2010 FIA WTCC Race of Japan

The 2010 FIA WTCC Race of Japan (formally the 2010 FIA WTCC Kenwood Race of Japan) was the tenth round of the 2010 World Touring Car Championship season and the third running of the FIA WTCC Race of Japan. It was held at the Okayama International Circuit near Mimasaka, Japan on 31 October 2010. The first race was won by Robert Huff of Chevrolet RML and race two was won by Colin Turkington of Team Aviva-COFCO.

2010 FIA WTCC Race of Japan
Race details
Date31 October, 2010
LocationMimasaka, Japan
CourseOkayama International Circuit
3.703 kilometres (2.301 mi)
Race One
Laps 16
Pole position
Driver Andy Priaulx BMW Team RBM
Time 1:36.972
Podium
First Robert Huff Chevrolet RML
Second Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML
Third Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team
Fastest Lap
Driver Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML
Time 1:51.813
Race Two
Laps 16
Podium
First Colin Turkington Team Aviva-COFCO
Second Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML
Third Robert Huff Chevrolet RML
Fastest Lap
Driver Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering
Time 1:53.478

The final results were not released until two weeks later due to an appeal by Chevrolet RML against the use of sequential gearboxes by BMW Team RBM. An FIA investigation found the use of the gearboxes to be illegal and both of the factory BMW drivers were stripped of all points earned at the event, meaning Augusto Farfus was stripped of his race two victory and the win was handed to Turkington. The decision also resulted in Yvan Muller of Chevrolet RML securing his second world drivers' championship, his first with Chevrolet.

Background

After the Race of Spain, Muller was leading the drivers' championship with now only Andy Priaulx, Gabriele Tarquini and Huff able to beat him to the title. Sergio Hernández was leading the Yokohama Independents' Trophy.

SEAT León Eurocup driver Michaël Rossi made his World Touring Car Championship debut with SR-Sport, replacing regular driver Jordi Gené for event.[1] Liqui Moly Team Engstler added a third car for local driver Yoshihiro Ito, joining Franz Engstler and Andrei Romanov.[2] Wiechers-Sport expanded to two cars to run Masataka Yanagida in addition to full-time driver Mehdi Bennani.[2] Scuderia Proteam Motorsport added Japanese racer Nobuteru Taniguchi and Taiwanese driver Kevin Chen.[2] Turkington and West Surrey Racing returned to the championship, now racing under the Team Aviva–COFCO banner for the final two rounds of the season.[3] Volvo Olsbergs Green Racing returned for their second event of the year with Swedish Touring Car Championship runner–up Robert Dahlgren behind the wheel.[4] Macanese driver Henry Ho joined the grid with the Ho Kun Chei / Sports & You Asia team.

Report

Testing and free practice

Huff and Muller led a Chevrolet 1–2 in the test session on Friday with Alain Menu in fourth separated from his teammates by the BMW of Andy Priaulx. bamboo-engineering's Darryl O'Young in eighth was the fastest independent with returnee Dahlgren in ninth.[5]

Farfus topped the first free practice session on Saturday, half a second ahead of Dahlren's Volvo. Menu was the leading Chevrolet in third with Huff fourth and Norbert Michelisz the fastest SEAT in fifth. Kristian Poulsen was the leading independent runner.[6]

SR–Sport driver Tom Coronel was fastest in free practice two with Huff second and Tiago Monteiro third. Engstler was the top independent driver.[7]

Qualifying

Priaulx headed a BMW 1–2 in qualifying with RBM teammate Farfus starting alongside him on the front row. Turkington had set the pace in the first part of qualifying, beating the factory BMW pairing. All the championship contenders made it through to Q2 in addition to Turkington, Farfus, Michelisz, Engstler and debutant Rossi. Dahlgren was among those to drop out in Q1, while the Wiechers–Sport drivers had their times removed for accessing data from their car in parc ferme at the end of the session.

At the end of Q2, Priaulx and Farfus had locked out the front row for BMW Team RBM with Huff the next of the title challengers in third. Turkington ended up fourth on his return to the WTCC ahead of Michelisz and Tarquini. Championship leader Muller was eighth while Rossi and Engstler rounded out the top ten.[8]

Warm-Up

Menu was the fastest driver in Sunday morning's warm–up session with Monteiro second and Coronel third, pole sitter Priaulx was fourteenth. Dahlgren was unable to take part as he required an engine change, incurring a ten–place grid drop for race one.[9]

Race One

The race started behind the safety car due to the severe wet conditions, Priaulx led away when the race was started on lap three. Huff passed Farfus immediately to take second place. Monteiro and Engstler slipped off the track at the first corner. Fredy Barth and Poulsen clashed further around the lap, Poulsen spun and took Stefano D'Aste with him. Huff and he eventually passed Priaulx on lap five. Muller was climbing up from eight on grid and made his way up to third place by the end of the race. Farfus had dropped down to fourth and was engaged in a close battle with Tarquini, who on lap six slid into the gravel trap at Williams and returned to the track in eighth place with only minor damage. At the end of the race, Huff was first with Priaulx second and Muller third. Yukinori Taniguchi was the Yokohama Trophy winner in eleventh.[10]

The results of the successful appeal by Chevrolet to the FIA over the use of sequential gearboxes by the BMW Team RBM drivers meant Priaulx and Farfus were later disqualified.[11] This promoted the bamboo–engineering drivers into the points with Yukinori Tanaguchi ending up ninth and O'Young tenth. Michelisz was promoted to third to take the first podium finish of his WTCC career.

Race Two

Michel Nykjær started on pole position for race two and led until lap nine when he slid off the track. Tarquini took over the lead of the race but went straight on at the Hobbs turn two laps later and retired, putting him out of championship contention. Farfus then assumed the lead of the race. His teammate Priaulx had spun into retirement after three laps, Yokohama Trophy leader Hernández did likewise after eleven laps. At the end of the race, Farfus took the win with Turkington holding off Muller to second. Nykjær ended up seventh while O'Young in tenth was the independents' winner.[12]

After Chevrolet's appeal over the use of sequential gearboxes was taken into account and the BMW Team RBM drivers had been disqualified, Farfus lost the win and the victory was handed to Turkington, his first in the WTCC. Muller moved up to second and secured the drivers' championship title while Huff took the final podium position.[11]

Results

Qualifying
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Q1 Q2
1 11 Andy Priaulx BMW Team RBM BMW 320si 1:37.623 1:36.972
2 10 Augusto Farfus BMW Team RBM BMW 320si 1:37.455 1:37.408
3 7 Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 1:37.690 1:37.441
4 29 Colin Turkington Team Aviva-COFCO BMW 320si 1:37.264 1:37.495
5 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:37.707 1:37.577
6 1 Gabriele Tarquini SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:37.725 1:37.727
7 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 1:37.805 1:37.844
8 6 Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 1:37.767 1:37.913
9 73 Michaël Rossi SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:37.809 1:38.387
10 15 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 1:37.786 1:38.605
11 3 Tiago Monteiro SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:37.904
12 17 Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:37.904
13 20 Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti Y 1:38.056
14 41 Robert Dahlgren Volvo Olsbergs Green Racing Volvo C30 1:38.128
15 24 Kristian Poulsen Poulsen Motorsport BMW 320si Y 1:38.156
16 18 Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:38.171
17 2 Tom Coronel SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 1:38.190
18 26 Stefano D'Aste Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 1:38.540
19 25 Sergio Hernández Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 1:38.728
20 72 Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti Y 1:38.747
21 16 Andrei Romanov Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 1:39.098
22 44 Yoshihiro Ito Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 1:39.584
23 43 Nobuteru Taniguchi Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 1:39.891
24 45 Kevin Chen Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 1:39.997
25 51 Henry Ho Ho Chun Kei / Sports & You Asia BMW 320si Y 1:40.681
EX 21 Mehdi Bennani Wiechers-Sport BMW 320si Y Excluded
EX 46 Masataka Yanagida Wiechers-Sport BMW 320si Y Excluded

Race 1
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 7 Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 16 31:46.668 3 25
2 6 Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 16 +4.931 8 18
3 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +9.742 5 15
4 29 Colin Turkington Team Aviva-COFCO BMW 320si 16 +11.310 4 12
5 1 Gabriele Tarquini SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +13.876 6 10
6 17 Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +14.901 12 8
7 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 16 +30.022 7 6
8 41 Robert Dahlgren Volvo Olsbergs Green Racing Volvo C30 16 +31.077 24
9 72 Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti Y 16 +1:13.148 19 4
10 20 Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti Y 16 +1:15.995 13 2
11 25 Sergio Hernández Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 16 +1:17.546 18 1
12 43 Nobuteru Taniguchi Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 16 +1:17.857 22
13 15 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 16 +1:19.035 10
14 2 Tom Coronel SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +1:22.055 16
15 24 Kristian Poulsen Poulsen Motorsport BMW 320si Y 16 +1:26.602 14
16 21 Mehdi Bennani Wiechers-Sport BMW 320si Y 16 +1:30.373 26
17 46 Masataka Yanagida Wiechers-Sport BMW 320si Y 16 +1:30.957 27
18 51 Henry Ho Ho Chun Kei / Sports & You Asia BMW 320si Y 15 +1 Lap 25
19 44 Yoshihiro Ito Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 15 +1 Lap 21
Ret 45 Kevin Chen Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 9 Race incident 23
NC 16 Andrei Romanov Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 9 +7 Laps 20
Ret 73 Michaël Rossi SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 6 Race incident 9
Ret 3 Tiago Monteiro SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 2 Race incident 11
Ret 18 Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI 2 Race incident 15
Ret 26 Stefano D'Aste Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 2 Race incident 17
DSQ 11 Andy Priaulx BMW Team RBM BMW 320si 16 Disqualified 1
DSQ 10 Augusto Farfus BMW Team RBM BMW 320si 16 Disqualified 2
  • Bold denotes Fastest lap.

Race 2
Pos. No. Name Team Car C Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 29 Colin Turkington Team Aviva-COFCO BMW 320si 16 33:48.074 3 25
2 6 Yvan Muller Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 16 +0.724 6 18
3 7 Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 16 +1.822 8 15
4 8 Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT 16 +2.826 9 12
5 41 Robert Dahlgren Volvo Olsbergs Green Racing Volvo C30 16 +3.165 10
6 17 Michel Nykjær SUNRED Engineering SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +4.174 1 10
7 5 Norbert Michelisz Zengő-Dension Team SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +5.432 4 8
8 2 Tom Coronel SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +5.901 21 6
9 20 Darryl O'Young bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti Y 16 +7.061 12 4
10 15 Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 16 +7.613 15 2
11 24 Kristian Poulsen Poulsen Motorsport BMW 320si Y 16 +7.806 16 1
12 73 Michaël Rossi SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +8.271 24
13 18 Fredy Barth SEAT Swiss Racing by SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI 16 +9.309 26
14 46 Masataka Yanagida Wiechers-Sport BMW 320si Y 16 +10.628 18
15 16 Andrei Romanov Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 16 +10.698 23
16 72 Yukinori Taniguchi bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Lacetti Y 16 +13.036 11
17 26 Stefano D'Aste Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 16 +13.679 27
18 43 Nobuteru Taniguchi Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 16 +27.107 14
19 21 Mehdi Bennani Wiechers-Sport BMW 320si Y 16 +31.104 17
20 45 Kevin Chen Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 15 +1 Lap 22
21 51 Henry Ho Ho Chun Kei / Sports & You Asia BMW 320si Y 13 +3 Laps 19
Ret 25 Sergio Hernández Scuderia Proteam Motorsport BMW 320si Y 11 Race incident 13
Ret 1 Gabriele Tarquini SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 10 Race incident 2
Ret 3 Tiago Monteiro SR-Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI 10 Race incident 25
Ret 44 Yoshihiro Ito Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320si Y 7 Race incident 20
DSQ 10 Augusto Farfus BMW Team RBM BMW 320si 16 Disqualified 5
DSQ 11 Andy Priaulx BMW Team RBM BMW 320si 3 Disqualified 7
  • Bold denotes Fastest lap.

Standings after the event
  • Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of drivers' standings.
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References
  1. Gent, James (22 October 2010). "Rossi replaces Gene for Okayama". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  2. Meissner, Johan (17 September 2010). "Four Japanese drivers now confirmed for home race". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  3. Allen, Peter (26 October 2010). "Turkington And WSR Return For Japan And Macau". The Checkered Flag. BlackEagleMedia Network. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  4. "Polestar to race in WTCC at Brands Hatch and Okayama". Volvo Cars. Volvo Cars. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  5. Allen, Peter (30 October 2010). "Huff Tops Okayama Test Session". The Checkered Flag. BlackEagleMedia Network. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  6. Hudson, Neil (30 October 2010). "Farfus leads FP1 from Dahlgren". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  7. Hudson, Neil (30 October 2010). "Coronel fastest in free practice 2". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  8. Allen, Peter (31 October 2010). "Priaulx Head BMW 1-2 in Okayama Qualifying". The Checkered Flag. BlackEagleMedia Network. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  9. Hudson, Neil (31 October 2010). "Menu leads Japan warm-up". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  10. O'Leary, Jamie (31 October 2010). "Huff wins wet Okayama race one". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  11. Noble, Jonathan (17 November 2010). "BMW ruling makes Muller champion". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  12. O'Leary, Jamie (31 October 2010). "Farfus triumphs as SEATs slip up". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
World Touring Car Championship
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2010 FIA WTCC Race of Spain		 2010 World Touring Car Championship season Next race:
2010 Guia Race of Macau
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2009 FIA WTCC Race of Japan		 FIA WTCC Race of Japan Next race:
2011 FIA WTCC Race of Japan
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