Moran keeps Engstler at bay to claim first win
After finishing second in yesterday’s Race 1 at Buriram behind his teammate Mitchell Cheah, Diego Moran claimed his first victory of the season in today’s Race 2 beating his other teammate Luca Engstler.
The Liqui Moly Team Engstler’s Volkswagen Golf GTI cars finished 1-2 once again, as Cheah had to pit from third with three laps to go for changing the front tyres, which prevented the German team to fill the podium.
It was a lively race, as Cheah, Moran and Engstler started from eighth, ninth and tenth on the reverse grid and had to elbow their way up to the front.
The early stages saw Chariya Nuya’s Billionaire Boy Racing Honda Civic leading the field, from fellow TCR Thailand competitors Pattarapol Vongprai (Vattana Motorsport Honda Civic) and Jakraphan Davee (Alfaphactory Racing SEAT León). Moran took the lead on lap 4, Engstler moved up to second on lap 6 and Cheah climbed to third on lap 7.
Engstler closed the gap on Moran, but the Ecuadorian was able to keep him at bay until the chequered flag. Behind them, Cheah pitted on lap 12 and the fight for third overall and first in TCR Thailand was won by Nuya ahead of Vongprai and Davee, with Nattanid Lewattanavaragul finishing a brilliant sixth overall in her Morin Racing SEAT.
Kelvin Wong was classified seventh in his Elegant Racing Team SEAT and completed the TCR Asia podium.
Despite his misfortune, Cheah remained the leader of the TCR Asia standings with 83 points, but Engstler has reduced his gap to 15 points; Moran has climbed to third a further ten points adrift.
The TCR Thailand classification is led by Vongprai with 83 points, only four clear of Nuya and 16 ahead of Davee.
The two series will race together again in Thailand, at Bangsaen on Juy 14th and 15th.
