The SEAT Sport team was not able to get the results at the height of their aspirations in Pau. The performances of the five Repsol drivers were badly affected by a decision taken last Tuesday by the FIA concerning the elimination of the tolerance margin for the pressure of the turbos on the TDI engines, a rule that was established at the beginning of the season.
In this short time the team was not able to adapt its cars to the new norms and at the same time to comply with them and was therefore forced to drastically cut the performance of the engines mounted on the team´s cars, this meant that the drivers with the Spanish team were in no way able to be competitive regarding their rivals.
The Repsol riders were classified at the back of the grid after yesterday´qualifying and did not have any chance in either of the two races as overtaking is very difficult on the narrow French track. The best in the first race was Yvan Muller – 12th – with Tarquini, Rydell and Monteiro in the three following positions. Gené finished 17th. In the second race Gabriele Tarquini was 6th, followed by Yvan Muller 7th, and with Monteiro 11th and Gené 12th. Rydell was not able to finish the race.
The winners were Robert Huff and Alain Menu, respectively. In the overall World Championship driver classification, Yvan Muller stays at the top.
Jaime Puig, Director of SEAT Sport has commented that “given the change in how the norms are applied, we have not been able to do any more.”
The next round of the championship takes place at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo de Cheste, in Valencia on 30th – 31st May.
