Race 2: Nykjær steals win from Bennani

09.06.13
Michel Nykjær won an action-packed second race at the Moscow Raceway, chasing early leader Mehdi Bennani and eventually overtaking him to claim his third victory of the season.

Michel Nykjaer won an action-packed second race at the Moscow Raceway, chasing early leader Mehdi Bennani and eventually overtaking him to claim his third victory of the season.

Bennani then spun while trying to defend second position under strong pressure from Rob Huff and Yvan Muller. The latter benefited from the contact between Bennani and Huff to collect a second place that means another step towards a possible fourth World Champion crown.

The result of the race was affected by a pile up on lap 3 that eliminated Tom Coronel, Gabriele Tarquini and James Thompson while they were fighting for the third position. This incident is currently being investigated by the Stewards.

 

Key moments

Start – Bennani takes a perfect start and leads from Nykjaer

Lap 1 – Tarquini and Oriola make contact while fighting for third, Oriola drops to seventh

Lap 2 – Coronel overtakes Thompson for fourth

Lap 3 – Coronel, Tarquini, Thompson, Huff and Muller run abreast on the pit straight; at the braking Coronel’s car swerves to the right and collects Tarquini’s and Thompson’s

Lap 4 – Nykjaer makes a try, but Bennani resists

Lap 6 – Tarquini overtakes Chilton for seventh; D’Aste overtakes O’Young for 10th

Lap 7 – Nykjaer steals the lead from Bennani

Lap 8 – Chilton retakes seventh from Tarquini

Lap 9 – Huff and Muller chase Bennani who rejects their attack

Lap 10 – Bennani, Huff and Muller keep on fighting for second

Lap 11 – Huff and Bennani make contact, the latter spins and Muller moves up to second

Lap 13 – Nykjaer wins from Muller and Huff