In what was an anti-climax, Volvo’s Thed Bjork clinched the World Touring Car Championship title, after his nearest rival Honda’s Norbert Michelisz failed to rise up to the challenge in the final round at the Losail International Circuit last night.
It was meant to be the closest battle for WTCC title in years, with Sweden’s Bjork carrying just a six-and-half-point lead over Michelisz. But the Hungarian suffered a brake issue in qualifying and had to start from 11th. He could not make up ground, and finished ninth and eighth in Opening Race and Main Race respectively.
Bjork, starting seventh from the grid, finished fifth in first race, with teammate Yvan Muller protecting the championship leader from behind. Carrying a 16.5-point lead over Michelisz heading into Race 2, with 30 on offer, Bjork just had to maintain his starting position of fourth in the main race to guarantee the drivers’ crown. But the 36-year-old Swede went one better finishing third even as Michelisz limped to the finish line in his Honda Civic.
A triumphant Bjork stood on top of his Volvo S60 car, held his arms aloft as he celebrated with his team. “It’s the best night of my career,” said the Swede. “Unbelievable, absolutely crazy. Thank you so much everybody,” added the new champion on the radio as he crossed the finish line. To make it a double delight, Volvo also won the manufacturers’ title.
Honda had something to cheer about as Esteban Guerrieri won the Main Race. Sebastian Loeb Racing’s Tom Chilton claimed victory in the penultimate race, which clinched the Brit the WTCC Trophy title.
Argentina’s Guerrieri was never threatened after starting from pole in the 12-lap Main Race. He and Bjork were joined on the podium by Munnich Motorsport’s Rob Huff, who made a determined bid to rise from his third position on the grid by taking to the grass on the run down to Turn 1 at the start.
Nicky Catsburg played the lead support to Bjork, before finishing third in his Volvo S60, ahead of the new champion. WTCC Trophy champion Chilton was fifth. Mehdi Bennani, Chilton’s teammate lost all hope of beating the Briton to the title at Turn 1 following the start.
The Moroccan, who won here last year, came into heavy contact with WTCC legend Muller, who pushed him off and a few laps later Bennani retired his Citroen C-Elysee with damage and a puncture on the front right corner.
From 11th on the grid, Michelisz made up one position off the line and benefited from a collision between Chilton, Bennani and Muller to climb to ninth. He then passed John Filippi’s Sebastien Loeb Racing Citroen further round the opening lap, but found Muller’s Volvo a more difficult obstacle to clear.
The Hungarian ultimately ended up stuck behind Muller — who had come out of retirement to assist Volvo’s title push — for the remaining 11 laps and crossed the line in eighth. It was a disappointing finish to the campaign for Michelisz, who had made a late march towards the title after wins in Portugal, Argentina and Japan.
In the Opening race of 10 laps, Chilton passed teammate Bennani with a little over two laps of the race to go and eased home from there to a winning margin of 2.175 seconds.
Chilton tailed Bennani after both had passed pole position starter Kevin Gleason in his RC Motorsport entry. The two French cars put on an entertaining battle, which included some contact, before Chilton made the decisive move on lap eight of 10.
“Yes! The race of my life!” he shouted in delight over the radio after taking the chequered flag. “Oh wow. It really was the race of my life. We didn’t give each other an inch and at one point I thought Mehdi was going to put me into the tyres. But this is for an FIA world championship – and now I’m leading it,” he added.
His victory meant he led Bennani by 1.5 points going into the Main Race. Eventually it didn’t matter, as Bennani crashed out in the late night race, easing Chilton of any pressure.