2011 FIA WTCC Race of Belgium

The 2011 FIA WTCC Race of Belgium (formally the 2011 FIA WTCC Monroe Race of Belgium) was the second round of the 2011 World Touring Car Championship season. It was held at Circuit Zolder on 24 April 2011 and was the third running of the Race of Belgium, which ran at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in 2005 before leaving the calendar for four seasons until returning in the 2010 season at Zolder.

2011 FIA WTCC Race of Belgium
Race details
Date24 April, 2011
LocationZolder, Belgium
CourseCircuit Zolder
4.011 kilometres (2.492 mi)
Race One
Laps 15
Pole position
Driver Robert Huff Chevrolet RML
Time 1:38.458
Podium
First Robert Huff Chevrolet RML
Second Alain Menu Chevrolet RML
Third Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML
Fastest Lap
Driver Robert Huff Chevrolet RML
Time 1:39.517
Race Two
Laps 13
Podium
First Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil-SUNRED
Second Alain Menu Chevrolet RML
Third Tiago Monteiro SUNRED Engineering
Fastest Lap
Driver Javier Villa Proteam Racing
Time 1:40.063

The races were won by Robert Huff of Chevrolet RML and Gabriele Tarquini of Lukoil-SUNRED.

Background

After the Race of Brazil, Huff was leading the drivers' championship by four points over Chevrolet teammate Alain Menu. Kristian Poulsen was leading the Yokohama Independents' Trophy.

Chevrolet RML reverted to a three car operation having run guest driver Cacá Bueno in Brazil. bamboo–engineering switched to the Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T, replacing the Chevrolet Lacettis they ran in the opening round.[1] Wiechers-Sport returned to the series with their new driver Urs Sonderegger in a BMW 320 TC.[2] Norbert Michelisz and the Zengő-Dension Team returned with a turbocharged BMW having missed the opening round to test the new car.[3]

Report

Testing and free practice

The test session on Friday saw Tarquini go fastest, leading Menu and championship leader Huff.[4]

Huff was quickest in the free practice session on Saturday morning with Yvan Muller second making it a Chevrolet 1–2.[5]

Muller led Huff and Menu in the final free practice session with Michel Nykjær the fastest SEAT driver in fourth. Fabio Fabiani missed the breaking point for turn one during the session, he ended up rolling backwards into the car but continued.[6]

Qualifying

Chevrolet stayed on top in qualifying with Huff taking his second pole position of the year. Tiago Monteiro had been quickest in Q1 but Brazil podium finisher Tom Coronel failed to get through to the second session and lined up eleventh. Having been fourth in the afternoon practice session, Nykjær ended up 20th having not set a time. He had clipped one of the barriers at the chicane and was unable to continue in the session due to damage. Javier Villa didn't take part in qualifying due to engine issues.

In Q2, Huff set the fastest time to secure pole position and a late lap from Menu made it an all–Chevrolet front row. Tarquini finished third and Muller fourth, having run wide on his final flying lap. Monteiro was fifth and Poulsen in sixth was the leading independent driver. Michelisz was seventh in his first competitive session with the BMW.[7]

Warm-Up

Proteam Racing's Villa topped the Sunday morning warm–up session with pole sitter Huff third.[8]

Race One

The first race saw many drivers crash out and end their races prematurely. At the beginning Huff had a great get away from pole whilst Tarquini attempted to pass Menu put failed. Coronel had got a great get way but spun on the third lap and was hit by Franz Engstler. The damage was so much that Coronel wouldn't start race two. Meanwhile, further down the order, Aleksei Dudukalo and Yukinori Taniguchi were racing hard until Dudukalo put the Chevrolet into a small spin where Marchy Lee collected Taniguchi. Taniguchi managed to continue on in the race but Lee had to make a retirement. On lap eleven Poulsen and Michelisz were having a door to door battle, while Muller slipped past Tarquini for third. On the final lap Villa (who had started at the back of the grid) passed Darryl O'Young for ninth whilst Huff upfront took his second victory of the season.

Race Two

In race two there were new complications with the grid as Fredy Barth who was set for pole position had too much damage to compete along with others. This meant a reshuffle of the grid putting Tarquini on pole. Tarquini kept the three Chevrolets behind him at bay for thirteen laps despite a battle with Huff on lap five where the two made contact that would send Huff down to sixth by the end of the race due to the damage from the collision. O'Young was working his way up the order from ninth and finished the race fourth after Muller started to suffer problems and retired. This left Menu to fight for the win with Tarquini but was not good enough and behind them Monteiro completed the podium positions.

Results

Qualifying
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Q1 Q2
1 2 Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 1:39.373 1:38.458
2 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 1:39.367 1:38.598
3 3 Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:39.493 1:38.723
4 1 Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 1:39.365 1:38.738
5 18 Tiago Monteiro SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:38.952 1:38.907
6 11 Kristian Poulsen Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 1:39.293 1:39.398
7 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team BMW 320 TC Y 1:39.417 1:39.450
8 12 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 1:39.583 1:39.962
9 7 Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 1:39.638 1:40.015
10 25 Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 1:39.328 1:40.438
11 15 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 1:39.680
12 74 Pepe Oriola SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 1:39.780
13 30 Robert Dahlgren Polestar Racing Volvo C30 1:39.807
14 9 Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 1:39.931
15 4 Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 1:40.110
16 65 Marchy Lee DeTeam KK Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 1:40.406
17 10 Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 1:41.712
18 35 Urs Sonderegger Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 1:43.537
19 21 Fabio Fabiani Proteam Racing BMW 320si Y 1:44.820
20 17 Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y no time set
21 20 Javier Villa Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y no time set

Race 1
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 2 Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 15 29:18.807 1 25
2 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 15 +1.244 2 18
3 1 Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 15 +1.740 4 15
4 3 Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI 15 +3.790 3 12
5 18 Tiago Monteiro SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI 15 +5.102 5 10
6 11 Kristian Poulsen Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 15 +8.987 6 8
7 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team BMW 320 TC Y 15 +10.878 7 6
8 17 Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 15 +12.032 20 4
9 20 Javier Villa Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 15 +12.845 21 2
10 9 Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 15 +12.901 14 1
11 74 Pepe Oriola SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 15 +14.656 12
12 4 Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 15 +17.538 15
13 30 Robert Dahlgren Polestar Racing Volvo C30 15 +18.687 13
14 10 Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 15 +25.864 17
15 35 Urs Sonderegger Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 15 +42.236 18
16 21 Fabio Fabiani Proteam Racing BMW 320si Y 15 +1:07.741 19
Ret 7 Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 2 Race incident 9
Ret 15 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 2 Race incident 11
Ret 25 Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 2 Race incident 10
Ret 12 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 2 Race incident 8
Ret 65 Marchy Lee DeTeam KK Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 2 Race incident 16
  • Bold denotes Fastest lap.

Race 2
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 3 Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI 13 22:07.752 1 25
2 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 13 +0.448 3 18
3 18 Tiago Monteiro SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI 13 +0.886 6 15
4 9 Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 13 +1.614 9 12
5 17 Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 13 +5.702 13 10
6 2 Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 13 +5.901 2 8
7 30 Robert Dahlgren Polestar Racing Volvo C30 13 +12.352 8 6
8 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team BMW 320 TC Y 13 +16.721 16 4
9 4 Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 13 +20.141 10 2
10 20 Javier Villa Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 13 +28.827 14 1
11 25 Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 13 +42.066 15
12 12 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 13 +48.235 17
13 21 Fabio Fabiani Proteam Racing BMW 320si Y 12 +1 Lap 12
14 74 Pepe Oriola SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 11 +2 Laps 7
15 35 Urs Sonderegger Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 9 +4 Laps 11
Ret 1 Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 7 Oil radiator 4
Ret 11 Kristian Poulsen Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 0 Race incident 5
DNS 15 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 0 Did not start 18
DNS 7 Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI Y 0 Did not start –
DNS 65 Marchy Lee DeTeam KK Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 0 Did not start 19
DSQ 10 Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 12 Disqualified 20
  • Bold denotes Fastest lap.

Standings after the event
  • Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of drivers' standings.

References
  1. Allen, Peter (20 April 2011). "Bamboo Make Turbo Cruze Switch For Zolder". The Checkered Flag. BlackEagleMedia Network. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  2. Casillo, Pietro (9 March 2011). "Sonderegger: "I started racing because of WTCC"". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  3. Allen, Peter (23 March 2011). "Michelisz An Interested Spectator Ahead Of BMW Debut". The Checkered Flag. BlackEagleMedia Network. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  4. Hudson, Neil (22 April 2011). "Gabriele Tarquini leads Zolder Friday test". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  5. Glendenning, Mark (23 April 2011). "Huff leads first Zolder practice". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  6. Glendenning, Mark (23 April 2011). "Chevrolet dominates second practice". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  7. Glendenning, Mark (23 April 2011). "Huff takes Zolder WTCC pole". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  8. Hudson, Neil (24 April 2011). "Javier Villa fastest in morning warm-up". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
World Touring Car Championship
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2011 FIA WTCC Race of Brazil		 2011 World Touring Car Championship season Next race:
2011 FIA WTCC Race of Italy
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2010 FIA WTCC Race of Belgium		 FIA WTCC Race of Belgium Next race:
2014 FIA WTCC Race of Belgium
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