Leopard Racing’s Jean-Karl Vernay says it was just a matter of time before he or team-mate Stefano Comini took victory in the TCR International Series at Spa-Francorchamps, with the Frenchman edging out his team-mate to score the outfit’s first win.
Vernay took the second victory for the Volkswagen Golf TCR in the second race on Saturday, enjoying an early-race battle with team-mate Comini before going on to take victory in only his sixth race in a touring car.
The Frenchman traded positions with Comini at Les Combes on laps four and five, and admits that his team had agreed beforehand that they would be allowed to race together.
“We are team-mates, so there was not too much blocking, it was pretty fair,” said Vernay to TouringCars.Net. “We said ‘OK, if somebody is quicker then just overtake’. We had new tyres on so that’s why we had extra grip for the first few laps.
“Then I was really quick, I just opened up a gap because of the fights behind me. I flew in the first few laps, and then when the tyre degradation started I think I was better, and I also have 20 kg less, so I think that was also the key – I was a bit quicker over the rest of the race by just a few tenths.”
Having failed to score any points in Friday’s first race, due to contact with Craft-Bamboo Racing’s James Nash earning him a post-race penalty, Vernay added that securing his first win made up for the early disappointment.
“Yesterday was a nightmare and today it’s good; I’m happy because we won. We knew that at some point Stefano and me were going to win, because I think we have a bit of talent together, and so we have a great team. Now we are starting to understand the Volkswagen and it’s getting better.
“Yesterday I lost points, so you never know what happens in the championship. I came back to the front, and of course I want to win the championship, but I’ve seen that it’s more difficult than expected.
“It’s not going to be easy because the level of the drivers is really high and I don’t know anything about front-wheel drive.”
Vernay’s win lifts him up to sixth in the drivers’ championship standings on 56 points, just three shy of reigning champion Comini.