Teddy and Jimmy Clairet top TCR Europe’s standings after Spa
Brothers Teddy and Jimmy Clairet are sitting in the first two places of TCR Europe’s standings after the series’ second event at Spa-Francorchamps. Teddy claimed an authoritative win in Race 2, stepping again on the highest podium of the European series four years after his latest win, with Jimmy completing an impressive 1-2 for the French team’s Audi cars ahead of Viktor Andersson’s Lynk & Co.
The first race had been dominated by Marco Butti and his MM Motorsport Honda Civic in a great comeback after a catastrophic incident at Raidillon in Thursday’s test session that had forced the team to rebuild the car overnight. The Italian driver was set to finish on the podium again in Race 2, as he was defending the second place from Jimmy Clairet, but crashed at Blanchimont one lap before the end.
Teddy and Jimmy Clairet are split by only four points on top of the standings, with Eric Gené in third position, 27 points off the leader.
Race 1 – Felipe Fernández started from pole and led the way into La Source, but his teammate Santiago Concepción had a better run from P2 and took the lead on the way down to Eau Rouge; behind them Butti sprinted from P5 on the grid to third passing Ruben Volt and Junesung Park. The Italian then overtook both Fernández and Concepción, moving into the lead and beginning to run away.
Third-placed Park fell to fifth after contact with Volt and Fernández; the Korean driver was under attack from Jimmy Clairet, who made a trip to the gravel after hitting the rear of Park’s car. In lap 4, Volt stopped causing the first safety car deployment. When the race resumed, Park retook third place from Fernández with Gené following him through into fourth.
The safety car was called again when Jenson Brickley stopped on the way up to the Raidillon with a flat front tyre and the race resumed with a one-lap dash. Butti held onto the victory, while Concepcíon lost second place to Park at the final corner.
Race 2 – Andersson sat on pole, but Teddy Clairet got a great launch and took the lead before Eau Rouge, while Jimmy Clairet was up to third and Butti overtook Junesung Park for fourth. Butti then overtook Jimmy Clairet for third and at the end of lap 4 he passed Andersson for second after running wide at Blanchimont. The Italian was ordered to give the place back, which he did before re-passing Andersson at La Source, but this had allowed Teddy Clairet to build an even larger lead. In lap 6, Jimmy Clairet moved up to third ahead of Andersson and closed in on Butti who had lost pace and eventually crashed out at Blanchimont at the end of the penultimate lap.
Teddy Clairet claimed victory ahead of Jimmy, with Andersson securing third followed by Junesung and Junui Park.
The next stop will be in Hockenheim on 6/7 June.
Race 1
- Marco Butti (MM Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 10 laps
- Junesung Park (Solite Indigo Racing, Hyundai Elantra N), 1.643
- Santiago Concepción (RC2 Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R FL5), 1.790
Race 2
- Teddy Clairet (Team Clairet Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS), 12 laps
- Jimmy Clairet (Team Clairet Sport, Audi RS 3 LMS), 9.076
- Viktor Andersson (MA:GP, Lynk & Co 03), 14.223
Championship points
- T. Clairet, 91 pts; 2. J. Clairet, 87; 3. E. Gené, 64
Picture: TCR Europe
