Andy Priaulx has taken the lead of the World Touring Car Championship with just one race remaining after a lights to flag victory in the opening race at Macau.
The
BMW Team UK driver made the perfect getaway when the lights went green to lead the field into Lisbao for the first time, with fellow BMW driver Dirk Muller the man who would hit problems. Having lost out at the start, Muller was battling with Augusto Farfus into the tight right hander but got it sideways and spun – causing a traffic jam behind as the remainder of the field was left stationary.
Only six cars managed to get round Lisboa without problems, with Priaulx leading from Duncan Huisman and Yvan Muller with Farfus – the championship leader – fourth in the N.technology Alfa Romeo. Fabrizio Giovanardi held fifth with Jorg Muller sixth – before a gap of 13 seconds to the next runner Tom Coronel in seventh. Amazingly, Alain Menu, James Thompson and Nicola Larini completed the top ten at the end of the lap – all three having come from the back of the field and driven around the outside of the stricken cars on lap one to jump up the order.
The second lap saw the top six cars held up approaching the Melco hairpin behind the BMW of Stefano D'Aste, who was recovering to the pits after an incident on the opening lap, allowing the pack to close right up to the rear of Priaulx's car – with no overtaking allowed at the tightest corner on the circuit and permanent yellow flags. Gianni Morbidelli slow Alfa Romeo would also cause problems at the same corner, with Thompson running into the rear of Menu at the same place as they came up behind the Italian, although both would continue.
Out front Priaulx maintained his lead but it was Farfus coming under the greatest pressure, the Brazilian struggling with 80 kilos of ballast on the title leading Alfa Romeo. On lap four, Giovanardi swept past in the JAS Honda Accord, with Jorg Muller then pressurising the championship leader.
