Rob Huff says that his battle for the final podium position in the opening FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) race on the Nürburgring Nordschleife was ‘one of the most enjoyable races’ he has ever competed in.
Having started from fifth, Huff spent much of the race glued to the back of Thed Björk’s Hyundai after getting past BRC Racing’s Norbert Michelisz for the final podium position going on to the Nordschleife on the opening lap.
The Brit was then close to the back of the Swede for the rest of the race, trying to pass several times heading down the high-speed Döttinger Höhe back straight.
Despite being unable to find a way through – after pulling alongside several times – Huff had to settle for third, a result which he was pleased with as the best non-Hyundai racer.
“That was one of my most enjoyable World Touring Car races I’ve ever done, really,” said Huff. “I couldn’t ask for more trustworthy guys around and that’s what you need on a circuit like this.
“This circuit as we’ve seen in the past demands huge respect because we’ve seen some huge accidents here. When you are three or four abreast on the back straight at the speeds we were doing and you can see the whites of the eyes of the guy next to you it’s quite exciting!
“But we did it and there were no problems at all. You really need guys around you that you can trust so I want to say thank you to the guys and Norbi as well especially.”
Huff tried one last time to get by Björk with a slipstream on the final lap but couldn’t make the pass stick, ultimately finishing the race less than a second behind eventual winner Yvan Muller.
“On the last lap I held back a little bit from Thed so I could create a bit of a gap and create a draft. It kind of worked a little but the trust you need in the guy next to you when you’re coming down the Döttinger Höhe and the compression side-by-side is huge.
“For me it was one the best races I’ve done.”