Remembering when… Tarquini made history as first WTCR winner

Gabriele Tarquini made motorsport history on this day in 2018 by winning the first round of the all-new WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup after an action-packed opener at WTCR AFRIQUIA Race of Morocco. Starting second on the grid, Tarquini got the jump on DHL Pole Position driver Thed Björk – the FIA World Touring Car Championship winner from 2017 – at the start to take a lead he’d never lose. Ad/> “I know my child!” laughed Tarquini after the race as he referred to his new Hyundai i30 N TCR, which he played a key role in developing.

“I pushed my child at the start because I knew the start was the key. After that I was relaxed because it would have taken a strong job to overtake around here – almost impossible.” WTCRNew cars get closer to WTCR actionYESTERDAY AT 04:08 What else happened?Back in the pack there was contact at Turn 1 as the 25-strong field shuffled for position. Those involved included Comtoyou Racing’s Aurélien Panis and Audi Sport Team Comtoyou’s Frédéric Vervisch whose Audi RS 3 LMS clashed heavily with James Thompson’s Honda.

Vervisch was left stranded on the circuit, and after one lap behind the safety car the race was stopped to allow the Audi to be recovered. The race was restarted behind the safety car, and Tarquini once again made a great getaway to keep his lead from Björk, Rob Huff and Jean-Karl Vernay. But the field only managed about a lap of racing before the safety car was called on again.

Norbert Michelisz, relegated from second on the grid to the back after his engine failure in qualifying, lost the front-left wheel from his BRC Racing Team Hyundai i30 N TCR. Racing resumed as the field started lap 11, with Tarquini sprinting away to lead from Björk. The Swede’s YMR Team Hyundai i30 N