Andy Priaulx became the eighth different World Touring Car winner in eight races after conquering torrid weather conditions at Pau.

Making the most of his reverse grid pole position, the win marked BMW's second the day and goes a long way to kick starting Priaulx's title defence, the Guernseyman breaking the SEAT deadlock in the standings in the process.

As with the first race, overtaking was at a premium, despite a storm just minutes before the start deluging the circuit with water that threatened to mix things up.

Spending three laps behind the safety car as the drivers learned their way around a track that was flooding in some areas – most notably coming out of the tight Lycee hairpin -, Priaulx used the advantage to cautiously sweep into the lead, followed by Nicola Larini and Rickard Rydell.

From here, the race for the win became a battle of wits between Priaulx and Larini, with both drivers on the edge as far as the conditions would allow as they pulled away from the field.

However, while Larini looked to be pressuring Priaulx in the early stages, the increasing confidence of the triple world champion soon saw him hopping over the kerbs and taking aggressive driving lines as he gradually eked out a lead.

Larini kept on pushing, but began to struggle with fading tyres in the latter stages, the Chevrolet driver being caught by a charging Rydell. Nonetheless, Larini held onto second for his best result of the season, while Rydell also celebrated his fourth podium.

Priaulx was untroubled at the front though, taking his first win of the season and one that sees him jump up to fourth in the overall standings and threatening the dominance that SEAT have exerted this year.

Further back, Gabriele Tarquini and Rob Huff were a lonely fourth and fifth to record their second points finish of the day. Tarquini's result also means he holds onto the championship lead.