Victory for Honda driver Tiago Monteiro in the second JVC KENWOOD WTCC Race of Japan rounded out a thrilling weekend of racing at Twin Ring Motegi.
Monteiro snatched the lead from pole-sitter Hugo Valente on the charge to turn one to take a comfortable second win of 2015.
“I am so pleased, I have so many people to hank at the home race for Honda,” said Monteiro, who celebrated WTCC start number 200 in race one. “I had an early setback but the car was so competitive. I am so happy.”
Valente resisted early pressure from Yvan Muller to take second as Muller was forced to pit when the bonnet of his Citroën partially opened.
His misfortune handed third place to LADA’s Rob Huff, who determinedly fended off Sébastien Loeb – and then Gabriele Tarquini for a time – in a dramatic battle for third.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiago Monteiro | Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda | 13 laps |
| 2 | Hugo Valente | Campos Racing | Chevrolet | +9.222 |
| 3 | Robert Huff | LADA Sport Rosneft | Lada | +10.938 |
| 4 | Sebastien Loeb | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | +11.703 |
| 5 | Gabriele Tarquini | Honda Racing Team JAS | Honda | +11.792 |
| 6 | Ma Qing Hua | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | +11.894 |
| 7 | Tom Chilton | ROAL Motorsport | Chevrolet | +17.474 |
| 8 | Tom Coronel | ROAL Motorsport | Chevrolet | +21.284 |
| 9 | Nicolas Lapierre | LADA Sport Rosneft | Lada | +28.053 |
| 10 | Stefano D’Aste | Munnich Motorsport | Chevrolet | +32.744 |
| 11 | Mehdi Bennani | Sebastien Loeb Racing | Citroen | +35.253 |
| 12 | John Filippi | Campos Racing | Chevrolet | +41.364 |
| 13 | Grégoire Demoustier | Craft-Bamboo Racing | Chevrolet | +42.109 |
| 14 | Norbert Michelisz | Zengo Motorsport | Honda | DNF |
| 15 | Yvan Muller | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | DNF |
| 16 | Nicky Catsburg | LADA Sport Rosneft | Lada | DNF |
| 17 | Jose Maria Lopez | Citroen Total WTCC | Citroen | DNF |