Prima etapa, Marrakech:

RACE 1 – LÓPEZ LEADS A CITROËN TRIO

José María López took a triumphal victory for the Citroën Total WTCC team.

The Argentine crossed the line first ahead of team-mates Sébastien Loeb and Yvan Muller. The three C-Elisée cars led from lights to flag, creating a huge gap between them and the rest of the field.
Tom Chilton finished fourth, but only eight seconds behind; the Briton was followed by Borković, Monteiro and local hero Bennani.
Franz Engstler dominated the TC2T class from his team-mate Di Sabatino.



Key moments

Start – López takes perfect start ahead of Loeb, Muller, Chilton, Monteiro and Borković. Münnich cuts chicane and is penalized with a drive-through for jumping the start.
Lap 2 – Valente touches Bennani in turn 15 right ahead of Coronel. The Honda loses the rear bumper in the incident
Lap 4 – Borković attacks Monteiro at the braking of turn 15; in the contact Monteiro loses the rear bumber and fifth position.
Lap 5- The advantage of the Citroën trio reaches 7 seconds, with Loeb closing the gap on the leader, López.
Lap 6 – Huff in the pits (misfiring), Morbidelli passes Kozlovskiy for 12th. Loeb posts best lap time.
Lap 8 – Engstler leads comfortably in TC2T, ten seconds clear of Di Sabatino, with Filippi third.

Lap 9 – Coronel (front splitter) and Morbidelli (bodywork) in the pits.

Lap 11 – Valente jumps on the kerbs of the first chicane and loses a front dive plain.

Lap 12 – Münnich in the pits (bent steering).

Lap 13 – Bennani passes Michelisz for 7th in turn 5 and so does also Valente shortly after.
Lap 14 – Triple win for the Citroëns with López, Loeb and Müller in their WTCC debut.

http://www.fiawtcc.com/news/detail/id/2909

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RACE 2 – LOEB TAKES MAIDEN WTCC WIN

Sébastian Loeb took his maiden win in the WTCC in what was only his second start in this championship.

He beat team-mate and Race 1 winner José María López. López who is the first leader of the championship, thanks to the pole position points.
The race was marked by an accident at the start between polesetter Tom Coronel and local hero Mehdi Bennani. In the melee, the Citroën of Yvan Muller was also an innocent victim.
At the restart, the two C-Elysée cars took control of the proceedings, cruising to a 1-2 finishing. Hugo Valente took a brilliant first podium with the Campos Racing Chevrolet, ahead of Tom Chilton and Bennani, who completed a brilliant recover after paying a drive-through penalty. Mikhail Kozlovskiy, who scored a remarkable sixth for LADA and also his first WTCC points.
Franz Engstler encored his victory in the TC2T class, ahead of John Filippi who beat Pasquale Di Sabatino for second.

Key moments
Grid – Thompson (brakes problems), Michelisz (broken steering pump) and Huff (turbo failure) do not take the start.
Start – Coronel takes a better start from the pole, but Bennani holds on and the two collide before the first braking; the Chevrolet spins, hitts the wall and is collected Muller who had no way to avoid the collision. The race is suspended after a couple of laps behind the safety-car.
Restart – After another lap behind the safety-car, Bennani takes the lead while Loeb passes Monteiro. Münnich goes straight at first chicane after losing the front spoiler. Bennani loses the rear bumper in the back straight.
Lap 6 – Loeb takes the lead. Valente and Monteiro clash at turn 10. Münnich retires. At the end of the lap, Bennani serves the drive-through he was given for the accident at the start.
Lap 7 – López passes Valente for third and then Monteiro for second.
Lap 8 – Borković stops on the straight with a fire alert, while Valente passes Monteiro. The safety-car is deployed again to allow removing Borković’s car. Huff takes rejoins of the race from the pits.
Lap 9 – The race restarts, with Loeb ahead of López, Valente, Monteiro, Chilton, Kozlovskiy, Morbidelli and Bennani. Behind them Engstler leads the TC2T classes while Filippi and Di Sabatino fight for second.
Lap 10 – Bennani passes Morbidelli in turn 15.
Lap 11 – Nice fight between Monteiro and Chilton for fourth, while Bennani passes Kozlovskiy.
Lap 12 – Chilton, Monteiro and Bennani continue to fight, with the Moroccan passing the Portuguese in turn 5. Monteiro’s car is losing bodywork pieces.
Lap 14 – López closes on Loeb, while Monteiro slows down with a flat tyre.
Lap 16 – Chilton passes Bennani but somehow cutting the first chicane and giving back the position. Loeb takes win ahead of López, while Chilton pips Bennani right on the finish line for fourth.

http://www.fiawtcc.com/news/detail/id/2913

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Drivers' Championship

1. ARG LÓPEZ José María 48 pt.
2. FRA LOEB Sébastien 47 pt.
3. GBR CHILTON Tom 27 pt.
4. FRA VALENTE Hugo 19 pt.
5. FRA MULLER Yvan 17 pt.
6. PRT MONTEIRO Tiago 11 pt.
7. RUS KOZLOVSKIY Mikhail 10 pt.
8. SRB BORKOVIĆ Dušan 9 pt.
9. ITA MORBIDELLI Gianni 8 pt.
10. DEU ENGSTLER Franz 6 pt.

Manufacturers' Championship

1. Citroën 95 pt.
2. Honda 44 pt.
3. LADA 34 pt.

Yokohama Drivers' Trophy

1. DEU ENGSTLER Franz 23 pt.
2. FRA FILIPPI John 14 pt.
2. ITA DI SABATINO Pasquale 14 pt.

Yokohama Teams' Trophy

1. Campos Racing 27 pt.
2. ROAL Motorsport 18 pt.
3. Liqui Moly Team Engstler 13 pt.

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Etapa a II-a, Le Castellet :

RACE 1 – MULLER’S FIRST WIN WITH CITROËN

Yvan Muller took his first personal win for Citroën after dominating Race 1 at the Paul Ricard.

The reigning champion, who had inherited pole position after technical scrutineering yesterday, did not have the best of starts but took the lead in lap 3 after passing Michelisz and Tarquini and flew away to the chequered flag.
Sébastien Loeb completed Citroën’s 1-2 after storming throughout the field from the last row in the grid. Honda took its first podium of the season, thanks to a great race by Gabriele Tarquini, who came ahead of Pechito López and a very inspired Rob Huff, who took fifth for LADA after a great race.
In the TC2T class, Liqui Moly Team Engstler’s Franz Engstler and Pasquale Di Sabatino signed another 1-2.


Key moments
Start – Tarquini takes a perfect start ahead of Michelisz, Mulller, Valente, Huff and Borković.
Lap 1 – Muller passes Michelisz for second, while there is a contact between Loeb (already 7th) and López; Loeb has another contact with Morbidelli as he takes 6th.
Lap 3 – Muller passes Tarquini at first corner and takes the lead.
Lap 4 – Loeb passes Huff and Valente and climbs to 6th
Lap 5 – Huff passes Valente for 7th
Lap 6 – Loeb (who has fastest lap in 1.44.389) takes third from Michelisz.
Lap 7 – López passes Huff at the chicane after a short duel
Lap 8 – Muller leads with 4.5 seconds on Tarquini and posts fastest lap (1.43.801).
Lap 11 – López passes Michelisz in turn 2 after a contact that puts both cars sideways.
Lap 12 – Loeb is attacking repeatedly Tarquini for second but the Italian resists.
Lap 14 – Loeb eventually manages to outpower Tarquini, while Michelisz, Huff and Valente fight fiercely for 5th with the Brit brilliantly taking the advantage.
Lap 16 – Valente also passes Michelisz for 6th

http://www.fiawtcc.com/news/detail/id/3004

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http://www.fiawtcc.com/news/detail/id/3012

RACE 2 – LÓPEZ RECOVERS TO VICTORY

José María López took his second win of the season in a lively Race 2 at the Paul Ricard, marked by two safety-car periods.

The Argentine preceded his team mate Yvan Muller, winner of Race 1, in another 1-2 win for Citroën after the C-Elysées bent the resilience of the Honda of Tiago Monteiro, who led for most of the race. The Portuguese offered to Honda its second consecutive podium finish.
Tarquini, Bennani and Loeb completed the top 6. The Frenchman had a more difficult Race 2 after an early contact with Muller and hitting the chicane tires later on.
Franz Engstler won again the TC2 race despite being hit by Filippi at mid-race.


Key moments
Start – Monteiro takes a great start and takes the lead ahead of Bennani, Münnich, Tarquini and Borković.
Lap 1 – Chilton pushes Morbidelli into a spin and Muller is also involved.
Lap 2 – Chilton is passed by López and Muller who slams the door on Loeb; the two tangle.
Lap 4 – Valente fights with Chilton and Michelisz for tenth
Lap 5 – Monteiro leads from Tarquini who has passed Bennani.
Lap 6 – López and Muller pass Tarquini after a small mistake of the Italian.
Lap 7 – Loeb hits the tire pile at the chicane, prompting the exit of the safety-car.
Lap 8 – Chilton is given a drive-through for the incident at the start.
Lap 9 – At the restart, Monteiro keeps the advantage on López and Muller; but it’s safety-car again, as Filippi T-bones Engstler at turn 1.
Lap 14 – The race restarts and López and Muller outpower Monteiro; Borković and Loeb pass Valente
Lap 16 – Loeb moves up to fifth Bennani ahead of Borković
Lap 17 - Loeb passes Bennani for fourth
Lap 18 - López wins from Muller; Michelisz and Morbidelli pip Valente and Huff for 8th and 9th
Lap 18 – Engstler retakes TC2T lead from Di Sabatino.

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Drivers' Championship

1. ARG LÓPEZ José María 85 pt.
2. FRA LOEB Sébastien 73 pt.
3. FRA MULLER Yvan 65 pt.
4. ITA TARQUINI Gabriele 31 pt.
5. FRA VALENTE Hugo 31 pt.
6. PRT MONTEIRO Tiago 30 pt.
7. GBR CHILTON Tom 30 pt.
8. MAR BENNANI Mehdi 16 pt.
9. SRB BORKOVIĆ Dušan 15 pt.
10. HUN MICHELISZ Norbert 14 pt.

Manufacturers' Championship

1. Citroën 186 pt.
2. Honda 103 pt.
3. LADA 75 pt.

Yokohama Drivers' Trophy

1. DEU ENGSTLER Franz 45 pt.
2. ITA DI SABATINO Pasquale 30 pt.
3. FRA FILIPPI John 21 pt.

Yokohama Teams' Trophy

1. Campos Racing 51 pt.
2. ROAL Motorsport 26 pt.
3. ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport 24 pt.

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