Néstor Girolami got his bid to win the WTCR − World Touring Car Cup back on track with his second victory of the season in the searing Italian sunshine.
Powered by a Honda Civic Type R TCR from German team ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, Girolami, who won the opening race of the season, resisted intense pressure from Goodyear #FollowTheLeader Mikel Azcona to triumph at Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi.
The Italy-based Argentine’s triumph in Race 1, added to the fifth place he scored in Race 2, elevates him to second in the provisional title order, 36 points behind BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse driver Azcona, who was followed over the finish line by Gilles Magnus.
It would get better for the Belgian youngster Magnus, who won Race 2 for Comtoyou Team Audi Sport to join Girolami by winning for a second time in 2022. Nathanaël Berthon claimed second in his Comtoyou Team Audi Sport entry with Azcona landing another Vallelunga podium in third.
Hungarian Norbert Michelisz continued his strong scoring run with fourth place in both races, his 100th and 101st in the WTCR. His compatriot, Attila Tassi, was fifth in the opening counter for LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler.
Berthon’s team-mate Tom Coronel took his first WTCR Trophy victory of the year in Race 1 before Rob Huff struck back in Race 2 to win the category for a 10th time in his Zengő Motorsport CUPRA Leon Competición. Race 1 marked Coronel’s 100th start in the WTCR with sixth place overall his best of the season so far.
The five Lynk & Co 03 TCRs of Thed Björk, Yann Ehrlacher, Ma Qing Hua, Yvan Muller and Santiago Urrutia were non-starters, pulling into the pits at the end of the formation lap in both races due to Cyan Racing’s tyre safety concerns.
Meanwhile, Mikel Azcona was the King of the Weekend in the ETCR FIA eTouring Car World Cup for Hyundai Motorsport N following his success in the ETCR races that co-headlined the Vallelunga event.
WTCR Race of Italy Race 1 classification (30 minutes + 1 lap)
1 Néstor Girolami (ARG) ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R TCR, 31m21m.344s (151.9kph)
2 Mikel Azcona (ESP), BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N TCR, +0.248s
3 Gilles Magnus (BEL), Comtoyou Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS, +1.788s
4 Norbert Michelisz (HUN) BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N TCR, +2.099s
5 Attila Tassi (HUN) LIQUI MOLY Team Engstler, Honda Civic Type R TCR, +6.706s
Fastest lap: Nathanaël Berthon (FRA) Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS, +1m15.763s (153.3kph)
WTCR Race of Italy Race 2 classification (25 minutes + 1 lap)
1 Gilles Magnus (BEL), Comtoyou Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS, 27m10.386s (151.9kph)
2 Nathanaël Berthon (FRA) Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS, +1.409s
3 Mikel Azcona (ESP), BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N TCR, +1.783s
4 Norbert Michelisz (HUN) BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N TCR, +11.857s
5 Néstor Girolami (ARG) ALL-INKL.COM Münnuch Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R TCR, +12.768s
Fastest lap: Gilles Magnus (BEL), Comtoyou Team Audi Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS, 1m16.494s (151.9kph)