HUFF TAKES SECOND AT MONDELLO - THEN LOSES IT!
- Robert excluded after incident
Rob Huff took a stunning second place in the 14th round of the Green Flag
MSA British Touring Car Championship at Mondello Park today, only to lose
it after race officials deemed an incident with Michael Bentwood was worthy
of exclusion. The 24 year-old from Cambridge finished as runner-up to his
SEAT Sport UK team-mate Jason Plato to take SEAT's first 1-2 finish but the
incident cost him dear and he was understandably disappointed to have been
deprived the result over a 'racing incident'.
"Well what can I say, that was an absolutely mega race but I'm very disappointed
by the exclusion for the incident, which I considered to be purely a racing
incident!" said Rob at the flag. "I got another fantastic start and got
alongside Jason going into the first corner. We gave each other room and
then Michael Bentwood barged through and tried to cut me off on the exit but
I stayed where I was. The rest of the race I followed Jason and pulled away
from Tom Chilton in third at about half a second a lap. By that time Jason
had built up a bit of lead but I started catching him up towards the end of
the race."
The first race had Rob start from 11th on the grid, and following the
rectification of a clutch problem that had been plaguing him since
Silverstone, made a blinding start to pass three cars off the line, where
he sat behind Silverstone race winner Tom Chilton. With his mind very firmly
on ensuring a good start slot for the day's second race, which featured the
top ten starting in reverse order, Rob maintained eighth place to the flag
to take a second row slot for the second.
"That wasn't a bad race for me really, I had a blinding start and I think
I jumped about three places off the line. Then I just sat behind Tom Chilton
in ninth. I just tried to pace myself and not push too hard. There's certainly
more pace in the car and I was definitely quicker than the three guys ahead
of me - I was catching them and then gradually started to drop back to keep
position for the start of race two. Then Jason did the same and lifted right
off and waited for me to go through and then tucked in behind me."
Following the second race exclusion, Rob was forced to start from the back
of the grid for the day's final race and with 55kg of weight ballast but
another great getaway saw him move through the field, passing four cars at
the start until he slotted in behind Dan Eaves for seventh. When the safety
car was deployed Rob was able to capitalise and made his move on Chilton for
sixth only for the engine to die, causing instant retirement.
"We found the problem with the clutch to be a cracked seal which was causing
engine and gearbox oil to mix and making the clutch bite at different times,
so my starts had been a bit erratic. But since that was cured, after
qualifying yesterday, my starts have been great and the third start was just
as good as the first two. I made up four places at the start and then got
up to seventh but just as I passed Chilton for sixth the engine just went
pop. There was a hairline fracture in the sump and I just had to pull off.
Despite all of that though, I think there was a lot of positive things to
come out of this weekend. I'm learning new circuits well, I think I raced
very well in the second one, and we're getting quicker all the time, so all
in all a good weekend."
Results for Race 1 - 14 laps
| 1. | Yvan Muller | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 25:34.125 |
| 2. | Anthony Reid | MG ZS | 25:34.352 |
| 3. | Colin Turkington | MG ZS | 25:40.525 |
| 4. | Matt Neal | Honda Civic Type-R | 25:42.945 |
| 5. | James Thompson | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 25:44.151 |
| 6. | Luke Hines | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 25:44.973 |
| 8. | ROBERT HUFF | SEAT Toledo Cupra | 25:49.845 |
Results for Race 2 - 14 laps
| 1. | Jason Plato | SEAT Toledo Cupra | 25:50.141 |
| 2. | James Thompson | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 25:57.229 |
| 3. | Luke Hines | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 25:58.075 |
| 4. | Yvan Muller | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 25:59.401 |
| 5. | Anthony Reid | MG ZS | 25:59.733 |
| 6. | Colin Turkington MG ZS | 26:02.494 |
Results for Race 3 - 16 laps
| 1. | Colin Turkington | MG ZS | 31:00.567 |
| 2. | Luke Hines | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 31:04.651 |
| 3. | Dan Eaves | Honda Civic Type-R | 31:10.762 |
| 4. | James Thompson | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 31:11.011 |
| 5. | Tom Chilton | Honda Civic Type-R | 31:11.091 |
| 6. | Yvan Muller | Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 31:12.673 |
Championship positions after 15 rounds
| 1. | Yvan Muller | 154 |
| 2. | James Thompson | 150 |
| 3. | Anthony Reid | 104 |
| 4. | Matt Neal | 96 |
| 5. | Jason Plato | 89 |
| 6. | Colin Turkington | 83 |
| 7. | Dan Eaves | 72 |
| 8. | Tom Chilton | 61 |
| 9. | Luke Hines | 61 |
| 10. | ROB HUFF | 49 |
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