WTCR | Two years later, Tarquini is back: he wins Race-1 at Aragon | FormulaPassion.it

On a day that could become historic for Italy, between the Wimbledon final with Matteo Berrettini on the pitch and the European football championships with Roberto Mancini’s national team in search of the title, motorsport also wanted to make its contribution to the tricolor cause. . The veteran par excellence took care of it, Gabriele Tarquini, 59 years old and not hear them. In fact, the Giulianova driver won in Race-1 of the third round of the WTCR, scheduled for this weekend in Spain, on the Aragon track. The Abruzzo ‘Cinghio’ started from pole, taking advantage of the inversion of the grid after qualifying, and managed to resist the charge of the local idol Mikel Azcona.

Gabriele Tarquini scored his first #FIAWTCR victory for two years by leading all the way from pole positionhttps://t.co/DEpXMFKNmQ

– FIA WTCR (@FIA_WTCR) July 11, 2021

Azcona’s Cupra Leon kept Tarquini’s pace early in the race, but then had to give up chasing, settling for second place – best result of his season so far. Third at the finish was the Dutchman Tom Coronel. The victory has a special flavor for Tarquini, who was not the first to pass under the checkered flag since Race-3 on April 28, 2019, in Hungary. Beyond two years later, the first step of the podium is back. “I converted pole to victory – Tarquini commented at the end of the race – but it wasn’t as easy as it looked from the outside. Azcona pushed to the end. It was a good race. Thanks to Hyundai for the good job. Even with a lot of weight we are competitive “.