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Muller Takes Pole Ahead of Huff in Valencia with Menu 6th for Race 1
The Cruzes on their way to Manufacturers’ title
2011-09-03
VALENCIA – Shortly before a heat wave broke over Valencia, the Cruzes stormed the qualifying session at the Spanish track to claim the front row, with Yvan Muller and Rob Huff, while Alain Menu was sixth. The reigning World Champion had an impressive day, topping the rankings in both free practice sessions and posting the fastest time in qualifying by over half a second. This is his fourth pole of the season, and the third in a row, for the Frenchman.
The Cruzes were quick in a very close Q1, which determines the grid for Race 2, with the first ten positions in reverse order. Muller, Huff and Menu will line up one behind the other, as they will start from 5th, 7th and 9th respectively.
The RML run Cruzes also proved competitive on this twisty and technical track and tomorrow they will seek to mathematically secure the Manufacturers’ WTCC crown, whilst the battle will be fierce between Rob and Yvan, separated by only 6 points, for the first position in the drivers’ standings.
- QUOTES
Yvan Muller (1st): «In general, I am not a pole position man but this year, starting in front is even more important than in the past, I changed my approach, and it seems to work. This is a track where it is essential not to make any mistakes, and that was the case today. Over the month of August, I have been spending a lot of time with Chris Cronin, my engineer, discussing the ideal set up for Valencia, and today everything went according to our predictions. Actually, all the set up modifications we did, especially after Q1 and in the middle of Q2, worked wonderfully, the car was perfect. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, and we are taking things step by step, but for sure, Rob is very close and pushing hard, which obliges me to improve constantly.”
Rob Huff (2nd): “I wasn’t happy with the set up after free practice 1, we took a different approach for free practice 2, and that was too extreme on the other direction. As a matter of fact, it is only in Q1 that I felt happy and comfortable with the balance of the car, and that was a little bit too late to hope to beat Yvan in the two attempts of Q2. But I am happy with the balance of the car now and ready to push harder tomorrow.”
Alain Menu (6th): “It all went wrong today, and it is a pity, because we had the potential to be on the front row. In Q1, I did the target time we had set up, but that proved to be a little be too fast, so I will start from P9 in Race 2. In Q2, I struggled with the balance of the car. It oversteered at the entrance of fast corners and understeered in slower sections and at the exit of curbs, so it was particularly difficult. In my best time lap, I almost went sideways twice, and that explains the gap.”
Eric Nève: “It’s the ninth consecutive pole in nine events and the eighth time the front row is entirely blue, so I cannot complain at all. Tomorrow, the most important thing will be to reach mathematical certainty about the Manufacturer title, so that in Asia we don’t have to worry about that. With regard to the Drivers’ title, it’s completely open and closely fought between Rob and Yvan, as we have seen again today, and I think we’re off to some exciting races in this final part of the championship.”
VALENCIA QUALIFYING RESULTS (RACE 1 GRID)
1. Y Muller, Chevrolet Cruze, 1m42s649
2. R Huff, Chevrolet Cruze, + 0s456
3. G Tarquini, SEAT SR León 1.6T, + 0s533
4. T Monteiro, SEAT SR León 1.6T, + 0s620
5. T Coronel, BMW 320 TC, + 0s718
6. A Menu, Chevrolet Cruze, + 0s738
VALENCIA GRID POSITIONS – RACE 2
1. F Enstler, BMW 320 TC, (1m44s577)
2. T Coronel, BMW 320 TC, (1m44s565)
3. M Nykjaer, SEAT SR León 1.6t, (1m44s461)
4. J Villa, BMW 320 TC, (1m44s395)
5. Y Muller, Chevrolet Cruze, (1m44s155)
7. R Huff, Chevrolet Cruze, (1m44s060)
9. A Menu, Chevrolet Cruze, (1m43s907)
