The Circuit Ricardo Tormo has opened the TCR World Tour and Volrace race weekend with a victory for Uruguayan Santiago Urrutia (Geely) in the international touring car championship, after Spain’s Mikel Azcona (Hyundai) led most of the race.
The first race of the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour weekend concluded with a victory for Santiago Urrutia, who managed to win a highly contested race and now leads the championship’s overall standings. The Uruguayan celebrated his victory on the podium, accompanied by Sweden’s Thed Björk (Geely), who finished second, and France’s Aurélien Comte (Cupra), who completed the top three.
Mikel Azcona was the protagonist at the start of the race. A spectacular start put him in first position after starting fourth, and with France’s Yann Ehrlacher (Geely) in his wake, the first half of the race unfolded. The driver from Navarre managed to maintain his position, while the Frenchman retired due to mechanical problems. Just when it seemed Azcona could secure his third consecutive podium and maintain his lead, he suffered a puncture that forced him to pit. The Hyundai driver finished nineteenth.
After the race, the new leader Urrutia expressed his satisfaction with the result and highlighted his team’s work: “I am very happy, but especially for my team,” he said, “it had been too long since I had a victory, and I am very excited,” he emphasized after more than two years without winning.
Borja García wins again
In the Porsche Sprint Challenge Ibérica, Valencia’s Borja García claimed victory in the first race over 17 laps of the outer track and also set the fastest lap of the event. The Valencian driver led a very solid race ahead of Patrick Cunha, who finished in second position, while Portugal’s Francisca Queiroz completed the podium.
The second race of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Ibérica was dominated by Madrid’s Álvaro Bajo, who secured the victory. Britain’s Chloe Grant crossed the finish line in second place, while Alejandro Barambio completed the podium in third. Barambio, teammate of winner Borja García, once again placed his team among the best in the event.
The first heat of the Clio Cup was decided with a victory for France’s David Pouget, who won after an intense race ahead of Daniel Losada and Tosic Nikola, second and third respectively. Valencia’s Lydia Sempere completed the race in fourteenth position, fighting for points.
Activity will continue on Sunday morning with the first Clio Cup race, scheduled for 10:30 AM. Following this, the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour will hold its second race of the weekend starting at 11:55 AM. The day will conclude with the last two Porsche Sprint Challenge Ibérica races, scheduled for 2:15 PM and 3:15 PM, and will close with the third heat of the World Tour.
Beyond the competition, fans will continue to enjoy Volrace’s wide range of activities in the paddock throughout the day, including drift exhibitions, vehicle displays, food trucks, and performances for all ages.
