09-11-22 - Rydell 7th in the WTCC
Rickard Rydell finished the season with 10th and 11th place in Macau. The series’ only Swede claimed 7th overall. Gabriele Tarquinin was crowned drivers’ champion and SEAT won the manufacturers’ championship.
Rickard Rydell had high hopes of finishing the 2009 WTCC season on a high. The race weekend started fine with competetive times in the practice sessions but in qualifying Rydell was hit by a technical problem. In the races the SEAT driver finished 11th and 10th. Chevrolet driver Rob Huff scored his thrid straight victory in Macau in race 1 and Augusto Farfus won a shortened race 2.
”In the first start I had to back off for Yvan Muller and it was the same in the second start, albeit this time Gabriele Tarquini was just in front of me. I was overtaken by a few cars both times but we had said before that we wouldn’t challenge our teammates who were fighting for the championship”, said Rickard Rydell.
Italian Gabriele Tarquini secured his first WTCC title, having before won both the BTCC (Alfa Romeo, 1994) and the ETCC (Alfa Romeo, 2003). At the age of 47 he is also the oldest FIA World Champion ever. SEAT again won the manufacturers’ championship after a season long fight with BMW.
”It’s great for Gabriele to win this championship. He is not only a very skilled driver but also a very good friend. The team has done a great job this year and the second straight title is a nice reward for everyone involved.”
Rydell himself claimed 7th in the final standings. The result is a disappiontment as he started the season with four podiums.
”I have had the speed all season but too many races with zero points is not good enough. Some technical problems in qualifying and followed by a difficult first race have cost me quite a few points. But this is motor racing and the whole season counts.”
Results WTCC Macau
Race 1
1) Rob Huff, Great Britain, Chevrolet Cruze, 9 laps
2) Gabriele Tarquini, Italy, SEAT Leon TDI, + 7.952 seconds
3) Jordi Gené, Spain, SEAT Leon TDI, + 8.996
4) Alain Menu, Switzerland, Chevrolet Cruze, + 10.328
5) Yvan Muller, France, SEAT Leon TDI, + 13.534
6) Tiago Monteiro, Portugal, SEAT Leon TDI, + 15.517
7) Jörg Müller, Germany, BMW 320si, + 15.782
8) Augusto Farfus, Brazil, BMW 320si, + 15.967
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11) Rickard Rydell, Sweden, SEAT Leon TDI, + 16.618
Race 2
1) Augusto Farfus, Brazil, BMW 320si, 7 laps
2) Jörg Müller, Germany, BMW 320si, + 0.801 seconds
3) Yvan Muller, France, SEAT Leon TDI, + 1.201
4) Tiago Monteiro, Portugal, SEAT Leon TDI, + 1.980
5) Gabriele Tarquini, Italy, SEAT Leon TDI, + 3.815
6) Jordi Gené, Spain, SEAT Leon TDI, + 5.018
7) Nicola Larini, Italy, Chevrolet Cruze, + 5.359
8) Rob Huff, Great Britain, Chevrolet Cruze, + 5.895
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10) Rickard Rydell, Sweden, SEAT Leon TDI, + 6.712
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