Ma Qing Hua scored victory for Geely Cyan Racing on the debut race meeting for the new Preface in the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour at Misano.
Ma was joined on the podium by Mikel Azcona, who charged from ninth on the grid to second for BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, and his own teammate Thed Björk.
With the pole position and two second places over the weekend, Azcona has taken an early leadership in the standings, 17 points clear of the reigning champion Yann Ehlracher, with Björk third, four further points adrift.
Jenson Brickley and Gabriele Covini filled the front row, and while Brickley made a good start, Covini went backwards, with Ma straight up to second ahead of Ruben Volt. Ma then attacked Brickley for the lead at the end of the second lap, but the Briton came back at him, diving down the inside at T16 to retake the lead. Ma ran wide, which allowed Volt to take second; Ma then overtook Volt again and began to close in on Brickley. Volt’s race would then unravel as he was soon passed by Azcona and began to drop down, finishing ninth overall but the winner of the ETS Guest Star Trophy.
Ma made another move on Brickley on lap 6, diving down the inside at T14 to take the lead, which he would keep to the end. Azcona passed Brickley around the inside into T1, with the British driver attacked by Björk at T14, and Aurélien Comte also coming through.
The top three would hold station until the end of the race, with Comte falling back from Björk and finishing in fourth place ahead of Ehrlacher and Santiago Urrutia; behind them Esteban Guerrieri encored yesterday’s result with seventh and was followed by Brickley, Volt and Ramiro Zago.
Race 1 winner Norbert Michelisz had a difficult race, caught in battles in the midfield after starting from tenth and would retire with a puncture on lap 3.
The series will resume at Valencia on June 12/14 for rounds 3, 4 and 5, sharing the grid with the TCR Spain championship.
Race 2
- Ma Qing Hua (Geely Cyan Racing, Geely Preface), 15 laps
- Mikel Azcona (BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse, Hyundai Elantra N EV), 0.973
- Thed Björk (Geely Cyan Racing, Geely Preface), 1.628
ETS Guest Star Trophy:
Ruben Volt (ALM Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R FL5)
Championship points
- M. Azcona, 65 pts.; 2. Y. Ehrlacher, 48; 3. T. Björk, 44
Picture: WSC/Fastclick
