Nurburgring WTCR: Kristoffersson claims maiden win

Kristoffersson was challenged by the Audis of wildcard entrant Antti Buri and Comtoyou driver Frederic Vervisch on the grand prix loop but, having fended off those attacks, was able to break free to win for the first time since switching world championship disciplines.

Buri got a better start than the Sebastien Loeb Racing polesitter and had the inside line for the first corner, but Kristoffersson held on around the outside in his Volkswagen, which became the inside line for the switchback onto the main part of the GP loop.

Vervisch attempted to pass both Buri and Kristoffersson as they squabbled, although Kristoffersson was able to hang the Audi out to dry and scampered clear from there.

He ended the second lap 3.2 seconds clear of Vervisch and did not let up, eventually claiming the SLR VW squad's first win of 2019 by 5.108s.

Vervisch ended up in a similarly comfortable second but, as had been the case in Friday's opening race, the final podium position was only decided on the final lap.

Gabriele Tarquini (BRC Racing Hyundai) and Kristoffersson's teammate Rob Huff had been in a private battle for the place on the final lap, until they came together at the Carousel.

That put Huff, who had been on the outside line, in the barrier and out of the race with front-end and suspension damage.

Tarquini was able to continue and maintained third, but was caught by teammate Augusto Farfus and the KCMG Honda of Attila Tassi - with Farfus getting ahead on Dottinger Hohe to secure his first podium since returning to World Touring Cars.

Reigning champion Tarquini did cling on to fourth ahead of Tassi, who scored his best WTCR result to date, while Benjamin Leuchter was sixth in the third SLR VW.

Title protagonists Esteban Guerrieri and Norbert Michelisz were seventh and eighth - with Michelisz passing ninth-place finisher Aurelien Panis (Comtoyou Cupra) on the final lap.

Jean-Karl Vernay secured 10th in his WRT Audi, ahead of Tom Coronel, Nicky Catsburg and Thed Bjork - who was the only Cyan Racing Lynk & Co driver to score any points.

Bjork finished 14th on the road behind Buri, who is ineligible for points as a wildcard.

Race results:

Cla	Driver	Chassis	Gap
1	Johan Kristoffersson	Volkswagen
2	Frederic Vervisch	Audi	5.108
3	Augusto Farfus	Hyundai	10.891
4	Gabriele Tarquini	Hyundai	11.180
5	Attila Tassi	Honda	11.827
6	Benjamin Leuchter	Volkswagen	12.340
7	Esteban Guerrieri	Honda	17.591
8	Norbert Michelisz	Hyundai	22.715
9	Aurelien Panis	CUPRA	23.072
10	Jean-Karl Vernay	Audi	23.657
11	Tom Coronel	CUPRA	24.329
12	Nick Catsburg	Hyundai	24.902
13	Antti Buri	Audi	26.773
14	Thed Björk	Lynk & Co	27.121
15	Mikel Azcona	CUPRA	27.178
16	Tiago Monteiro	Honda	27.626
17	Yvan Muller	Lynk & Co	29.256
18	Mehdi Bennani	Volkswagen	29.647
19	Daniel Haglof	CUPRA	29.839
20	Andy Priaulx	Lynk & Co	30.559
21	Kevin Ceccon	Alfa Romeo	30.810
22	Niels Langeveld	Audi	31.157
23	Gordon Shedden	Audi	31.839
24	Ma Qing Hua	Alfa Romeo	32.385
25	Nestor Girolami	Honda	2'49.920
26	Rob Huff	Volkswagen	1 Lap
27	Yann Ehrlacher	Lynk & Co	2 Laps
View full results