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2012 FIA WTCC Race of Austria
The 2012 FIA WTCC Race of Austria was the sixth round of the 2012 World Touring Car Championship season and the inaugural running of the FIA WTCC Race of Austria. It was held on May 20, 2012 at the Salzburgring, east of Salzburg in Austria. The first race was won by Robert Huff for Chevrolet and the second race was won by Stefano D'Aste for Wiechers-Sport.
Background
Yvan Muller came into the event leading the championship 23 points clear of Alain Menu, who was in turn seven points ahead of Robert Huff. Gabriele Tarquini was the leading non-Chevrolet driver, 53 points behind Huff in the standings. Pepe Oriola was leading the Yokohama Independents' Trophy.
Report
Free Practice
Alain Menu led a Chevrolet 1-2-3 in the opening practice session, with Tom Coronel for ROAL Motorsport fourth quickest.
Menu set the pace once again in the second practice session, with Muller and Huff once again making it a 1-2-3 for Chevrolet. Pasquale di Sabatino surprised by finishing fourth fastest for bamboo-engineering.
Qualifying
Huff took pole position ahead of his Chevrolet teammates. Tom Chilton and Franz Engstler made contact in Q1, with BMW of Engstler spinning into the gravel and bringing the red flag out. Tarquini was the fastest non-Chevrolet driver and Alex MacDowall was the fastest independent. Aleksei Dudukalo would take pole position for the reversed grid race. Chilton received a five-place grid penalty for his collision with Engstler.
Warm-Up
Four Chevrolets finished morning warm-up at the top of the times, with Muller setting a time faster than Huff's pole position time. Muller finished the session on top ahead of Menu, Huff and MacDowall.
Race One
At a circuit where slipstreaming is important, Muller trailed Huff for the whole race to benefit from the tow. Further back, Special Tuning Racing's Darryl O'Young and Engstler Motorsport's Charles Ng tangled, with O'Young requiring attention at the circuit medical centre which would render him unable to start the second race. Huff took his 20th WTCC win ahead of Muller and Menu, Tarquini finished as best of the rest in fourth. MacDowall was the winning independent.
Race Two
Dudukalo started on pole position for a race which would be known for its multiple tyre issues. Both Dudukalo and his Lukoil Racing Team teammate Tarquini had to pit for fresh rubber due to punctures and Tiago Monteiro retired following a left-front puncture. After this, the three Chevrolets led until Menu went into the gravel on lap eight with a puncture. Shortly after, race one independent winner MacDowall also had a puncture and stopped in the gravel next to Menu's stranded car. The remaining Chevrolets of Muller and Huff comfortably led the BMW pair of Coronel and D'Aste until the final lap when Muller went off at turn 10 with a puncture and Huff suffered a puncture at the final corner. Coronel tried to go up the inside of Huff without success, allowing D'Aste to overtake the pair of them and take the win. Huff held off Coronel despite his puncture to take second.
Results
Qualifying
| Pos. | No. | Name | Team | Car | C | Q1 | Q2 | Points | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | GBR Robert Huff | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 1:27.683 | 1:26.791 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | FRA Yvan Muller | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 1:27.346 | 1:26.933 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | CHE Alain Menu | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 1:27.501 | 1:26.961 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | ITA Gabriele Tarquini | Lukoil Racing | SEAT León WTCC | 1:28.162 | 1:27.490 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | GBR Alex MacDowall | bamboo-engineering | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | Y | 1:27.813 | 1:27.573 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | PRT Tiago Monteiro | Tuenti Racing | SR León 1.6T | 1:28.406 | 1:27.808 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | ITA Stefano D'Aste | Wiechers-Sport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 1:28.392 | 1:27.927 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74 | ESP Pepe Oriola | Tuenti Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 1:28.100 | 1:28.122 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | NLD Tom Coronel | ROAL Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | 1:28.149 | 1:28.124 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | RUS Aleksei Dudukalo | Lukoil Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 1:28.298 | 1:28.317 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | CHN Darryl O'Young | Special Tuning Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 1:28.364 | 1:28.342 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | MAR Mehdi Bennani | Proteam Racing | BMW 320 TC | Y | 1:28.293 | 1:28.373 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | GBR James Nash | Team Aon | Ford Focus S2000 TC | 1:28.421 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | ITA Alberto Cerqui | ROAL Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 1:28.424 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | HUN Norbert Michelisz | Zengő Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 1:28.582 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | ITA Pasquale Di Sabatino | bamboo-engineering | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | Y | 1:28.858 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | DEU Franz Engstler | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320 TC | Y | 1:28.913 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | HKG Charles Ng | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320 TC | Y | 1:29.137 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | GBR Tom Chilton | Team Aon | Ford Focus S2000 TC | 1:29.271 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | GBR Tom Boardman | Special Tuning Racing | SEAT León TDi | Y | 1:30.057 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | HUN Gábor Wéber | Zengő Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 1:30.116 |
- Bold denotes Pole position for second race.
Race 1
| Pos. | No. | Name | Team | Car | C | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Ret | Ret |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | GBR Robert Huff | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 14 | 23:26.809 | 1 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | FRA Yvan Muller | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 14 | +0.312 | 2 | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | CHE Alain Menu | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 14 | +0.739 | 3 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | ITA Gabriele Tarquini | Lukoil Racing | SEAT León WTCC | 14 | +2.919 | 4 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | PRT Tiago Monteiro | Tuenti Racing | SR León 1.6T | 14 | +3.483 | 6 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | GBR Alex MacDowall | bamboo-engineering | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | Y | 14 | +3.774 | 5 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74 | ESP Pepe Oriola | Tuenti Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 14 | +4.741 | 8 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | NLD Tom Coronel | ROAL Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | 14 | +6.923 | 9 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | HUN Norbert Michelisz | Zengő Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 14 | +8.419 | 15 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | GBR James Nash | Team Aon | Ford Focus S2000 TC | 14 | +8.914 | 13 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | DEU Franz Engstler | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320 TC | Y | 14 | +9.796 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | ITA Pasquale Di Sabatino | bamboo-engineering | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | Y | 14 | +10.429 | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | ITA Alberto Cerqui | ROAL Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 14 | +12.813 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | HKG Charles Ng | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320 TC | Y | 14 | +13.178 | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | HUN Gábor Wéber | Zengő Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 14 | +13.983 | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | GBR Tom Chilton | Team Aon | Ford Focus S2000 TC | 14 | +16.756 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | MAR Mehdi Bennani | Proteam Racing | BMW 320 TC | Y | 14 | +18.390 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | GBR Tom Boardman | Special Tuning Racing | SEAT León TDi | Y | 14 | +1 Lap | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | RUS Aleksei Dudukalo | Lukoil Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 14 | +3 Laps | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | ITA Stefano D'Aste | Wiechers-Sport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 5 | Collision | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | CHN Darryl O'Young | Special Tuning Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 4 | Collision | 11 |
- Bold denotes Fastest lap.
Race 2
| Pos. | No. | Name | Team | Car | C | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Ret | Ret | Ret | DNS | DNS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | ITA Stefano D'Aste | Wiechers-Sport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 12 | 17:58.529 | 4 | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | GBR Robert Huff | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 12 | +0.377 | 10 | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | NLD Tom Coronel | ROAL Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | 12 | +0.494 | 2 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74 | ESP Pepe Oriola | Tuenti Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 12 | +4.103 | 3 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | HUN Norbert Michelisz | Zengő Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 12 | +4.929 | 14 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | MAR Mehdi Bennani | Proteam Racing | BMW 320 TC | Y | 12 | +5.432 | 11 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | ITA Alberto Cerqui | ROAL Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 12 | +5.786 | 13 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | FRA Yvan Muller | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 12 | +6.464 | 9 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | DEU Franz Engstler | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320 TC | Y | 12 | +6.474 | 16 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | GBR James Nash | Team Aon | Ford Focus S2000 TC | 12 | +9.056 | 12 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | GBR Tom Chilton | Team Aon | Ford Focus S2000 TC | 12 | +12.980 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | HUN Gábor Wéber | Zengő Motorsport | BMW 320 TC | Y | 12 | +15.659 | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | HKG Charles Ng | Liqui Moly Team Engstler | BMW 320 TC | Y | 12 | +37.399 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | RUS Aleksei Dudukalo | Lukoil Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 11 | +1 Lap | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | ITA Pasquale Di Sabatino | bamboo-engineering | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | Y | 11 | +1 Lap | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | ITA Gabriele Tarquini | Lukoil Racing | SEAT León WTCC | 11 | +1 Lap | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | CHE Alain Menu | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | 7 | Puncture | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | GBR Alex MacDowall | bamboo-engineering | Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T | Y | 7 | Puncture | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | PRT Tiago Monteiro | Tuenti Racing | SR León 1.6T | 7 | Puncture | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | HKG Darryl O'Young | Special Tuning Racing | SEAT León WTCC | Y | 0 | Injury | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | GBR Tom Boardman | Special Tuning Racing | SEAT León TDi | Y | 0 | Transmission |
- Bold denotes Fastest lap.
Standings after the round
;Drivers' Championship standings
| Pos | Driver | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 1 | FRA Yvan Muller |
| [[File:1uparrow green.svg | 10px]] 1 | 2 | GBR Robert Huff |
| [[File:1downarrow red.svg | 10px]] 1 | 3 | CHE Alain Menu |
| [[File:1uparrow green.svg | 10px]] 1 | 4 | NLD Tom Coronel |
| [[File:1downarrow red.svg | 10px]] 1 | 5 | ITA Gabriele Tarquini |
;Yokohama Independents' Trophy standings
| Pos | Driver | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 1 | ESP Pepe Oriola |
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 2 | HUN Norbert Michelisz |
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 3 | ITA Stefano D'Aste |
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 4 | DEU Franz Engstler |
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 5 | MAR Mehdi Bennani |
;Manufacturers' Championship standings
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 1 | USA Chevrolet |
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 2 | DEU BMW Customer Racing Teams |
| [[File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 10px]] | 3 | ESP SEAT Racing Technology |
- Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of drivers' standings.
References
References
- [http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99698 Menu heads Muller and Huff as Chevrolet dominates WTCC first practice in Austria], Autosport.com.
- [http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99704 Alain Menu quickest again in World Touring Car practice two at the Salzburgring], Autosport.com.
- [https://archive.today/20120914154211/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7640 Rob Huff takes first pole of the year at Salzburgring], TouringCarTimes.
- [https://archive.today/20120919181553/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7643 Tom Chilton dropped five spots for contact with Engstler], TouringCarTimes.
- [https://archive.today/20130204183512/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7647 Muller sets new lap record in Salzburg warm up], TouringCarTimes.
- [http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99731 Huff soaks up constant pressure from Muller to take 20th WTCC win in Austria], Autosport.com.
- [http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99734 Stefano D'Aste takes first World Touring Car win amid puncture mayhem at the Salzburgring], Autosport.com.
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