Rickard Rydell has taken victory in the opening World Touring Car Championship race of the weekend at Okayama, helping SEAT to clinch the manufacturers' crown in the process.
The Swede emerged as a comfortable winner following 14 laps in tricky conditions after rain earlier in the day left the field with a damp track, with long-time race leader Jorg Muller taking second for
BMW and Andy Priaulx rounding out the podium.
At the rolling start, Jorg Muller moved into the lead after pole-man Augusto Farfus tangled with Alain Menu going into the right-hander, with both cars forced to take a trip across the gravel and Menu ultimately forced to retire. Also in trouble at turn one was title hopeful Gabriele Tarquini who made a brave move to go around the outside and found himself hung out to dry; going through the gravel and slipping down the order. Muller therefore led the race ahead of Tiago Monteiro, Rydell, Rob Huff, Stefano D'Aste and James Thompson – the latter having stormed into the top six off the start. Points leader Yvan Muller and Priaulx rounded out the points scorers.
Tarquini's error dropped him well down outside the top ten and gave Yvan Muller the chance to try and extend his points advantage, but the Frenchman was under pressure from Priaulx behind as the BMW ace attempted to keep his slim hopes of retaining the crown alive. The pair followed Thompson in getting ahead of D'Aste on lap three while out front, Jorg Muller was pulling away as Monteiro held up team-mate Rydell in second and third.
On lap four, Thompson moved into fourth past Rob Huff and when Priaulx got ahead of Muller on the following lap, it left the three Britons running line astern on track. Rydell meanwhile was desperately trying to find a way past Monteiro and having made his move on lap six, he then set about chasing down the BMW out front.
At the end of lap six, Muller led from Rydell and Monteiro, with Thompson, Huff and Priaulx rounding out the top six. Yvan Muller was seventh from Augusto Farfus, with D'Aste and Sergio Hernandez rounding out the top ten as they battled for the Independent win.
![Rickard Rydell - SEAT Sport Leon TDi [Pic credit: FIA WTCC]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/505664.jpg)
