Yvan Muller has won the first ROSNEFT WTCC Race of Russia, round nine of the FIA World Touring Car Championship.
Starting from pole position, the four-time world champion drove impeccably to win for the third time in 2015 and the 44th time in his WTCC career.
Muller’s Citroën world champion team-mate José María López shadowed his every move but had to settle for second with Gabriele Tarquini third for Honda ahead of LADA driver Rob Huff. Tom Chilton took Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy honours in sixth behind Ma Qing Hua.
“It was a great race but a long race,” said Frenchman Muller. “I was asking my pit board when it was the end of race because inside it felt long. I might not look like I am sweating on the outside but I’m definitely sweating on the inside.”
Huff’s capture of fourth was LADA’s best finish of 2015 and it could have been even better for the Briton had he been able to find his way past the resolute Tarquini, who scored his first podium of the season.
Norbert Michelisz finished seventh with Tiago Monteiro eighth, Sébastien Loeb ninth and Jaap van Lagen 10th.
In an eventful race, Tom Coronel lost ground in a first-lap clash with fellow Dutchman Jaap van Lagen, which resulted in a high-speed trip through a gravel trap, while Mehdi Bennani was delayed following contact with Stefano D’Aste. Youngsters Grégoire Demoustier and John Filippi also came together but were able to continue to the finish.
The 16-lap second race is due to begin at 13h25 local time. Monteiro will start on pole for Honda for the reverse grid event alongside LADA driver Nicky Catsburg, who finished just outside the top 10 on his WTCC debut. Muller will start 10th.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yvan Muller | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | 16 laps |
| 2 | Jose Maria Lopez | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | +2.933 |
| 3 | Gabriele Tarquini | Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda | +4.392 |
| 4 | Robert Huff | LADA Sport Rosneft | Lada | +4.684 |
| 5 | Ma Qing Hua | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | +7.082 |
| 6 | Tom Chilton | ROAL Motorsport | Chevrolet | +8.724 |
| 7 | Norbert Michelisz | Zengo Motorsport | Honda | +10.394 |
| 8 | Tiago Monteiro | Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda | +12.809 |
| 9 | Sebastien Loeb | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | +13.463 |
| 10 | Jaap van Lagen | LADA Sport Rosneft | Lada | +14.044 |
| 11 | Nicky Catsburg | LADA Sport Rosneft | Lada | +18.239 |
| 12 | Hugo Valente | Campos Racing | Chevrolet | +20.870 |
| 13 | Rickard Rydell | Nika International | Honda | +24.517 |
| 14 | Mehdi Bennani | Sebastien Loeb Racing | Citroen | +33.791 |
| 15 | Stefano D’Aste | Munnich Motorsport | Chevrolet | +36.562 |
| 16 | Grégoire Demoustier | Craft-Bamboo Racing | Chevrolet | +41.523 |
| 17 | Tom Coronel | ROAL Motorsport | Chevrolet | +1 lap |
| 18 | John Filippi | Campos Racing | Chevrolet | DNF |