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Tiago Monteiro converts pole position into main race win

Tiago Monteiro took a lights-to-flag victory in the World Touring Car Championship main race in Marrakech, leading home team-mate Norbert Michelisz in a works Honda 1-2 finish.

The Portuguese driver made an early break before capitalising on a slow restart from Michelisz to establish a small advantage to the chequered flag.

The result gives Monteiro an early seven-point advantage in the championship over Michelisz.

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Nestor Girolami was able to steer his Volvo S60 to third from a front row start despite several sizeable lockups from all three Cyan Polestar Racing machines.

It could have been local hero Medhi Bennani sharing the final step of the rostrum after a lively start, but his attempted pass on the outside of turn one left him vulnerable and Nicky Catsburg tucked the sister Volvo alongside into fourth.

Bennani then tapped Catsburg under braking into turn three as the gap on the inside closed at a rapid rate, with stewards confirming they will investigate the incident after the race.

The safety car made another appearance after Aurelien Panis, a points-scorer on his championship debut in the first race, took a heavy knock from the inside kerb at the chicane and suffered damage to the right-front row link on his Honda Civic.

The ensuing restart gave Monteiro the lead he needed to see through to the end of the contest, despite the lead pack bunching up with three laps to go.

Cooling brakes proved less of an issue during than in the first race, with Bennani’s instruction to seek cool air for his engine’s sake the only high-profile issue.

Britain’s Rob Huff endured a frustrating race behind Tom Coronel, complaining several times over the radio that the latter was weaving in defence of seventh.

The net result of both races sees Honda and Volvo tie at the top of the Manufacturers standings as the WTCC heads to Monza for it’s next event in three weeks time.

Race result

POS NO DRIVER NAT ENTRANT CAR LAPS TIME BEST GD
1 18 Tiago MONTEIRO Honda Racing Team JAS Honda Civic WTCC 23 23 LAPS 1:23.853 1
2 5 Norbert MICHELISZ Honda Racing Team JAS Honda Civic WTCC 23 0.751 1:24.556 3
3 61 Néstor GIROLAMI Polestar Cyan Racing Volvo S60 Polestar 23 2.120 1:24.282 2
4 25 Mehdi BENNANI Sébastien Loeb Racing Citroën C-Elysée WTCC 23 2.847 1:24.296 4
5 63 Nicky CATSBURG Polestar Cyan Racing Volvo S60 Polestar 23 3.702 1:24.611 5
6 62 Thed BJÖRK Polestar Cyan Racing Volvo S60 Polestar 23 4.519 1:24.697 6
7 3 Tom CHILTON Sébastien Loeb Racing Citroën C-Elysée WTCC 23 5.073 1:24.637 7
8 9 Tom CORONEL ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 23 6.363 1:24.788 9
9 12 Rob HUFF ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Citroën C-Elysée WTCC 23 7.658 1:24.746 13
10 34 Ryo MICHIGAMI Honda Racing Team JAS Honda Civic WTCC 23 12.197 1:24.639 11
11 27 John FILIPPI Sébastien Loeb Racing Citroën C-Elysée WTCC 23 20.402 1:25.466 14
12 68 Yann EHRLACHER RC Motorsport LADA Vesta WTCC 23 22.035 1:25.376 15
13 86 Esteban GUERRIERI Campos Racing Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 23 22.308 1:23.624 8
14 99 Dániel NAGY Zengő Motorsport Kft Honda Civic WTCC 23 42.880 1:26.572 10
R 8 Aurélien PANIS Zengő Motorsport Kft Honda Civic WTCC 4 DNF 1:24.770 12
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