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WTCR podium a plus for Vernay

Jean-Karl Vernay continued his impressive WTCR - FIA World Touring Car Cup presented by OSCARO campaign with a third podium visit at WTCR Race of Slovakia on Saturday.

Despite DNFs in Race 2 and Race 3 blighting his weekend, the Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team driver heads into the summer break firmly in the title fight, just 36 points behind leader Gabriele Tarquini.

"I'm really happy about [Race 1], the car was really consistent, the team worked very hard to make some changes for a consistent car with all the weight we have and it worked. We just used the positive points of the car. I knew I was not making any mistakes in sector 2 and it would have been difficult for Gabriele to overtake me. That was the key: no mistakes."

While his Slovakia weekend started on a high, a troubled Second Qualifying was the catalyst to non-finishes in the second and third races, as he explained.

"We were pretty optimistic [after Race 1] but then we had some braking issues in Second Qualifying and we couldn't get into the top 10. Without this issue I think the top five was possible, so that was frustrating. We retired from Race 2 with a braking issue. We had a much better start in Race 3 and I was up to P6 or P7 and I got hit behind very hard which broke the rear suspension, ending the race. It's a big, big disappointment.

"We scored some big points and then nothing. A mixed weekend where we could have done much better. But it is what it is and some of our rivals had some troubles so we didn't lose that much. I'm really happy and really proud of all my guys, the sponsors and Audi of course. We are doing the best work of the others and this is something we can be really proud of."

Zdroj: fiawtcr.com