05/08/2014 15:59
The FIA World Touring Car Championship headed to the Autodromo Termas de R�o Hondo in Argentina where Jos�-Mar�a L�pez took both wins in his Citroen.
L�pez lined up in pole position on the grid for race one. When the red lights went out, he made the perfect start and hit the first corner in the lead, closely followed by Honda's Norbert Michelisz.
Michelisz got a better start than the other Citroen drivers Yvan Muller and S�bastien Loeb in the opening tussle. As the laps went by, the gaps widened, although Muller was constantly under threat from Loeb.
After completing 13 laps at a pace worthy of a qualifying session, Argentinian L�pez delighted the 40,000 spectators by crossing the finish line as the winner. The two other Citroen C-Elys�e WTCCs finished third and fourth, behind Michelisz.
A few minutes later, the cars lined up for race two. With the top 10 from qualifying starting in reverse order on the grid, this second race promised to be livelier than the first.
There was turbulence in the pack from the off. The three Citroen drivers then enthralled the crowd with an exhibition of overtaking manoeuvres. The prize for assertiveness goes to Muller, who spent nearly three whole laps locked in a shoulder-to-shoulder battle with Tom Chilton.
Loeb impressed too, moving past Norbert Michelisz, but the crowd's favourite was, of course, L�pez who passed Rob Huff in his Lada to climb into the lead with five laps to go.
L�pez held that lead to the end and was given a triumphant reception by his fans for his twin victories. He was joined on the podium by Yvan Muller, who once again finished third. S�bastien Loeb finished race two in sixth place.
by: Danielle Bagnall