2009 FIA WTCC Race of the Czech Republic
# 2009 FIA WTCC Race of the Czech Republic

The 2009 FIA WTCC Marriott Race of the Czech Republic was the sixth round of the 2009 World Touring Car Championship season and the fourth running of the FIA WTCC Race of the Czech Republic. It was held on 21 June 2009 at the Masaryk Circuit near Brno, Czech Republic. BMW Team Italy-Spain won both races with Alex Zanardi winning the first race and Sergio Hernández winning the second race.

## Background

Coming into the round, SEAT Sport driver Yvan Muller was leading the drivers' championship by a three-point margin over BMW Team Germany's Augusto Farfus. Tom Coronel was leading the Yokohama Independents' Trophy.

Tom's twin brother Tim Coronel joined SUNRED Engineering for the event to make his WTCC debut. Exagon Engineering and their driver Mehdi Bennani missed the round before returning at the Race of Portugal.

## Report

### Free practice

BMW cars dominated first practice taking the top five positions on Saturday morning. In wet conditions, Andy Priaulx was fastest just under 0.15s ahead of Zanardi. Rickard Rydell was the fastest SEAT drive in sixth place and the fastest Chevrolet was that of Nicola Larini in seventh.

BMW filled the top four places in the second free practice session with Farfus setting the fastest time. SEAT cars filled the next five places, led by Gabriele Tarquini while the fastest Chevrolet was Robert Huff in tenth. The track was still damp after the morning but it was drying as the session progressed.

### Qualifying

Farfus took his third pole position of the year with Priaulx alongside him on the front row. Behind them were Zanardi and the fastest Chevrolet of Larini. Only two SEATs made it through to Q2, Rydell lined up fifth and Tarquini sixth. Scuderia Proteam Motorsport driver Félix Porteiro was the fastest independent lining up tenth. Priaulx had been fastest in Q1 but changing weather conditions favoured Farfus later on. Out in Q1 were SEAT Sport drivers Tiago Monteiro, Jordi Gené and points leader Yvan Muller.

### Warm-Up

Farfus was quickest in Sunday mornings warm up session with BMW cars in the top five positions.

### Race One

Farfus moved to the left at the start, collecting Priaulx, Huff, Larini and Gené before beaching himself in the gravel trap. Priaulx limped back to the pits minus his front bumper and with broken front suspension while Farfus, Huff and Larini were stuck at turn one. The incident allowed Tarquini and Zanardi to pass up the inside and continue. Tarquini led away from the restart before Zanardi quickly passed the SEAT and pulled away into the lead. Zanardi took victory at Brno for the second consecutive year while Jörg Müller had climbed up from eleventh to second ahead of Tarquini. Porteiro was the winning Yokohama Independent driver and Yvan Muller finished eighth to secure pole position for race two.

### Race Two

Starting on the front row, Porteiro moved into the lead at the start while Hernández then took second from pole sitter Yvan Muller. The leading pair ran close together and on lap three Hernández made his move to take the lead. Porteiro dropped down to fourth on lap four when he was passed by Muller and Monteiro. Behind them, a battle for fifth place was developing between BMW pair Priaulx and Müller and SEAT pair Tarquini and Rydell. While the BMW duo were contesting fifth place, Tarquini and Rydell overtook the pair of them. At the line Hernández took his first ever WTCC win with Muller second and Monteiro third, fourth place for Porteiro secured him the independents' win.

## Results

### Qualifying

| Pos. | No. | Name | Team | Car | C | Q1 | Q2 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 8 | Augusto Farfus | BMW Team Germany | BMW 320si | | 2:10.663 | 2:09.590 |
| 2 | 6 | Andy Priaulx | BMW Team UK | BMW 320si | | 2:09.644 | 2:09.630 |
| 3 | 9 | Alessandro Zanardi | BMW Team Italy-Spain | BMW 320si | | 2:10.826 | 2:09.862 |
| 4 | 14 | Nicola Larini | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 2:10.822 | 2:10.327 |
| 5 | 3 | Rickard Rydell | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 2:10.604 | 2:10.371 |
| 6 | 2 | Gabriele Tarquini | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 2:10.601 | 2:10.617 |
| 7 | 7 | Jörg Müller | BMW Team Germany | BMW 320si | | 2:10.424 | 2:10.661 |
| 8 | 12 | Alain Menu | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 2:10.730 | 2:10.714 |
| 9 | 10 | Sergio Hernández | BMW Team Italy-Spain | BMW 320si | | 2:10.628 | 2:10.996 |
| 10 | 23 | Félix Porteiro | Scuderia Proteam Motorsport | BMW 320si | Y | 2:10.981 | 2:11.011 |
| 11 | 5 | Tiago Monteiro | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 2:11.020 | |
| 12 | 4 | Jordi Gené | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 2:11.317 | |
| 13 | 1 | Yvan Muller | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 2:11.320 | |
| 14 | 11 | Robert Huff | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 2:11.391 | |
| 15 | 27 | Stefano D'Aste | Wiechers-Sport | BMW 320si | Y | 2:11.504 | |
| 16 | 21 | Tom Coronel | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 2:11.851 | |
| 17 | 25 | Franz Engstler | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320si | Y | 2:11.895 | |
| 18 | 31 | Vito Postiglione | Scuderia Proteam Motorsport | BMW 320si | Y | 2:12.141 | |
| 19 | 28 | Marin Čolak | Čolak Racing Team Ingra | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 2:12.469 | |
| 20 | 32 | Tim Coronel | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 2:12.490 | |
| 21 | 22 | Tom Boardman | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 2:13.048 | |
| 22 | 18 | Jaap van Lagen | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 2:13.371 | |
| 23 | 26 | Kristian Poulsen | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320si | Y | 2:13.808 | |
| 24 | 19 | Kirill Ladygin | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 2:14.033 | |
| 25 | 20 | Viktor Shapovalov | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 2:14.257 | |

### Race 1

| Pos. | No. | Name | Team | Car | C | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 9 | Alessandro Zanardi | BMW Team Italy-Spain | BMW 320si | | 12 | 2:26.496 | 3 | 10 |
| 2 | 7 | Jörg Müller | BMW Team Germany | BMW 320si | | 12 | +1.848 | 7 | 8 |
| 3 | 2 | Gabriele Tarquini | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 12 | +4.831 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | 3 | Rickard Rydell | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 12 | +5.105 | 5 | 5 |
| 5 | 10 | Sergio Hernández | BMW Team Italy-Spain | BMW 320si | | 12 | +5.303 | 9 | 4 |
| 6 | 5 | Tiago Monteiro | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 12 | +7.250 | 11 | 3 |
| 7 | 23 | Félix Porteiro | Scuderia Proteam Motorsport | BMW 320si | Y | 12 | +7.847 | 10 | 2 |
| 8 | 1 | Yvan Muller | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 12 | +9.915 | 13 | 1 |
| 9 | 21 | Tom Coronel | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 12 | +10.814 | 16 | |
| 10 | 31 | Vito Postiglione | Scuderia Proteam Motorsport | BMW 320si | Y | 12 | +11.022 | 18 | |
| 11 | 25 | Franz Engstler | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320si | Y | 12 | +12.916 | 17 | |
| 12 | 32 | Tim Coronel | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 12 | +14.150 | 20 | |
| 13 | 22 | Tom Boardman | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 12 | +17.692 | 21 | |
| 14 | 18 | Jaap van Lagen | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 12 | +20.200 | 22 | |
| 15 | 19 | Kirill Ladygin | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 12 | +22.342 | 24 | |
| 16 | 20 | Viktor Shapovalov | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 12 | +24.607 | 25 | |
| 17 | 27 | Stefano D'Aste | Wiechers-Sport | BMW 320si | Y | 12 | +36.106 | 15 | |
| Ret | 28 | Marin Čolak | Čolak Racing Team Ingra | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 7 | Pierced radiator | 19 | |
| NC | 6 | Andy Priaulx | BMW Team UK | BMW 320si | | 6 | Race incident | 2 | |
| Ret | 4 | Jordi Gené | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 4 | Race incident | 12 | |
| Ret | 26 | Kristian Poulsen | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320si | Y | 2 | Engine | 23 | |
| Ret | 12 | Alain Menu | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 1 | Race incident | 8 | |
| Ret | 8 | Augusto Farfus | BMW Team Germany | BMW 320si | | 0 | Race incident | 1 | |
| Ret | 14 | Nicola Larini | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 0 | Race incident | 4 | |
| Ret | 11 | Robert Huff | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 0 | Race incident | 14 | |

* Bold denotes Fastest lap.

### Race 2

| Pos. | No. | Name | Team | Car | C | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 10 | Sergio Hernández | BMW Team Italy-Spain | BMW 320si | | 10 | 22:13.734 | 4 | 10 |
| 2 | 1 | Yvan Muller | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 10 | +2.316 | 1 | 8 |
| 3 | 5 | Tiago Monteiro | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 10 | +4.114 | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | 23 | Félix Porteiro | Scuderia Proteam Motorsport | BMW 320si | Y | 10 | +4.280 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | 2 | Gabriele Tarquini | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 10 | +7.232 | 6 | 4 |
| 6 | 3 | Rickard Rydell | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 10 | +7.857 | 5 | 3 |
| 7 | 7 | Jörg Müller | BMW Team Germany | BMW 320si | | 10 | +8.092 | 7 | 2 |
| 8 | 6 | Andy Priaulx | BMW Team UK | BMW 320si | | 10 | +8.852 | 17 | 1 |
| 9 | 21 | Tom Coronel | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 10 | +10.369 | 9 | |
| 10 | 31 | Vito Postiglione | Scuderia Proteam Motorsport | BMW 320si | Y | 10 | +10.551 | 10 | |
| 11 | 4 | Jordi Gené | SEAT Sport | SEAT León 2.0 TDI | | 10 | +12.501 | 18 | |
| 12 | 11 | Robert Huff | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 10 | +16.026 | 19 | |
| 13 | 14 | Nicola Larini | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 10 | +17.624 | 21 | |
| 14 | 25 | Franz Engstler | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320si | Y | 10 | +18.456 | 11 | |
| 15 | 27 | Stefano D'Aste | Wiechers-Sport | BMW 320si | Y | 10 | +19.352 | 23 | |
| 16 | 32 | Tim Coronel | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 10 | +19.916 | 12 | |
| 17 | 19 | Kirill Ladygin | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 10 | +29.476 | 15 | |
| 18 | 18 | Jaap van Lagen | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 10 | +30.483 | 14 | |
| 19 | 22 | Tom Boardman | SUNRED Engineering | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 10 | +30.837 | 13 | |
| 20 | 20 | Viktor Shapovalov | LADA Sport | LADA 110 2.0 | | 10 | +31.362 | 16 | |
| 21 | 26 | Kristian Poulsen | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320si | Y | 10 | +42.121 | 25 | |
| 22 | 12 | Alain Menu | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze LT | | 9 | +1 Lap | 22 | |
| Ret | 9 | Alessandro Zanardi | BMW Team Italy-Spain | BMW 320si | | 4 | Race incident | 8 | |
| Ret | 8 | Augusto Farfus | BMW Team Germany | BMW 320si | | 1 | Race incident | 20 | |
| DNS | 28 | Marin Čolak | Čolak Racing Team Ingra | SEAT León 2.0 TFSI | Y | 0 | Pierced radiator | 24 | |

* Bold denotes Fastest lap.

## Championship standings

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Yvan Muller | 66 |
| 1 | 2 | Gabriele Tarquini | 56 |
| 1 | 3 | Augusto Farfus | 54 |
| 2 | 4 | Jörg Müller | 41 |
| 2 | 5 | Rickard Rydell | 38 |
| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| 2 | 1 | Félix Porteiro | 124 |
| 1 | 2 | Tom Coronel | 98 |
| 1 | 3 | Franz Engstler | 90 |
| | 4 | Stefano D'Aste | 50 |
| | 5 | Tom Boardman | 32 |
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | SEAT | 161 |
| 2 | BMW | 153 |
| 3 | Chevrolet | 103 |
| 4 | Lada | 45 |

* Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of drivers' standings.
