The WTCR has experienced one of its most convulsive and controversial races since its inception by the problems of the Goodyear tires that have led to the withdrawal of the five Lynk & Co 03 TCRs and a succession of punctures during the thirty minutes of the test. With this peculiar frame, Néstor Girolami has achieved victory ahead of Mikel Azcona, a very positive result for the Spaniard in terms of the championship. For its part, Gilles Magnus has closed the first podium of the World Touring Car Cup in Vallelunga.
Néstor Girolami signed a good start, although the Argentine driver had serious problems keeping Mikel Azcona behind. All in all, the image at the start of the race was not the fight between the two drivers, but the absence of all five Lynk & Co 03 TCRs from the grid. Cyan Racing, in communion with the Asian firm, decided to withdraw its five TCRs and did so after the formation lap, to give visibility to its position against the Goodyear tires. Quite a blow to the WTCR’s chin given the situation of the championship.
Leaving this fact aside, the first laps were experienced as a direct duel between Girolami and Azconawith Nathanaël Berthon occupying third place ahead of Gilles Magnus, since the Belgian jumped from eighth to fourth positionleaving Hungarian Norbert Michelisz behind. The Audi drivers found an advantage in the first meterssince in addition to the good start of Berthon and Magnus, the Moroccan Mehdi Bennani won the match against Esteban Guerrieri until a puncture ruined his race.
Mehdi Bennani’s puncture and the one he suffered just after Tiago Monteiro proved right in his protest to Lynk & Co, since they also occurred when only ten of the thirty minutes of the test had been played. Then, Attila Tassi also suffered a puncture not yet reaching the halfway point of the race. Nathanaël Berthon was next on this fateful listin an incident that almost cost Rob Huff his career and that left the list of survivors at only seven TCR.
Seeing the situation, the spirits in the head were quite relaxed with Néstor Giorlami, Mikel Azcona, Gilles Magnus, Norbert Michelisz and Esteban Guerrieri riding together, but at average 1:17 times, times much slower than the average 1:16 at the beginning of the race. With this in mind, Race management deployed the Safety Car with nine minutes to go, for no very clear reason. The gravel present on the track after the exits due to the punctures and the breakage of the advertising poster that Rob Huff was carrying ahead of him justified his presence, although the reason seemed to be to stop the race.
There was still room for two laps and a new puncture, in this case on Esteban Guerrieri’s TCR. With this image, the race closed with victory for Néstor Girolami ahead of Mikel Azconaa very important result for the Navarrese in terms of championship in the face of the problems and casualties of his rivals. Gilles Magnus completed the podium ahead of Norbert Michelisz, while Attila Tassi took fifth position after going through the pits, changing the punctured tire and returning to the track. After his puncture, Esteban Guerrieri finished seventh after being overtaken by Tom Coronel.
Results Race 1 of the 2022 WTCR at Vallelunga Circuit
Photos: FIA WTCR