Norbert Michelisz

Mehdi Bennani scored his second career win in the FIA World Touring Car Championship in a crazy wet Opening Race at the FIA WTCC Race of Hungary, in which Tom Chiltion came from 10th on the grid to make it a one-two for Sébastien Loeb Racing.

Bennani led from start to finish in the difficult conditions while others struggled on incorrect tyre choices. His factory Citroën counterparts Yvan Muller and José María López were among those to gamble on slicks, lapping 20 seconds off the pace before eventually pitting for wet tyres and finishing a lap down in 13th and 14th.

Fredrik Ekblom held second for the first part of the race before being passed by Nicky Catsburg, but the Dutchman would himself be overhauled by a charging Chilton on the penultimate lap.

Gabriele Tarquini pitted after the two formation laps to fit wet tyres and came through to finishing on the tail of Ekblom in fifth and ahead of his team-mate Hugo Valente. Grégoire Demoustier claimed his best ever result in seventh in the third Sébastien Loeb Racing Citroën, who equalled his top result in eighth despite serving a drive-through penalty for a false start.

Ferenc Ficza took his first points in ninth to give something for the Hungarian fans to cheer after their hero Norbert Michelisz suffered an engine failure prior to the start. Like Citroën, Honda was left rueing its tyre choices with Rob Huff being passed for the final point late on by René Münnich, despite the ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport man being handed a penalty for first-lap contact with Tom Coronel.

Source: FIA WTCC

Results of the Opening Race: