Rob Huff had a disappointing outing when the FIA World Touring Car Championship headed to Imola for rounds six and seven last weekend. The 25 year-old Cambridge driver finished 20th in race one and was forced out of race two with a collapsed front wheel.

Qualifying for the event was held in extremely hot conditions which severely hampered the performance of the RML-prepared Chevrolet Lacetti's although Rob himself was happy with the progress made. "We changed the set up a bit with each set of new tyres," said Rob. "It wasn't easy in the heat, which was hitting around 40 degrees but finishing two tenths off the time of Nicola wasn't too bad."

Being unable to see the start lights prevented Rob from improving or holding his grid position and he lost several places off the line and as they entered the first corner he encountered several spinning cars ahead. More by luck than judgment, he missed them all, his excursion onto the grass dropping him down the field with it all to do. A few corners later though, he was hit from behind, pushing him into another car and damaging the suspension in the process.

He bravely hung on to the finish, crossing the line in 20th place to line up on the 10th row for race two. At the start though, his race was over before it had even begun, the collapse of the left front wheel forcing instant retirement before the completion of the first lap.

"I couldn't see the starting lights," said Rob. "So I lost at least five places at the start. Then I arrived at the first corner, where I had the choice of going left and through a cloud of dust, or right over the grass and risk hitting the tyres. I chose right and just missed the tyres, but it lost me both time and places. A few corners later I got hit from behind at the Hairpin and then pushed into another competitor, damaging the steering in the process."

Rob now enjoys a month off before the next double-header rounds, at the revived Puebla circuit in Mexico on June 25th/26th.