A WEIGHT has been lifted from Andy Priaulx’s shoulders. The defending FIA World Touring Car Champion has been one of this season’s most consistent and outstanding performers, but he had to wait until Sunday in Portugal for his first race win.
Victory in race two capped a productive meeting for the Sarnian, who came seventh in the preceding race in Porto.
‘It’s been a great weekend. I didn’t expect the win but now at least everyone will stop asking me when I’m going to win my first race of the year,’ he said.
‘I respect the other drivers too much to say that I expected this victory, but it simply was about time for it to come.
‘I already had a few chances this year, but it didn’t happen. Now I finally did it.’
The BMW Team UK driver drove his heavily ballasted car as fast as he could in the first race, taking two points and claiming second on the grid for race two from the reverse grid rules.
At the midpoint of the second race, the double WTCC champion was lying second behind fellow BMW 320si driver Jorg Muller, who made a small mistake and Priaulx didn’t hesitate in taking advantage.
He made a brilliant pass to claim the lead.
‘I have to thank Jorg because it’s extremely difficult to overtake here and there’s only one person I could have gone side by side into turn ten with and that was him. I’d put some pressure on and shown my nose a few times when he locked up and I took the opportunity,’ Priaulx said.
After having built up a gap of nearly two seconds, a safety car was deployed after a privateer Alfa Romeo hit the wall.
Once the wreckage was cleared Priaulx made an excellent restart and rebuilt the gap, crossing the line and taking the chequered flag over two seconds ahead of Muller.
He now lies joint second in the championship having closed the gap to the lead to just two points.
‘It’s too early to think about winning the title yet - at this stage you can only lose it. It’s a case of taking it race by race,’ Priaulx said.
The next WTCC races are in Sweden at the Anderstorp track on Sunday 29 July.
* A RECORD crowd witnessed Andy Priaulx’s first win of the campaign.
According to the figures released by the City Hall, 112,000 spectators gathered round Porto’s Circuito da Boavista during the weekend.
Grandstand tickets totalled 47,000 while 65,000 people were standing in the free zones behind the fences.
Article posted on 10th July, 2007 - 12.00am
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