Rob Huff was ‘slightly disappointed’ not to be able to convert his pole position into victory in the final FIA World Touring Car Cup race in Macau, as the Volkswagen driver lost the lead to Andy Priaulx at the very start.
After securing a record ninth pole position in qualifying for the race on Friday, Huff had been hoping to secure a record tenth win on the Circuito da Guia in Sunday’s final race.
However the Volkswagen driver made a worse start than the Lynk & Co of Priaulx, who had started alongside on the front row, leaving Huff in second heading into the first corner.
With the Golf GTi not being as aerodynamic as the Lynk & Co 03, Huff then found it difficult to be in a position to re-take the lead for the rest of the race, as Priaulx always held enough of an advantage heading into the main overtaking zone at Turn 3.
“I just fluffed the start,” said Huff. “We knew we had a quick car. We know around here the start is all important. Even if I’d got the start, I wasn’t confident necessarily we’d be able to keep it from these guys.
“I needed the slipstream of Andy just to be able to keep ahead of JK [Vernay] and then do good laps in sectors three and four to get the gap to JK as well.
“I’m slightly disappointed, but it’s not the first time I’ve been a bridesmaid at Macau and I’m sure it won’t be the last either.”
Huff praised compatriot Priaulx for his determined drive, which resulted in a first WTCR win for the Cyan Racing driver.
“I tried everything [to pass Priaulx]. Andy never put a foot wrong, he drove superbly. Obviously huge congratulations to Andy to win that race. It’s difficult out there, you know.
“Macau is a place you really can’t describe, the feeling of what it’s like to drive to people who have never been around it, especially in a race car.
“To just survive this race is something, so to get on the podium or to win is very special so congratulations to Andy.
“I put him under all the pressure I could. But all three of us have been quick all weekend and the opportunities to overtake are far and few between and Andy didn’t make any [mistakes], so I just had to sit behind and hope we could stay there.”