure second in the second race of the weekend – a result which has seen his Championship advantage extended.
“In Race 2, I fought my way up to second position. In the closing laps I was hit by Tarquini; I don’t know what he was trying to achieve, but luckily I managed to keep the car on the track,” added Muller, who ended up showing off his car control skills towards the end of the second ten lap encounter.
Huff was quick to praise the team after they repaired his Chevrolet Cruze in time for the second race of the Slovakian weekend – it was Huff’s first victory since the Macau finale and moved him into second overall in the drivers’ standings.
“I had a great day and it’s exactly what I needed! I never thought I could win Race 2 after the accident in the first race. My car was damaged and repair time was minimal, but the boys did it once again. It was another great show by Chevrolet and RML. I left the pit lane barely seconds before it closed,” explains Huff.
“The car was just perfect. I had a great start and kept everything under control. I changed my standing start compared with what I did in Marrakech and it seems to have worked. In Race 1, I was just pushed off the track by one of the BMWs, and then hit by other cars. It resulted in damage to three of the four corners…”
Having finished third in the first race behind the SEAT duo of Tarquini and Dudukalo, Menu saw his weekend end early after contact forced the Swiss driver into retirement.
“It was a round of mixed fortunes for me, but these things happen. In Race 1, I was happy to finish third given my position on the grid. I managed a few good overtakes and benefitted from some race incidents. After that, my main concern was to preserve the front tires,” added Menu, who has slipped to third in the Championship.
“In Race 2, I unfortunately lost the advantage of the front row as I had a bad start. I don’t know if it was me or the clutch, but something did not work. Then, as I was trying to pass D’Aste on the inside, he closed on me abruptly and we touched. My wheel was damaged and a couple of laps later I was forced out of the race.”
The ninth and tenth rounds of the 2012 World Touring Car Championship take place this weekend, 5th/6th May at the Hungaroring in Hungary.