Having struggled in Germany, Alfa Romeo hit their stride again in the most convincing way in Turkey with a commanding performance, even if the weekend was not as profitable as it could have been. A combination of a powerful engine that ensures the 156 saloon is often quickest on a straight line and little success ballast following their recent lull meant that Alfa Romeo never looked likely to be beaten at any time during the weekend.
Locking out the first four places in qualifying, each of he drivers settled into a commanding train with Giovanardi being gifted the lead courtesy of team orders thanks to the Italian’s higher place in the championship. Indeed, the first race should have seen the teams second 1-2-3-4 result of the year only for a curious double tyre failure to force both Gabriele Tarquini and Augusto Farfus down the order in seventh and eighth respectively.
Conveniently their misfortune aided their cause in the second race, with their front row position being converted into a simple lights to flag victory. Giovanardi meanwhile could have been joining his team mates on the podium – with team orders meaning that he would almost certainly have been promoted to first -, but his tangle with García meant sixth was the best he could manage. A better result would have almost certainly have placed him into the lead of the championship going to Valencia, a circuit where Alfa Romeo have proved dominant in the past. A podium lock out in both races last year means the Italian team are favourites to continue their form from Turkey and at this crucial stage in the title race, such past form can only be encouraging for Alfa Romeo and worrying for
BMW.
![Andy Priaulx [Pic credit: FIA WTCC]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/166470.jpg)
