ALFA ROMEO AND BMW CAN'T FIND ALL THE SEATS AT MONZA

9/4/06

Alfa Romeo and BMW may have got a top spot each on the winner's podium at the first round of the 2006 World Touring Car Championship at Monza, with the Germans winning race one and the Italians retaliating in race two, but it's the Spanish who left the Italian race track leading both the drivers' and manufacturers' title chases with SEAT filling most of spaces in the top ten in both races.

"Race two was spectacular and I am really happy to have won it," said Alfa Romeo winner in race two, Augusto Farfus. "As for the first race I don't really know what happened with the car because after the crash at the first chicane I lost my rear bumper and therefore a lot of speed, then at the end Rydell hit me.

"I had a great start in race two and Alex and I had a fun and tight fight. As for the accident, it was nothing special. We broke at the same point at the chicane a touched lightly but unfortunately for Alex he broke his steering axle and it ended his race. I am pleased to have won this race with my team and we will work on getting the most out of the Alfa Romeo 156 throughout the season."

RACE ONE

Andy Priaulx made a perfect start to the defence of his World Touring Car crown with an easy lights-to-flag victory in his RBM run BMW 320si at Monza, but it was SEAT that were catching most of the attention by filling four of the top six positions.

Yvan Muller and James Thompson made it a podium reminiscent of the British Touring Car Championship, after a strong performance on their SEAT debuts and if any more evidence that SEAT will be taking the fight to BMW this year was needed, then the fact that both Muller and Thompson got past Dirk Muller, while Gabriele Tarquini and Rickard Rydell grabbed fifth and sixth, speaks volumes.

Taking advantage of his rear-wheel drive superiority off the startline, Priaulx blitzed into a comfortable lead, while Dirk Muller slotted in behind him from fourth on the grid, ahead of a myriad of SEATs.

However, the 35 car squeeze into the first corner inevitably claimed its victims, with Salvatore Tavano braking far too late and finding the rear of slow starting team mate Augusto Farfus Jr. Although he got airborne briefly, Farfus continued with his bumper trailing for the rest of the race, but Tavano coasted back to the pits with heavy frontal damage.

Jorg Muller in the Team Deutschland BMW also found himself in the pit lane after the first lap with front suspension problems, rejoining later on but only being classified in 28th place.

With Priaulx pulling out in front, his small lead was pegged back when the safety car was deployed to clear the wreckage of Jens Edman's Peugeot 407 and Roberto Colciago's SEAT Toledo, the latter sustaining heavy damage and even catching fire briefly.

On the restart though, the Guernseyman got the jump on Muller and stayed with a healthy margin to the finish line.

Behind though, things were much closer with Yvan Muller surprising many by pulling alongside the BMW out of the final corner and then edging ahead into the first corner and taking second place, a move then repeated by Thompson, the Brit impressively climbing from sixth on the grid.

Further back, Gianni Morbidelli was punished for holding up a train of over ten cars when he was turned around, prompting a gaggle of cars to swap positions, something that played into the hands of Alessandro Balzan who came from 22nd place on the grid to finish superb ninth place in his DB Motorsport Alfa Romeo 156, coming home the leading Independent runner.

Chevrolet endured a race to forget with Alain Menu being the only Lacetti in contention in tenth place, but not before he seemed to turn around team mate Rob Huff at the first chicane.

RACE TWO

Augusto Farfus Jr. took advantage of his pole position to secure his second World Touring Car victory in a hugely eventful second race at Monza that saw SEAT star again and main rivals BMW fall foul of collisions.

Having managed to beat second place man Alex Zanardi down to the first corner, Farfus Jr. set about establishing a lead and although the Brazilian would never be headed, he had an exciting tussle with the Italian before their rivalry came to a head later in the race.

Yvan Muller used his BTCC experience of reverse grids to storm up from seventh spot to take another second place on what was an excellent debut for him in the SEAT Leon and one that will leave the Frenchman in the lead of the championship after the first round.

Joining them on the podium was Alain Menu who scored Chevrolet's first legitimate podium position with a strong drive in the latter stages of the race, taking advantage of various incidents around him to secure a remarkable result on a circuit where they were expecting their toughest weekend of the year.

Indeed, the race was full of incident from the start, with four SEATs swamping the BMWs of Dirk Muller and race one winner Andy Priaulx immediately, the sextet of cars swapping places continuously until the second lap when BMWs worst fears came true and their two cars were forced out.

Coming out of turn one, a combination of Muller and Priaulx squeezing out James Thompson caused the SEAT to pitch the two BMWs into the tyre barrier at considerable speed, leaving both drivers fuming when they climbed out of their cars. Replays though show that the incident an unfortunate, albeit costly, incident for the manufacturer.

With Thompson delayed, it was the turn of race one surprise Alessandro Balzan to grab the headlines by aggressively getting his independent, two-year old Alfa Romeo 156 Gta, into fourth place and challenging for a podium.

Up at the front, Rickard Rydell was challenging Alex Zanardi for second place, with the duo swapping places before the BMW managed to pull clear of the Swede in search of a much needed good result for BMW following the retirement of two more 320sis, in the shape of Jorg Muller and Marcel Costa, who both found the gravel trap.

However, in his eagerness to get past Farfus on the penultimate lap, the BMW clouted the side of the Alfa Romeo coming out of turn one, instantly snapping the front suspension and becoming the fifth works BMW driver to retire.

At the same time, Alessandro Balzan, who had been locking up badly into the first corner for a number of laps now, slid sideways, delaying a number of cars behind him but allowing the Chevrolets of Menu and Rob Huff into a highly unexpected fourth and fifth place, with the privateer managing to hold it together to stay sixth.

With a single lap to go, Farfus led Muller, who had quietly made his way through the carnage, while Rydell came under increasing pressure from Menu, this Swiss driver pulling off a late but perfectly executed lunge into turn three to grab the final podium spot.

Unfortunately for Rydell though, Huff was looking to follow his team mate through but instead slammed into the side of the Leon, spinning him round and delaying the Brit, who had been on course for his best finish. He finished down in 12th by the end.

Farfus though held back a fast finishing Muller for his second career win following his maiden triumph at the final round of last season in Macau. His victory is all the more sweet as it was done in a semi-works run Alfa Romeo, following the manufacturers withdrawal at the end of last year.

Muller meanwhile will go into the next round as the championship leader, with the Spanish manufacturer going to Magny-Cours on a high having gotten five of their cars in the top ten and only Rydell's last lap demise preventing them from achieving the unprecedented feat of getting each of their drivers into the points.

Results: WTCC Race One

Full race results for the opening race of the first round of the World Touring Car Championship from Monza, Italy.

1. Andy Priaulx BMW 320si BMW Team Great Britain 25mins 44.220secs
2. Yvan Muller SEAT Leon SEAT Sport France 3.534secs
3. James Thompson SEAT Leon SEAT Sport UK 4.378secs
4. Dirk Muller BMW 320si BMW Team Deutschland 4.667secs
5. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Italia 7.332secs
6. Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Sverige 7.639secs
7. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si BMW Team Italy-Spain 8.339secs
8. Augusto Farfus Jr Alfa Romeo 156 N.Technology 12.908secs
9. Alessandro Balzan Alfa Romeo 156 DB Motorsport 14.480secs I
10. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti Chevrolet 14.871secs
11. Marcel Costa BMW 320si BMW Team Italy-Spain 16.020secssecs
12. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Espana 16.642secs
13. Peter Terting SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Deutschland 17.767secs
14. Stefano D'Aste BMW 320i Proteam 18.064secs I
15. Luca Rangoni BMW 320si Proteam 18.324secs I
16. Simone Iancone BMW 320i Zerocinque 23.050secs I
17. Riccardo Romagnoli Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Scuderia La Torre 27.193secs I
18. Ryan Sharp Honda Accord Euro RJAS Motorsport 27.343secs I
19. Rob Huff Chevrolet Lacetti Chevrolet 32.291secs
20. Diego Romanini BMW 320i Weichers-Sport 33.259secs I
21. Jiri Janak Alfa Romeo 156 GTA CSMS 33.624secs I
22. Pierre-Yves Corthals Honda Accord Euro R JAS Motorsport 34.256secs I
23. Davide Roda SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Italia 35.907secs I
24. Stefano Valli BZerocinque 38.734secs I
25. Maurizio Ceresoli SEAT Toledo Cupra GR Asia 50.883secs I
26. Emmet O'Brien BMW 320i Wiechers-Sport 2 Laps I
27. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti Chevrolet 2 Laps
28. Jorg Muller BMW 320si BMW Team Deutschland 2 Laps

Did Not Finish
Gianni Morbidelli Alfa Romeo 156 N.Technology 3 Laps
Emanuele Naspetti BMW 320i GDL Racing 3 Laps I
Tom Coronel SEAT Toledo Cupra GR Asia 6 Laps I
Jens Edman Peugeot 407 Peugeot Sport Denmark 8 Laps I
Roberto Colciago SEAT Toledo Cupra SEAT Sport Italia 9 Laps I
Elio Marchetti Alfa Romeo 156 DB Motorsport 10 Laps I
Salvatore Tavano Alfa Romeo 156 N.Technology 11 Laps

Results: WTCC Race Two

Full race results for the second race of the first round of the World Touring Car Championship from Monza, Italy.

1. Augusto Farfus Jr Alfa Romeo 156 N.Technology 18mins 37.438secs
2. Yvan Muller SEAT Leon SEAT Sport France 0.9514secs
3. Alain Menu Chevrolet Lacetti Chevrolet 2.580secs
4. Alessandro Balzan Alfa Romeo 156 DB Motorsport 3.924secs I
5. Jordi Gene SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Espana 5.721secs
6. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Italia 6.927secs
7. Nicola Larini Chevrolet Lacetti Chevrolet 7.895secs
8. Peter Terting SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Deutschland 8.503secs
9. James Thompson SEAT Leon SEAT Sport UK 9.414secs
10. Gianni Morbidelli Alfa Romeo 156 N.Technology 8.727secs

11. Simone Iancone BMW 320i Zerocinque 10.886secs I
12. Rob Huff Chevrolet Lacetti Chevrolet 13.255secs
13. Tom Coronel SEAT Toledo Cupra GR Asia 13.978secs I
14. Ryan Sharp Honda Accord Euro RJAS Motorsport 14.705secs I
15. Emmet O'Brien BMW 320i Wiechers-Sport 15.756secs I
16. Riccardo Romagnoli Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Scuderia La Torre 20.526secs I
17. Stefano Valli BZerocinque 23.171secs I
18. Jiri Janak Alfa Romeo 156 GTA CSMS 25.074secs I
19. Maurizio Ceresoli SEAT Toledo Cupra GR Asia 25.920secs I
20. Davide Roda SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Italia 26.905secs I
21. Stefano D'Aste BMW 320i Proteam 26.964secs I

Did Not Finish

Rickard Rydell SEAT Leon SEAT Sport Sverige 1 Lap
Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si BMW Team Italy-Spain 2 Laps
Diego Romanini BMW 320i Weichers-Sport 2 Laps I
Marcel Costa BMW 320si BMW Team Italy-Spain 3 Laps
Jorg Muller BMW 320si BMW Team Deutschland 5 Laps
Dirk Muller BMW 320si BMW Team Deutschland 7 Laps
Andy Priaulx BMW 320si BMW Team Great Britain 7 Laps
Luca Rangoni BMW 320si Proteam 7 Laps I

Did Not Start
Salvatore Tavano Alfa Romeo 156 N.Technology
Emanuele Naspetti BMW 320i GDL Racing 3 Laps I
Jens Edman Peugeot 407 Peugeot Sport Denmark 8 Laps I
Roberto Colciago SEAT Toledo Cupra SEAT Sport Italia 9 Laps I
Elio Marchetti Alfa Romeo 156 DB Motorsport 10 Laps I
Pierre-Yves Corthals Honda Accord Euro R JAS Motorsport 34.256secs I

2006 WTCC DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP (AFTER ROUND 2 OF 20)
POSITION
DRIVER
TEAM
POINTS

1.
YVAN MULLER
SEAT SPORT
16

2.
AUGUSTO FARFUS JR.
N.TECHNOLOGY
11

3.
ANDY PRIAULX
BMW TEAM GREAT BRITAIN
10

4.
GABRIELE TARQUINI
SEAT SPORT
7

5.
JAMES THOMPSON
SEAT SPORT
6

=
ALAIN MENU
CHEVROLET
6

7.
DIRK MULLER
BMW TEAM DEUTSCHLAND
5

=
ALESSANDRO BALZAN
DB MOTORSPORT
5

9.
JORDI GENE
SEAT SPORT
4

10.
RICKARD RYDELL
SEAT SPORT
3

11.
ALEX ZANARDI
BMW TEAM ITALY-SPAIN
2

=
NICOLA LARINI
CHEVROLET
2

13.
PETER TERTING
SEAT SPORT
1

2006 WTCC YOKOHAMA INDEPENDENTS TROPHY (AFTER ROUND 2 OF 20)
POSITION
DRIVER
TEAM
POINTS

1.
ALESSANDRO BALZAN
DB MOTORSPORT
20

2.
SIMONE IANCONE
ZEROCINQUE
13

3.
STEFANO D'ASTE
PROTEAM
8

=
RYAN SHARP
JAS MOTORSPORT
8

5.
RICCARDO ROMAGNOLI
SCUDERIA LA TORRE
7

6.
LUCA RANGONI
PROTEAM
6

=
TOM CORONEL
GR ASIA
6

8.
EMMET O'BRIEN
WIECHERS-SPORT
4

9.
JIRI JANAK
CESKOSLOVENSKY
3

10.
DIEGO ROMANINI
WEICHERS-SPORT
2

=
STEFANO VALLI
ZEROCINQUE
2

2006 WTCC MANUFACTURERS' CHAMPIONSHIP (AFTER ROUND 2 OF 20)
POSITION
TEAM
POINTS

1.
SEAT
26

2.
ALFA ROMEO
22

3.
BMW
18

4.
CHEVROLET
12

2006 FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR
DATE
COUNTRY
VENUE

Apr 2
ITALY
MONZA

Apr 30
FRANCE
MAGNY-COURS

May 21
GREAT BRITAIN
BRANDS HATCH

Jun 4
GERMANY
OSCHERSLEBEN

Jul 2
BRAZIL
CURITIBA

Jul 30
MEXICO
PUEBLA

Sept 3
CZECH REPUBLIC
BRNO

Sept 24
TURKEY
ISTANBUL

Oct 8
SPAIN
VALENCIA

Nov 19
CHINA
MACAU