2012 FIA WTCC Race of Slovakia

The 2012 FIA WTCC Race of Slovakia was the fourth round of the 2012 World Touring Car Championship season and the maiden running of the FIA WTCC Race of Slovakia. It was held on 29 April 2012 at the Automotodróm Slovakia Ring in Orechová Potôň, Slovakia. The first race was won by Gabriele Tarquini for Lukoil Racing Team and the second race was won by Robert Huff for Chevrolet.

2012 Race of Slovakia
Race details
Date29 April, 2012
LocationOrechová Potôň, Slovakia
CourseAutomotodróm Slovakia Ring
5.922 kilometres (3.680 mi)
Race One
Laps 10
Pole position
Driver Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport
Time 2:12.990
Podium
First Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing Team
Second Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil Racing Team
Third Alain Menu Chevrolet
Fastest Lap
Driver Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport
Time 2:14.606
Race Two
Laps 10
Podium
First Robert Huff Chevrolet
Second Yvan Muller Chevrolet
Third Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing Team
Fastest Lap
Driver Yvan Muller Chevrolet
Time 2:14.508

Background

Chevrolet came to Slovakia on the back of winning the first six races of the season, with Yvan Muller leading the championship 24 points ahead of Alain Menu. Pepe Oriola was leading the Yokohama Independents' Trophy.

Gábor Wéber returned with Zengő Motorsport after missing the previous round in Morocco due to cost concerns.[1] Isaac Tutumlu sat out the Race of Slovakia after his Proteam Racing team failed to repair his car in time after damage was sustained in Marrakech.[2] SUNRED Engineering's Andrea Barlesi was unable to continue in the World Touring Car Championship after Marrakech with his budget having run out.[3]

Report

Free Practice

Oriola was the quickest driver in the opening practice session on Friday, ahead of the Lukoil SEAT León of Tarquini and the Team Aon Ford Focus of James Nash. The session was briefly red flagged when the engine in Tiago Monteiro's León cut out.[4]

It was Chevrolet's turn to top the times in the second free practice sessions, with Menu topping the times ahead of Yvan Muller. After the session had ended, Tarquini beached his car in the gravel having finished the session tenth fastest.[5]

Qualifying

Norbert Michelisz took his first WTCC pole position to beat the Lukoil Racing Team drivers of Aleksei Dudukalo in second and Tarquini in third. A red flag towards the end of Q1 for Franz Engstler's stranded BMW 320 TC prevented Tom Coronel from progressing into the second session.[6] Nash, who had qualified a career best fourth, failed a ride-height check in post-qualifying scrutineering and was dropped ten places on the grid for both races.[7]

Warm-Up

Muller led the Sunday morning warm-up session with Nash second, Huff third and Oriola fourth.[8]

Race One

Michelisz led into the first corner but contact with second placed Tarquini would drop him down the order, and further contact with Muller dropped him down to sixth and earned the Chevrolet driver a drive-through penalty. Oriola had briefly climbed into second place before a puncture and the subsequent trip into the gravel ended his challenge. Tarquini led a Lukoil Racing Team 1-2 finish the chequered flag with Menu third for Chevrolet. Dudukalo was the winning driver in the Yokohama Independents' Trophy.[9]

Race Two

Stefano D'Aste started on the reversed grid pole and led down into turn one. The Chevrolet trio and Tarquini took the lead when the Wiechers-Sport driver ran wide. Dudukalo was issued with a drive through penalty for failing to have all four wheels on his car on the ground when the five-minute board was shown before the race. Huff led Muller and Menu until Tarquini took his third place. ROAL Motorsport's Tom Coronel also overtook Menu before the Swiss retired with a broken rim. Huff took his first win of the year ahead of Muller and Tarquini, with Oriola the winner in the Yokohama Independents' Trophy.[9]

Results

Qualifying
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Q1 Q2 Points
1 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 2:14.148 2:12.990 5
2 4 Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 2:13.975 2:13.076 4
3 3 Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC 2:14.414 2:13.137 3
41 14 James Nash Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 2:13.540 2:13.317 2
5 18 Tiago Monteiro Tuenti Racing SR León 1.6T 2:14.030 2:13.322 1
6 1 Yvan Muller Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 2:13.621 2:13.366
7 2 Robert Huff Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 2:13.725 2:13.575
8 74 Pepe Oriola Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 2:13.301 2:13.684
9 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 2:13.790 2:13.721
10 26 Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 2:14.166 2:14.668
11 23 Tom Chilton Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 2:14.447 2:14.766
12 16 Alberto Cerqui ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 2:14.331 2:15.288
13 15 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 2:14.490
14 6 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 2:14.676
15 25 Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 2:14.823
16 20 Darryl O'Young Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 2:14.856
17 11 Alex MacDowall bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 2:15.039
18 12 Pasquale Di Sabatino bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 2:15.756
19 7 Charles Ng Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 2:16.129
20 27 Gábor Wéber Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 2:16.536
NC2 22 Tom Boardman Special Tuning Racing SEAT León TDi Y 13:11.823
  • Bold denotes Pole position for second race.
^1 — James Nash received a ten place grid penalty for failing a post-qualifying ride height check.[7]
^2 — Despite not having classified in qualifying, Tom Boardman was allowed to start at the back of the grid for both races.[10]

Race 1
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 3 Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC 10 22:42.275 3 25
2 4 Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 10 +2.484 2 18
3 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 10 +4.194 8 15
4 16 Alberto Cerqui ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 10 +6.992 11 12
5 26 Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 10 +7.978 9 10
6 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 10 +9.943 1 8
7 20 Darryl O'Young Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 10 +11.164 15 6
8 22 Tom Boardman Special Tuning Racing SEAT León TDi Y 10 +20.643 21 4
9 27 Gábor Wéber Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 10 +20.961 19 2
10 1 Yvan Muller Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 10 +21.174 5 1
11 25 Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 10 +21.787 20
12 11 Alex MacDowall bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 10 +22.676 16
13 12 Pasquale Di Sabatino bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 10 +31.153 17
14 15 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 10 +41.395 12
15 7 Charles Ng Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 10 +1:42.494 18
16 74 Pepe Oriola Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 7 +3 Laps 7
17 2 Robert Huff Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 7 +3 Laps 6
Ret 6 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 5 Race incident 13
Ret 18 Tiago Monteiro Tuenti Racing SR León 1.6T 1 Race incident 4
Ret 23 Tom Chilton Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 0 Race incident 10
Ret 14 James Nash Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 0 Race incident 14
  • Bold denotes Fastest lap.

Race 2
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 2 Robert Huff Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 10 22:38.101 4 25
2 1 Yvan Muller Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 10 +2.029 5 18
3 3 Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC 10 +2.555 7 15
4 15 Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 10 +8.859 12 12
5 74 Pepe Oriola Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 10 +9.352 3 10
6 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 10 +9.553 9 8
7 25 Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 10 +11.675 13 6
8 16 Alberto Cerqui ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 10 +12.773 11 4
9 20 Darryl O'Young Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 10 +14.161 14 2
10 23 Tom Chilton Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 10 +20.847 10 1
11 22 Tom Boardman Special Tuning Racing SEAT León TDi Y 10 +30.073 17
12 12 Pasquale Di Sabatino bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 10 +30.617 16
13 6 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 10 +30.964 18
14 26 Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TC Y 10 +32.757 1
15 4 Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 10 +41.317 8
Ret 18 Tiago Monteiro Tuenti Racing SR León 1.6T 6 Engine 6
Ret 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 3 Race incident 2
Ret 11 Alex MacDowall bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 2 Race incident 15
Ret 27 Gábor Wéber Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 1 Race incident 20
DNS 7 Charles Ng Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 0 Collision damage 19
DNS 14 James Nash Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 0 Collision damage WD
  • Bold denotes Fastest lap.

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

References
  1. Hudson, Neil. "Nobody knows what to expect at the Slovakiaring". TouringCarTimes. TouringCarTimes. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  2. Hudson, Neil. "Isaac Tutumlu will miss Slovakia". TouringCarTimes. TouringCarTimes. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  3. Auger, Matt. "Barlesi targets WTCC return". Touring-Cars.net. Touring-Cars-net. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  4. Abbott, Andrew. "Oriola on top in first Slovakia practice". Touring-Cars.net. Touring-Cars-net. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  5. Hudson, Neil. "Alain Menu leads Muller in second free practice in Slovakia". TouringCarTimes. TouringCarTimes. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  6. Hudson, Neil. "Norbert Michelisz storms to Slovakia pole". TouringCarTimes. TouringCarTimes. Archived from the original on 2012-07-25. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  7. Mills, Peter. "Nash handed 10-place grid penalty". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  8. Hudson, Neil. "Yvan Muller leads James Nash in morning warm up". TouringCarTimes. TouringCarTimes. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  9. "ROUNDS 7 & 8 – SLOVAKIA RING RACE REPORT" (PDF). World Touring Car Championship. World Touring Car Championship. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  10. "Decision N° 11" (PDF). FIA. World Touring Car Championship. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
World Touring Car Championship
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2012 FIA WTCC Race of Morocco		 2012 World Touring Car Championship season Next race:
2012 FIA WTCC Race of Hungary
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none		 FIA WTCC Race of Slovakia Next race:
2013 FIA WTCC Race of Slovakia
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