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From eighth on the grid, N.Technology Alfa Romeo’s James Thompson amazed his Italian team’s home crowd today
at Monza, finishing third after some of the best FIA World Touring Car Championship overtaking of the year.
A
great start
saw Thompson leap up to fifth on the first lap, putting Chevrolet’s
Nicola Larini in his sights. The two cars fought hard over three laps
before the N.Technology driver made a clean move for fourth place at
the sweeping Curva Parabolica.
Gabriele
Tarquini
was next and after five laps on his bumper, Thompson pulled alongside
the SEAT Leon TDi in a drag race to Curva Grande. Thompson held the
outside
line going into the ultra-fast turn, which gave him the inside into the
following chicane. He kept his foot down and sailed onto the
podium.
Team-mate Olivier
Tielemans did not finish after an incident on lap five of the nine-lap race.
James
Thompson, car number 15
“I
knew the
car was fast over race distance so I had a twinkle in my eye this
morning. I was just planning to stay out of trouble, drive my own race
and pick off
a few cars where I could so I’m very happy.
“I had
a great race with Tarquini; I really enjoyed it. I like racing against him because we always give each other room and
respect.”
Mauro
Sipsz, Team Principal
“That
was a very proud result. To see our car fighting wheel-to-wheel with
the big manufacturers is a great
prize for my team and James drove a very special race. If he can pass
the cars of SEAT and Chevrolet once, he can do it again and that’s what
we’re hoping for in this afternoon’s second race.”
FIA WTCC Monza race one – Provisional result
1. Yvan Muller (FRA), SEAT Sport
2. Jordi Gené (ESP), SEAT Sport
3. James
Thompson (GBR), N.Technology
4. Nicola Larini (ITA), Chevrolet
5. Alain Menu (SUI), Chevrolet
6. Gabriele Tarquini (ITA), SEAT Sport
7. Augusto Farfus (BRA), BMW
8. Rob Huff (GBR), Chevrolet
DNF Olivier
Tielemans (NED), N.Technology
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