WTCR – Muller, Priaulx take care of for Lynk & Co in Macau as Malaysia and Sepang rev up for title showdown

FIA WTCR Speed of Macau: Speed describe*, 17 November

WTCR – FIA World Touring Automobile Cup presented by OSCARO 2019

Rounds 25, 26 and 27 of 30, Circuito da Guia, 14-17 November

Andy Priaulx scored a essential WTCR – FIA World Touring Automobile Cup presented by OSCARO victory on the streets of Macau to total a dream weekend for Chinese language label Lynk & Co, which powered all three flee winners.

Yvan Muller bagged two wins for Cyan Racing to residence up an thrilling title decider at the season big-finale, which takes residence at the Sepang International Circuit next month where he’ll battle Norbert Michelisz, Esteban Guerrieri and Thed Björk for world touring automobile racing’s ultimate prize.

Michelisz (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse) leaves Macau on the #RoadToMalaysia with a slim nine-level assist over ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Honda driver Guerrieri after both made it by a tricky weekend.

Hungarian Michelisz accomplished second in Speed 1 sooner than struggling with to P10 and P12 within the 2 Sunday races – a fracture in 2d Qualifying Q1 hitting his hopes of a bigger get. Guerrieri, meanwhile, used to be a Speed 1 DNF but took fourth in Speed 2 and P10 in Speed 3. He used to be residence to launch Speed 2 on the DHL pole handiest to be hit with a grid penalty and fall to fourth within the account for.

There had been no such considerations for Muller (Cyan Racing Lynk & Co), who converted his First Qualifying DHL pole honest into a Speed 1 victory, which he followed up with a charging force from fifth to first in Speed 2. Sixth in Speed 3 places him two aspects within the succor of Guerrieri and 11 within the succor of Michelisz.

Kevin Ceccon (Crew Mulsanne) hit succor from his WTCR JVCKENWOOD Speed of Japan podium disappointment to twice carry out within the head three aboard an Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR.

Purchase Huff used to be fourth in Speed 1 but his pursuit of a myth-extending 10th Macau Guia Speed take care of had been dashed when he used to be unable to expose the Speed 3 DHL qualifying high plight honest into a victory for SLR VW Motorsport. He accomplished second with Jean-Karl Vernay taking third for Leopard Racing Crew Audi Sport. Johan Kristoffersson, the double FIA World Rallycross champion, used to be the ultimate Macau rookie with fifth in Speed 2 and fourth in Speed 3 for SLR Volkswagen.

Nicky Catsburg (BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Racing Crew) picked up the TAG Heuer Easiest Lap Trophy for his Speed 2 price, while Billy Lo used to be the ultimate of the wildcard racers, the Macanese driver a weekend high of P23 in Speed 1.

Tom Coronel used to be twice within the head 15 for Comtoyou DHL Crew CUPRA Racing as Luca Engstler scored his first WTCR / OSCARO aspects in Speed 3, having been known as up to deputise for Augusto Farfus at BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Racing Crew.

RACE 3 REPORT: PRIAULX BEATS HUFF FOR FIRST WTCR VICTORY

Andy Priaulx scored his first WTCR – FIA World Touring Automobile Cup presented by OSCARO take care of after defeating fellow Briton Purchase Huff in a annoying Speed 3.

The Cyan Efficiency Lynk & Co driver got the fall on DHL Pole Location starter Huff to scheme stop the lead off the line, then held succor a four-automobile put collectively for all 11 laps to salvage his first WTCR / OSCARO flee victory, which he dedicated to his daughter Daniella, who turns 16 at the moment time.

Huff used to be dissatisfied to fail to mark what would had been his 10th flee take care of at Macau, but congratulated his rival. “It used to be a customary launch – I’ve continuously struggled to salvage the Golf off the line. It is what it’s. We had been down on the straights as continuously. But it used to be a upright flee and to be overwhelmed by Andy, I don’t solutions really. It’s continuously delicious to flee with him.”

Meanwhile, the #RoadToMalaysia title flee tightened up extra after a carefully fought weekend of racing. Functions chief Norbert Michelisz accomplished where he started in P12, at the side of his closest rival Esteban Guerrieri in P10 and double Macau flee winner Yvan Muller in sixth. It leaves Michelisz merely nine aspects sooner than Guerrieri, with Muller two aspects extra succor with the WTCR Speed of Malaysia season big-finale to come succor.

Priaulx used to be forced to work onerous for his take care of, with Huff stop within the succor of him for most of the lap. But the Lynk & Co merely had the edge over the Golf on the long straights, with third-placed Jean-Karl Vernay in his Leopard Racing Crew Audi Sport RS 3 LMS pressuring Huff lap after lap below braking at Lisboa. SLR Volkswagen’s Johan Kristoffersson accomplished the four-automobile put collectively at the entrance to exercise out on a solid show mask on his first talk over with to Macau.

Thed Björk ran in a lonely fifth for a great deal of the flee, but on the final lap sacrificed his reputation and aspects for Muller by losing succor. That elevated BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Racing Crew’s Nicky Catsburg to fifth, with Muller sixth and Björk seventh.

The fourth Lynk & Co of Yann Ehrlacher accomplished a winning weekend for the Chinese language customer racing label with eighth, sooner than Kevin Ceccon’s Crew Mulsanne Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR. Guerrieri accomplished the head 10 at the head of a advanced weekend for ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport but stays firmly in title contention, nine aspects within the succor of Michelisz.

Tom Coronel used to be P11 for Comtoyou DHL Crew CUPRA Racing, sooner than Michelisz. Comtoyou Crew Audi Sport’s Niels Langeveld accomplished P13, with BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Racing Crew’s Luca Engstler and Comtoyou’s Frédéric Vervisch ending the aspects scorers.

RACE 2 REPORT: MULLER WINS AGAIN IN MACAU

Yvan Muller claimed his second victory at WTCR Speed of Macau after main crew-mate Thed Björk to a Cyan Racing Lynk & Co one-two within the reverse-grid Speed 2.

Muller’s take care of, which followed his Speed 1 triumph on Saturday, manner the Frenchman has made extra beneficial properties within the #RoadToMalaysia aspects walk. Title chief Norbert Michelisz accomplished in P10, with Esteban Guerrieri in fourth – which leaves the Hungarian 11 aspects sooner than the Argentine, with Muller merely a extra six aspects succor.

The tip consequence all came down to the launch. DHL Pole Location winner Yann Erhlacher and Björk made tidy getaways from the entrance in their Lynk & Cos, while Muller shot away from fifth to sail both Guerrieri and then third-placed starter Kevin Ceccon effectively sooner than the field had been by Lisboa.

Then for the duration of that first lap, Ehrlacher and Björk both let Muller previous to make particular the Frenchman would scheme stop the take care of and lead Lynk & Co’s WTCR / OSCARO title push.

Running third at the head of lap one, Ehrlacher then misplaced a residence to Guerrieri and dropped extra down the account for as he slid large out of Lisboa, where Guerrieri pulled off a daring passing cross. But Guerrieri’s ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Honda Civic Form R TCR didn’t exercise on to third residence for long. On lap three, Ceccon’s Crew Mulsanne Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR drafted previous him to disclose his second podium of the weekend, following the Italian’s third residence in Speed 1.

Guerrieri then confronted a stern advise from BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Racing Crew’s Nicky Catsburg. The Dutchman came stop to passing him on the final lap, but Guerrieri held company. Then Catsburg sacrificed his flee and dropped down the account for to enable Michelisz to attain more aspects for the title and cross into P10.

Late Guerrieri in fourth, SLR Volkswagen’s Johan Kristoffersson accomplished fifth as the head Macau rookie, sooner than Erhlacher and the fourth Lynk & Co of Andy Priaulx. Comtoyou Crew Audi Sport’s Frédéric Vervisch used to be eighth, sooner than Leopard Racing Crew Audi Sport’s Jean-Karl Vernay and Michelisz.

Gabriele Tarquini (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse) accomplished in P11, sooner than Catsburg, Tom Coronel (Comtoyou DHL Crew CUPRA Racing), Purchase Huff (SLR VW Motorsport) and the final aspects scorer in P15, PWR Racing’s Mikel Azcona.

Niels Langeveld used to be delayed in a essential-lap collision at Lisboa, where Mehdi Bennani and Attila Tassi furthermore collided later within the flee.

RACE 1: MACAU MASTER MULLER BEATS MICHELISZ

Yvan Muller converted his DHL Pole Location honest into a Speed 1 victory at WTCR Speed of Macau as runner-up Norbert Michelisz took the WTCR / OSCARO aspects lead.

Cyan Racing Lynk & Co’s Muller made a tidy launch and used to be by no manner severely threatened by Michelisz, both of whom had been racing with #RoadToMalaysia aspects in solutions. Crew Mulsanne’s Kevin Ceccon claimed the final podium reputation in his Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR as Andy Priaulx sacrificed third residence to assist Lynk & Co crew-mate and title contender Thed Björk.

From the launch Priaulx and crew-mate Yann Ehrlacher worked collectively to push fourth placed starter Ceccon down to fifth as Björk dropped a residence to seventh within the succor of Purchase Huff. Björk, who started the flee third within the aspects, then gained a residence succor when Ehrlacher sacrificed his flee by losing within the succor of him, which furthermore benefitted Ceccon and Huff.

Priaulx made a identical crew sacrifice on the final lap. He dropped from third to sixth, allowing Björk to exercise out fifth within the succor of Ceccon and Huff.

Esteban Guerrieri, who started the day with a shrimp two-level assist at the head of the standings, had a bad flee in his ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Honda Civic Form R TCR. The Argentine used to be forced to launch from the succor after an engine alternate, but and not using a hope of scoring aspects retired to the pits.

Michelisz now leads Guerrieri by 18 aspects from Muller and Björk with many more aspects on offer from Races 2 and 3 on Sunday.

Of the entrance-runners, Comtoyou Crew Audi Sport’s Frédéric Vervisch gained the most areas within the flee, rising from P11 on the grid to exercise out seventh within the succor of Priaulx, sooner than Ehrlacher and BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse’s Gabriele Tarquini. Nicky Catsburg’s Hyundai i30 N TCR accomplished the head 10.

The different aspects scorers had been SLR Volkswagen’s Johan Kristoffersson, Aurélien Panis (Comtoyou DHL Crew CUPRA Racing, WTCR / OSCARO newcomer Robert Dahlgren (PWR Racing), Néstor Girolami and KCMG’s Tiago Monteiro in P15.

WTCR Speed of Macau fashioned the Suncity Community Guia Speed. Earlier than racing got underway, the #WTCR2019SUPERGRID gathered collectively to toughen the World Day of Remembrance For World Visitors Victims. An image is attached.

RACE WINNER QUOTES

Speed 1: Yvan Muller (Cyan Racing Lynk & Co), Lynk & Co 03 TCR

“The leisure can occur at Macau and the biggest ingredient is to qualify effectively, then attain a upright launch and a upright first lap. Then or no longer it must be essential to take care of watch over to sail fast but no longer attain any mistake, especially with somebody savor Norbi in your succor, which is fast and ample. I merely kept the gap of what I wished to be the chief with out taking too a lot chance, because on this note even whenever you occur to don’t scheme stop the chance that you would possibly perchance additionally fracture. There would possibly perchance be continuously force. Even whenever you occur to can also very effectively be in your possess there is force at Macau, but especially whenever you occur to’ve a rapid boy savor Norbi! Again, there is 2 races in a single flee. One, or no longer it must be essential to push onerous and no longer compose any errors, and then or no longer it must be essential to withhold the automobile within the succor of you within the succor of you.”

Speed 2: Yvan Muller (Cyan Racing Lynk & Co), Lynk & Co 03 TCR

“That used to be a enticing launch. I knew if I wished to savor the different to take care of, I needed to sail the Alfa and the Honda, and then I knew it used to be my crew-mates in entrance and the residence would be clear, so I used to be very targeted on that. But most ceaselessly you compose a enticing launch, most ceaselessly you don’t and you don’t know really why, but this one used to be a upright one. We knew of course straight away, because they had been beginning one and two with Thed, that if that used to be the case at the first nook Yann would let Thed previous and if I used to be becoming a member of them, I’d sail both of them. And it passed off and thanks very a lot to Thed and Yann because that victory would possibly perchance presumably had been them.”

Speed 3: Andy Priaulx (Cyan Efficiency Lynk & Co), Lynk & Co 03 TCR

“I’m really happy to salvage that one out of the intention. I had Purchase within the succor of me your complete intention and that guy is slightly particular around here, so I used to be working onerous the general flee. But I’m happy to take care of my first flee of the year. I had a mammoth disappointment in Ningbo, led for nearly the general flee and misplaced within the final two laps, but anyway… Thanks to all individuals and to the crew for supporting me. It’s fine to salvage it. It’s a tricky championship and I’m really happy to savor managed to take care of a flee. There’s continuously a matter [about team orders], but I’m merely very proud that the crew supported me. Christian [Dahl] is a racer and he desires to be #1. That’s what he wants most of all. To be main here used to be particular, with Purchase pushing me your complete intention and JK merely within the succor of, so I needed to push savor hell and I didn’t assume anything else else. I accrued savor my Buddha with me in my wash accumulate from 2005. I will’t set on it any longer for the races because that you would possibly perchance additionally very effectively be no longer allowed to position on necklaces or anything else, but at the moment time I really savor two lucky charms: I really savor the Buddha with me and it’s my daughter’s 16th birthday. Yearly I omit her birthday. She used to be born once I used to be racing in Macau, she came a month early and at the moment time’s her 16^th birthday, in pronounce that used to be a diversified take care of for her.”

Outcomes reminder

DHL Pole Location Speed 1:  Yvan Muller (FRA) Lynk & Co 03 TCR

Speed 1 winner: Yvan Muller (FRA) Lynk & Co 03 TCR

Speed 1 quickest lap:  Frédéric Vervisch (BEL) Audi RS 3 LMS

DHL Pole Location Speed 2:  Yann Ehrlacher (FRA) Lynk & Co 03 TCR

Speed 2 winner:  Yvan Muller (FRA) Lynk & Co 03 TCR

Speed 2 quickest lap:  Nicky Catsburg (NLD) Hyundai i30 N TCR

DHL Pole Location Speed 3:  Purchase Huff (GBR) Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR

Speed 3 winner: Andy Priaulx (GBR) Lynk & Co 03 TCR

Speed 3 quickest lap:  Andy Priaulx (GBR) Lynk & Co 03 TCR

TAG Heuer Easiest Lap Trophy: Nicky Catsburg (NLD) Hyundai i30 N TCR

TAG Heuer Most Precious Driver:  Yvan Muller (FRA) Lynk & Co 03 TCR

Provisional outcomes and standings:

https://www.fiawtcr.com/occasion/wtcr-flee-of-macau-2019/

What’s next?

WTCR Speed of Malaysia, Sepang International Circuit, 12-15 December (half of the Races of Malaysia occasion furthermore that comprises the FIM Persistence World Championship for motorbikes):

https://www.fiawtcr.com/flee-of-malaysia-double-header/

*Speed 2 and Speed 3 outcomes are provisional, discipline to alternate