2012 FIA WTCC Race of the United States

FIA WTCC Race of the United States United States 23 September 2012 Sonoma (WTCC) layout.png 9 12 Sonoma, United States Sonoma Raceway 4.032 13 13 CHE Alain Menu Chevrolet 1:45.232 FRA Yvan Muller Chevrolet GBR Robert Huff Chevrolet HUN Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport FRA Yvan Muller 1:48.088 Chevrolet GBR Robert Huff Chevrolet HUN Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport ITA Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing Team FRA Yvan Muller 1:47.732 Chevrolet The 2012 FIA WTCC Race of the United States was the ninth round of the 2012 World Touring Car Championship season and the maiden running of the FIA WTCC Race of the United States. It was held on 23 September 2012 at the Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California, United States. Background Coming into the event after the two-month break after Brazil, it was Yvan Muller was leading the championship 17 points ahead of his nearest rival and teammate Robert Huff. Norbert Michelisz was leading the Yokohama Independents' Trophy. In the days leading up to the event, two new drivers were entered. Italian driver Felice Tedeschi was entered by Proteam Racing to drive the BMW 320 TC which had last been raced at Morocco in the hands of Isaac Tutumlu.Hudson Neil Felice Tedeschi to race for Proteam at Sonoma http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8130 TouringCarTimes 22 September 2012September 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes Robb Holland became the first American driver to compete in the WTCC when he filled in for the financially troubled Pasquale di Sabatino at bamboo-engineering.Mills Peter Sonoma WTCC: Robb Holland joins Bamboo Chevrolet line-up http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102719 Autosport Haymarket Publishing 22 September 2012 Report Free Practice Alex MacDowall set the fastest time in Friday's shortened free practice session which saw Proteam debutant Tedeschi roll his car.MacDowall tops shortened Sonoma test http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/macdowall-tops-shortened-sonoma-test-215633652.html Eurosport Yahoo! Sports 22 September 2012 The accident ruled him out of the rest of the event.Hudson Neil Felice Tedeschi to take no further part this weekend http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8152 TouringCarTimes 22 September 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121006040956/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8152# 6 October 2012 dead dmy-all Chevrolet's Yvan Muller set the fastest time in Free Practice 1 with the Ford of Tom Chilton second. Wiechers-Sport driver Stefano D'Aste had an off-track excursion late in the session, covering the track with dust which resulted caught out both Darryl O'Young and MacDowall and brought out the red flag to allow the track to be cleaned. Holland made his way out onto the track in the Chevrolet Cruze for the last five minutes having awaited the arrival of a new FIA approved helmet to arrive.Mills Peter WTCC Sonoma: Yvan Muller tops opening practice session for Chevrolet http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102770 Autosport Haymarket Publishing 22 September 2012 Lukoil Racing Team's Gabriele Tarquini was the fastest driver in Free Practice 2 ahead of the works Chevrolet of Muller and Tiago Monteiro's SUNRED León. Having been second fastest in the morning session, Chilton was tenth behind teammate James Nash. The fastest BMW was the Zengő Motorsport car of Michelisz in twelfth.Hudson Neil Gabriele Tarquini fastest in Sonoma second practice session http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8161 TouringCarTimes 22 September 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121006070246/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8161# 6 October 2012 dead dmy-all Qualifying Alain Menu secured pole position for Chevrolet's home race with Tarquini second ahead of Muller and Huff. Muller was fastest at the end of the interrupted Q1 session having spent much of the session trading fastest times with SEAT driver Tarquini. Tarquini's teammate, Aleksei Dudukalo brought out the red flag when he beached his car having gone off at turn one. ROAL Motorsport's Tom Coronel missed out on Q2 having spun on his final attempt, both Team AON drivers missed out on Q2 despite having been quick in practice. It had looked like Tarquini would set the fastest time in Q2 with Muller and Huff having failed to beat his time, but Menu took pole position on his final lap at the end of the session.Auger Matt Pole Position on the Menu for Alain http://www.touring-cars.net/2012/09/pole-position-on-the-menu-for-alain Touring-Cars.net 23 September 2012 Warm-Up Muller led a Chevrolet 1-2-3 in the morning warm-up session with Tarquini the fastest non-Chevrolet runner.Hudson Neil Yvan Muller leads Chevrolet 1-2-3 in Sonoma warm up http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8168 TouringCarTimes 24 September 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121006082600/http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=8168# 6 October 2012 dead dmy-all Race One The action started on the first lap with Menu defending from Tarquini and forcing the Lukoil Racing driver off the track at the second corner. Further down the field moments later there was a pileup Stefano D'Aste, Darryl O'Young, Tom Chilton, Aleksei Dudukalo, Fernando Monje and Alberto Cerqui which forced the latter three into retirement. At the front, Muller and Huff were able to pass their teammate Menu who was then forced back into the pitlane after slowing with a power steering issue. Tom Coronel and Mehdi Bennani had an eventful couple of laps when the pair collided not once but twice, the second contact forcing the Moroccan into a spin and down the order. Just two laps from the end, Pepe Oriola stalled on the pit straight where his car was protected by waved yellows until the end of the race. Muller took the win ahead of Huff and Michelisz in third.Muller wins first WTCC race in Sonoma http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/muller-wins-first-wtcc-race-sonoma-202550168.html Eurosport Yahoo! Sports 24 September 2012 Race Two The reversed grid race saw D'Aste start from the pole position and he led away from the start. Bennani inherited the lead half way round the first lap when D'Aste spun off leaving three BMWs leading. Muller and Huff overtook Michelisz to take third and fourth while on the following lap, Monje crashed at turn five where his car was left for the rest of the race. The order at the front didn't change until lap four when Bennani spun on his own, handing the lead to Franz Engstler. The stranded Proteam BMW brought out the safety car two laps later, by which time Muller spun Engstler out of the lead for whiche he later earned himself a drive through penalty. The race restarted on lap eight when Coronel, continuing his charge through the field from the back of the grid, took eight place from Tom Boardman. Muller served his penalty on lap nine and Huff inherited the lead, the British driver now had to defend well from the BMW of Michelisz. On the final lap, Charles Ng was black flagged for ignoring an earlier black and orange flag for loose bodywork on his car. Huff took the win with Michelisz second and Tarquini third.Huff claims crucial WTCC victory http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/huff-claims-crucial-wtcc-victory-233623357.html Eurosport Yahoo! Sports 24 September 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120928142346/http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/huff-claims-crucial-wtcc-victory-233623357.html 28 September 2012 Results Qualifying Pos. Position No. Car number Name Team Car C Class Q1 Q2 Points 1 8 CHE Alain Menu Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 1:46.182 1:45.232 5 2 3 ITA Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC 1:45.947 1:45.468 4 3 1 FRA Yvan Muller Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 1:45.556 1:45.539 3 4 2 GBR Robert Huff Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 1:45.710 1:45.572 2 5 5 HUN Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TCY 1:46.828 1:46.558 1 6 11 GBR Alex MacDowall bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6TY 1:46.939 1:46.578 7 18 PRT Tiago Monteiro Tuenti Racing SR León 1.6T 1:46.643 1:46.594 8 6 DEU Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TCY 1:46.842 1:46.761 9 25 MAR Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TCY 1:46.889 1:47.004 10 26 ITA Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TCY 1:46.717 1:47.263 11 16 ITA Alberto Cerqui ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TCY 1:46.976 1:47.851 12 4 RUS Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCCY 1:46.976 no time 13 14 GBR James Nash Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 1:47.000 14 7 HKG Charles Ng Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TCY 1:47.050 15 88 ESP Fernando Monje Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCCY 1:47.149 16 20 CHN Darryl O'Young Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCCY 1:47.167 17 23 GBR Tom Chilton Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 1:47.380 18 74 ESP Pepe Oriola Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCCY 1:47.434 19 22 GBR Tom Boardman Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCCY 1:47.436 20 15 NLD Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 1:47.546 21 29 USA Robb Holland bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6TY 1:48.179 Bold denotes Pole position for second race. Race 1 Pos. Position No. Car number Name Team Car C Class Laps Time/Retired Grid Points 1 1 FRA Yvan Muller Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 13 23:34.369 3 25 2 2 GBR Robert Huff Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 13 +0.564 4 18 3 5 HUN Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 13 +5.444 5 15 4 3 ITA Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC 13 +8.847 2 12 5 11 GBR Alex MacDowall bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 13 +11.803 6 10 6 18 PRT Tiago Monteiro Tuenti Racing SR León 1.6T 13 +12.422 7 8 7 6 DEU Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TCY 13 +15.707 8 6 8 15 NLD Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 13 +16.341 20 4 9 26 ITA Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TCY 13 +17.304 10 2 10 22 GBR Tom Boardman Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCCY 13 +25.823 19 1 11 25 MAR Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 13 +30.314 9 12 23 GBR Tom Chilton Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 13 +34.388 17 13 29 USA Robb Holland bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 13 +40.092 21 14 20 CHN Darryl O'Young Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCCY 13 +46.184 16 15 7 HKG Charles Ng Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 13 +47.864 14 16 74 ESP Pepe Oriola Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCCY 10 +3 Laps 18 17 14 GBR James Nash Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 9 +4 Laps 13 18 8 CHE Alain Menu Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 9 +4 Laps 1 NC 88 ESP Fernando Monje Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 8 +5 Laps 15 Ret 16 ITA Alberto Cerqui ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 1 Collision 11 Ret 4 RUS Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCCY 0 Collision 12 Bold denotes Fastest lap. Race 2 Pos. Position No. Car number Name Team Car C Class Laps Time/Retired Grid Points 1 2 GBR Robert Huff Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 15 29:19.176 7 25 2 5 HUN Norbert Michelisz Zengő Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 15 +0.320 6 18 3 3 ITA Gabriele Tarquini Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCC 15 +1.199 9 15 4 8 CHE Alain Menu Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 15 +3.718 10 12 5 15 NLD Tom Coronel ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC 15 +7.571 18 10 6 18 PRT Tiago Monteiro Tuenti Racing SR León 1.6T 15 +8.207 4 8 7 11 GBR Alex MacDowall bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 15 +12.682 5 6 8 22 GBR Tom Boardman Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCCY 15 +13.847 17 4 9 26 ITA Stefano D'Aste Wiechers-Sport BMW 320 TCY 15 +14.220 1 2 10 6 DEU Franz Engstler Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TCY 15 +15.643 3 1 11 74 ESP Pepe Oriola Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCCY 15 +18.811 21 12 20 CHN Darryl O'Young Special Tuning Racing SEAT León WTCCY 15 +21.656 15 13 16 ITA Alberto Cerqui ROAL Motorsport BMW 320 TC Y 15 +21.997 11 14 1 FRA Yvan Muller Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T 15 +23.467 8 15 23 GBR Tom Chilton Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 15 +24.319 16 16 29 USA Robb Holland bamboo-engineering Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T Y 15 +25.184 19 17 14 GBR James Nash Team Aon Ford Focus S2000 TC 15 +30.630 20 18 4 RUS Aleksei Dudukalo Lukoil Racing SEAT León WTCCY 15 +41.557 12 Ret 25 MAR Mehdi Bennani Proteam Racing BMW 320 TC Y 3 Collision 2 Ret 88 ESP Fernando Monje Tuenti Racing SEAT León WTCC Y 1 Collision 14 DSQ 7 HKG Charles Ng Liqui Moly Team Engstler BMW 320 TC Y 15 Disqualified 13 Bold denotes Fastest lap. Standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 10px 1 FRA Yvan Muller 315 10px 2 GBR Robert Huff 315 10px 3 CHE Alain Menu 267 10px 4 ITA Gabriele Tarquini 193 10px 5 NLD Tom Coronel 164 Yokohama Independents' Trophy standings Pos Driver Points 10px 1 HUN Norbert Michelisz 134 10px 2 ESP Pepe Oriola 109 10px 3 ITA Stefano D'Aste 85 10px 4 GBR Alex MacDowall 79 10px 5 DEU Franz Engstler 68 Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 10px 1 USA Chevrolet 761 10px 2 DEU BMW Customer Racing Teams 486 10px 3 ESP SEAT Racing Technology 472 Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of drivers' standings. References FIA WTCC Race of the United States 2012 2012 FIA WTCC Race of Brazil 2012 FIA WTCC Race of Japan none 2013 FIA WTCC Race of the United States June 2017 United States Category:FIA WTCC Race of the United States WTCC WTCC