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2011 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal

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Portugal 2011 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal
Race details
Date3 July, 2011
LocationPorto, Portugal
CourseCircuito da Boavista
4.800 kilometres (2.983 mi)
Race One
Laps 11
Pole position
Driver Switzerland Alain Menu Chevrolet RML
Time 2:04.946
Podium
First Switzerland Alain Menu Chevrolet RML
Second France Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML
Third United Kingdom Robert Huff Chevrolet RML
Fastest Lap
Driver Switzerland Alain Menu Chevrolet RML
Time 2:06.815
Race Two
Laps 11
Podium
First United Kingdom Robert Huff Chevrolet RML
Second France Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML
Third Portugal Tiago Monteiro SUNRED Engineering
Fastest Lap
Driver United Kingdom Robert Huff Chevrolet RML
Time 2:05.846

The 2011 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal was the sixth round of the 2011 World Touring Car Championship season and the fifth running of the FIA WTCC Race of Portugal. It was held on 3 July 2011 at the Circuito da Boavista street circuit in Porto, Portugal.

Both races were won by Chevrolet RML with Alain Menu winning race one and Robert Huff winning race two.

Background

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Coming into the round, Robert Huff was leading the drivers' championship. Kristian Poulsen was leading the Yokohama Independents' Trophy.

After the Race of the Czech Republic, Urs Sonderegger left the Wiechers-Sport team having struggled to be competitive. His replacement was Stefano D'Aste who had last raced for them in the 2009 season.[1]

Report

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Testing and free practice

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The works Chevrolet cars finished 1–2–3 in Friday's test session with Huff leading Yvan Muller and Menu. Norbert Michelisz was fourth and the fastest independent driver while fellow BMW driver D'Aste was fifth. The session came to an end prematurely when the Polestar Racing Volvo C30 of Robert Dahlgren collided with the barriers.[2]

Menu led free practice one on Saturday morning, edging out team–mate Muller by less than a tenth of a second. Huff was third while Tom Coronel was fourth for ROAL Motorsport ahead of the local driver Tiago Monteiro.[3]

Chevrolet completed their domination of the testing and practice in free practice two as Huff set the pace ahead of Muller. Gabriele Tarquini was third for Lukoil-SUNRED while Franz Engstler was the fastest independent driver in sixth. Michelisz ended his session early when he collided with one of the barriers, damaging the rear of his Zengő-Dension Team BMW 320 TC and puncturing a tyre.[4]

Qualifying

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Menu took his second pole position of the year, leading a Chevrolet 1–2–3 in qualifying. Tarquini had set the pace in the first part of qualifying ahead of Menu and Coronel while D'Aste ended up tenth to claim pole position for race two. Yokohama Trophy leader Poulsen was among those to miss out of the second session, the Liqui Moly Team Engstler driver took too much kerb heading into the final chicane and crashed into the barriers.

Muller set the pace for much of the second session but a quick lap from Menu in the final few minutes put the Swiss driver onto pole position. Muller lined up second with Huff third while Q1 pacesetter Tarquini was fourth. Monteiro was fifth at his home event ahead of Coronel and Dahlgren while eighth went to the top independent driver Michelisz. D'Aste and Engstler completed the top ten.[5]

Aleksei Dudukalo would drop ten places on the grid for race one owing to an unscheduled engine change in his SEAT León 2.0 TDI.[6]

Warm-Up

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Championship leader Huff was quickest in Sunday morning's warm–up session ahead of pole sitter Menu.[7]

Race One

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Menu led the field away at the rolling start with Muller and Huff behind, Monteiro took fourth after passing Tarquini. Fredy Barth tangled with the diesel SEAT of Dudukalo at the first chicane with Dudukalo retiring on the first lap and Barth stopping on lap three. Muller and Huff spent much of the race battling for second place giving Menu a chance to break away from the pair into a comfortable lead. Javier Villa also retired after an accident at the first chicane, his race ended on lap six. The race saw relatively little action and Menu led a Chevrolet 1–2–3 with Monteiro staying ahead of Tarquini with Coronel sixth and Dahlgren seventh. Michelisz was the Yokohama Trophy winner in eighth after launching an unsuccessful attack on Dahlgren's seventh place, while Michel Nykjær and D'Aste rounded out the top ten.[8]

Race Two

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D'Aste was on pole position for the standing start while Dahlgren bogged down and much of the field had to avoid him. The Wiechers–Sport driver led the race until lap three when he was passed by Muller. Muller was able to build a 2.5 second lead while it took Huff another lap to pass D'Aste, after which Huff started to close in on the leading Chevrolet. Huff eventually caught up and the pair came together before Huff skidded over one of the chicanes and into the lead. D'Aste received a drive–through penalty for jumping the start and Monteiro moved into the third when the Italian dived into the pit lane. D'Aste collided with the bollards after a late nudge from Mehdi Bennani. Huff claimed the win ahead of Muller, Monteiro claimed a podium at his home race in third. Michelisz in fourth was the independent winner again while Poulsen, the Yokohama Trophy leader coming into the event, was last on the road.[9]

Results

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Qualifying

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Pos. No. Name Team Car C Q1 Q2
1 8 Switzerland Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 2:06.622 2:04.946
2 1 France Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 2:06.964 2:05.280
3 2 United Kingdom Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 2:06.918 2:05.284
4 3 Italy Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil-SUNRED SUNRED SR León 1.6T 2:06.397 2:05.548
5 18 Portugal Tiago Monteiro SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T 2:06.838 2:05.656
6 15 Netherlands Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 2:06.673 2:06.143
7 30 Sweden Robert Dahlgren Polestar Racing Volvo C30 Drive 2:06.830 2:06.678
8 5 Hungary Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team BMW 320 TC Y 2:06.789 2:06.682
9 26 Italy Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 2:06.987 2:06.722
10 12 Germany Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 2:06.827 2:06.770
11 17 Denmark Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 2:07.021
12 9 Hong Kong Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 2:07.066
13 7 Switzerland Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 2:07.071
14 20 Spain Javier Villa Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 2:07.072
15 11 Denmark Kristian Poulsen Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 2:07.134
16 74 Spain Pepe Oriola SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 2:07.361
17 4 Russia Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 2:08.480
18 10 Japan Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 2:10.123
107% time: 2:15.244
25 Morocco Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y no time set
  • Bold denotes Pole position for second race.

Race 1

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Pos. No. Name Team Car C Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 8 Switzerland Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 11 23:22.763 1 25
2 1 France Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 11 +1.262 2 18
3 2 United Kingdom Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 11 +1.519 3 15
4 18 Portugal Tiago Monteiro SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T 11 +5.710 5 12
5 3 Italy Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil-SUNRED SUNRED SR León 1.6T 11 +10.457 4 10
6 15 Netherlands Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 11 +12.237 6 8
7 30 Sweden Robert Dahlgren Polestar Racing Volvo C30 Drive 11 +16.693 7 6
8 5 Hungary Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team BMW 320 TC Y 11 +17.256 8 4
9 17 Denmark Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 11 +17.724 11 2
10 26 Italy Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 11 +18.232 9 1
11 12 Germany Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 11 +20.360 10
12 9 Hong Kong Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 11 +25.778 12
13 74 Spain Pepe Oriola SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 11 +27.343 16
14 11 Denmark Kristian Poulsen Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 11 +48.801 15
15 10 Japan Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 11 +55.046 17
16 25 Morocco Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 11 +56.084 19
Ret 20 Spain Javier Villa Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 6 Race incident 14
NC 7 Switzerland Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 3 +8 Laps 13
Ret 4 Russia Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 0 Race incident 18
  • Bold denotes Fastest lap.

Race 2

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Pos. No. Name Team Car C Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 2 United Kingdom Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 11 23:24.533 3 25
2 1 France Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 11 +1.797 2 18
3 18 Portugal Tiago Monteiro SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T 11 +8.728 4 15
4 5 Hungary Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team BMW 320 TC Y 11 +9.752 7 12
5 15 Netherlands Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 11 +10.059 8 10
6 8 Switzerland Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 11 +11.114 9 8
7 3 Italy Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil-SUNRED SUNRED SR León 1.6T 11 +12.849 10 6
8 12 Germany Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 11 +19.474 6 4
9 9 Hong Kong Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 11 +24.147 12 2
10 7 Switzerland Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 11 +25.787 13 1
11 26 Italy Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 11 +30.250 1
12 17 Denmark Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 11 +34.399 11
13 4 Russia Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 11 +37.373 18
14 74 Spain Pepe Oriola SUNRED Engineering SUNRED SR León 1.6T Y 11 +37.950 15
15 10 Japan Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 11 +38.735 16
16 30 Sweden Robert Dahlgren Polestar Racing Volvo C30 Drive 11 +39.365 5
17 20 Spain Javier Villa Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 11 +41.084 17
18 25 Morocco Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 11 +58.161 19
19 11 Denmark Kristian Poulsen Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 11 +1:53.447 14
  • Bold denotes Fastest lap.

Standings after the event

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

References

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  1. ^ Allen, Peter (25 June 2011). "D'Aste Returns To Wiechers In Place Of Sonderegger". The Checkered Flag. BlackEagleMedia Network. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  2. ^ Allen, Peter (1 July 2011). "Huff Quickest As Chevrolet Dominate Porto Test". The Checkered Flag. BlackEagleMedia Network. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  3. ^ Hudson, Neil (2 July 2011). "Menu leads the way in Free Practice 1 at Porto". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  4. ^ Hudson, Neil (2 July 2011). "Rob Huff dominates Free Practice 2, faster by a second". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  5. ^ Glendenning, Mark (2 July 2011). "Alain Menu leads another Chevrolet top three grid sweep in Porto". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  6. ^ Hudson, Neil (2 July 2011). "Engine change means grid drop for Dudukalo". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  7. ^ Hudson, Neil (3 July 2011). "Rob Huff leads the morning warm-up". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  8. ^ Glendenning, Mark (3 July 2011). "Alain Menu leads Chevrolet podium sweep in race one in Porto". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  9. ^ Glendenning, Mark (3 July 2011). "Rob Huff hunts down Yvan Muller for Porto WTCC race two victory". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
[edit]
World Touring Car Championship
Previous race:
2011 FIA WTCC Race of the Czech Republic
2011 World Touring Car Championship season Next race:
2011 FIA WTCC Race of UK
Previous race:
2010 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal
FIA WTCC Race of Portugal Next race:
2012 FIA WTCC Race of Portugal