Vervisch takes the first repeat win of 2021 WTCR at Pau-Arnos
Frédéric Vervisch has become the first driver to take a repeat win in the 2021 WTCR season, leading from start to finish in his Comtoyou Racing Audi RS 3 LMS. The Belgian won the race ahead of the Lynk & Co of Thed Björk and the Hyundai of Gabriele Tarquini.
Vervisch made a perfect start and led the way into Turn 1 ahead of Björk despite a light squeeze into the first chicane, while behind the top three, Esteban Guerrieri was able to get past his Münnich Motorsport Honda teammate Néstor Girolami off the grid to take fourth.
Into the first corner, championship leader Yann Ehrlacher’s Cyan Racing Lynk & Co made side-to-side contact with Tiago Monteiro’s Honda at the exit, which saw the Portuguese driver spin off into the barriers with broken suspension.
Further behind, Monteiro’s teammate Attila Tassi also made contact with Yvan Muller’s Lynk & Co, which broke the suspension of Muller car, and the Race 2 pole-sitter headed into the pit lane for urgent repairs.
The race was suspended behind the safety car for six laps while Monteiro’s car was recovered.
When the race resumed, Vervisch managed to control the pace, going on to win the race by just over a second ahead of Björk, with Tarquini a further four seconds behind.
Further behind, the two Hyundai cars of Norbert Michelisz and Jean-Karl Vernay swapped positions at the end of lap 14, promoting Vernay to sixth.
The Cyan Racing team were able to repair Muller’s car, and he rejoined the circuit late in the race to evaluate the repairs to his suspension.
Ehrlacher’s lead in the championship has been reduced to 20 points over Guerrieri, with Vernay third, 30 points down, while Vervisch’s win moves the Audi driver to fourth on the table, 31 adrift.
Race 2 is scheduled to take place at 12:15 CEST.
Pau-Arnos – Race 1
1. Frédéric Vervisch (Comtoyou Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS), 20 laps
2. Thed Bjõrk (Cyan Performance, Lynk & Co 03), 1.069
3. Gabriele Tarquini (BRC Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N), 5.045
4. Esteban Guerrieri (Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R), 7.052
5. Néstor Girolami (Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R), 8.377
Championship points
1. Y. Ehrlacher 149; 2. E. Guerrieri 129; 3. JK. Vernay 199
Picture: WTCR/DPPI
