2018 FIA WTCR Race of Morocco explained

Race details
Round 1 of 10 in the 2018 World Touring Car Cup
Date	7–8 April 2018
Official name	FIA WTCR Afriquia Race of Morocco
Location	Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, Marrakech, Morocco
Distance	Race One 20 laps / 59.42km (36.92miles)
Distance	Race Two 20 laps / 59.42km (36.92miles)
Distance	Race Three 23 laps / 68.333km (42.46miles)
Race 1
Pole
Driver	Thed Björk	M Racing-YMR
Time 1:24.698
Fastest lap
Driver	Gabriele Tarquini	BRC Racing Team
Time	1:26.450
Podium
First		BRC Racing Team
Second		M Racing-YMR
Third	Robert Huff	Sébastien Loeb Racing
Race 2
Fastest lap
Driver	Jean-Karl Vernay	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT
Time	1:26.368
Podium
First		Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT
Second		Sébastien Loeb Racing
Third		Team Oscaro by Campos Racing
Race 3
Pole
Driver	Gabriele Tarquini	BRC Racing Team
Time 1:24.316
Fastest lap
Driver	Gabriele Tarquini	BRC Racing Team
Time	1:26.150
Podium
First		BRC Racing Team
Second		M Racing-YMR
Third		M Racing-YMR

The 2018 FIA WTCR Afriquia Race of Morocco was the opening round of the 2018 World Touring Car Cup and the first running of the FIA WTCR Race of Morocco. It was held on 7 and 8 April 2018 at the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan in Marrakech, Morocco. The first and third races were won by Gabriele Tarquini and the second won by Jean-Karl Vernay.

Entry list

A total of 25 cars were entered. The following teams and drivers were entered into the event:

Team	Car		Drivers
BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	5	Norbert Michelisz
DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	7	Aurélien Comte
Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	8	Norbert Nagy
Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	9	Tom Coronel
Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	10	Gianni Morbidelli
M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	11	Thed Björk
Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	12	Robert Huff
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	15	James Thompson
Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	Denis Dupont
Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	21	Aurélien Panis
Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	22	Frédéric Vervisch
Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	23	Nathanaël Berthon
Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	25	Mehdi Bennani
Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	27	John Filippi
BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	30	Gabriele Tarquini
M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	48	Yvan Muller
Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	52	Gordon Shedden
Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	63	Benjamin Lessennes
Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	66	Zsolt Szabó
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	68	Yann Ehrlacher
Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	69	Jean-Karl Vernay
DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	70	Mat'o Homola
Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	74	Pepe Oriola
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	86	Esteban Guerrieri
Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	88	Fabrizio Giovanardi
Source:^[1]

Results

Qualifying 1

		Name	Team	Car	Time
1	11	Thed Björk	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	1:24.698
2	30	Gabriele Tarquini	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	1:25.059
3	69	Jean-Karl Vernay	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:25.256
4	12	Robert Huff	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	1:25.294
5	27	John Filippi	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	1:25.405
6	86	Esteban Guerrieri	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:25.530
7	52	Gordon Shedden	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:25.577
8	25	Mehdi Bennani	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	1:25.658
9	48	Yvan Muller	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	1:25.679
10	15	James Thompson	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:25.729
11	7	Aurélien Comte	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	1:25.868
12	15	Yann Ehrlacher	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:25.917
13	22	Frédéric Vervisch	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:25.946
14	74	Pepe Oriola	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	1:25.947
15	23	Nathanaël Berthon	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:26.032
16	9	Tom Coronel	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:26.105
17	21	Aurélien Panis	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:26.256
18	70	Mat'o Homola	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	1:26.371
19	20	Denis Dupont	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:26.379
20	88	Fabrizio Giovanardi	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	1:26.384
21	66	Zsolt Szabó	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	1:26.473
22	8	Norbert Nagy	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	1:26.708
23	63	Benjamin Lessennes	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:27.065
24	10	Gianni Morbidelli	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	1:27.388
25	5	Norbert Michelisz	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	1:24.834
Source:^[2]

• Norbert Michelisz was given a grid penalty for an engine change after qualifying and moved to the back of the grid after qualifying second fastest.^[3]

Race 1

		Name	Team	Car	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	30	Gabriele Tarquini	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	20	48:58.707	2	27
2	11	Thed Björk	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	20	+0.499	1	20
3	12	Robert Huff	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	20	+2.823	4	17
4	69	Jean-Karl Vernay	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	+4.593	3	14
5	52	Gordon Shedden	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	+5.702	7	12
6	86	Esteban Guerrieri	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	20	+10.136	6	10
7	68	Yann Ehrlacher	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	20	+10.784	12	8
8	7	Aurélien Comte	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	20	+11.577	11	6
9	25	Mehdi Bennani	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	20	+15.025	8	4
10	27	John Filippi	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	20	+15.026	5	2
11	48	Yvan Muller	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	20	+16.556	9
12	23	Nathanaël Berthon	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	+17.046	15
13	20	Denis Dupont	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	+18.039	19
14	15	James Thompson	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	20	+18.537	10
15	63	Benjamin Lessennes	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	20	+22.213	23
16	8	Norbert Nagy	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	20	+25.096	22
17	66	Zsolt Szabó	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	20	+53.666	21
18	74	Pepe Oriola	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	19	+1 Lap	14
19	88	Fabrizio Giovanardi	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	19	+1 Lap	20
20	10	Gianni Morbidelli	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	17	+3 Laps	24
21	9	Tom Coronel	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	15	+5 Laps	16
Ret	70	Mat'o Homola	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	11	Damage	18
Ret	5	Norbert Michelisz	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	3	Wheel	25
Ret	21	Aurélien Panis	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1	Crash	17
Ret	22	Frédéric Vervisch	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	0	Crash	13
Source:^[4]

• Mehdi Bennani originally finished fifth but was given a 10-second time penalty for contact with Esteban Guerrieri.

Qualifying 2

		Name	Team	Car	Q1	Q2	Q3	Points
1	30	Gabriele Tarquini	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	1:24.816	1:24.442	1:24.316	5
2	48	Yvan Muller	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	1:24.734	1:24.658	1:24.396	4
3	5	Norbert Michelisz	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	1:24.863	1:24.519	1:24.540	3
4	11	Thed Björk	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	1:24.796	1:24.392	1:24.653	2
5	68	Yann Ehrlacher	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:24.796	1:24.392	1:24.653	1
6	12	Robert Huff	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	1:24.877	1:24.743	–
7	25	Mehdi Bennani	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	1:25.082	1:24.789	–
8	15	James Thompson	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:25.302	1:24.807	–
9	69	Jean-Karl Vernay	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:25.080	1:24.910	–
10	74	Pepe Oriola	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	1:25.320	1:25.067	–
11	52	Gordon Shedden	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:25.339	1:25.151	–
12	22	Frédéric Vervisch	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:25.301	1:25.201	–
13	86	Esteban Guerrieri	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:25.361	–	–
14	9	Tom Coronel	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:25.407	–	–
15	27	John Filippi	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	1:25.420	–	–
16	70	Mat'o Homola	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	1:25.423	–	–
17	63	Benjamin Lessennes	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	1:25.459	–	–
18	7	Aurélien Comte	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	1:25.531	–	–
19	66	Zsolt Szabó	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	1:25.762	–	–
20	23	Nathanaël Berthon	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:25.828	–	–
21	20	Denis Dupont	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:25.906	–	–
22	8	Norbert Nagy	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	1:26.002	–	–
23	88	Fabrizio Giovanardi	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	1:26.064	–	–
24	21	Aurélien Panis	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	1:26.409	–	–
25	10	Gianni Morbidelli	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	1:26.708	–	–
Source:^[5]

Race 2

		Name	Team	Car	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	69	Jean-Karl Vernay	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	31:41.418	2	25
2	25	Mehdi Bennani	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	20	+0.890	4	18
3	74	Pepe Oriola	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	20	+3.270	1	15
4	68	Yann Ehrlacher	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	20	+3.631	6	12
5	11	Thed Björk	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	20	+6.570	7	10
6	15	James Thompson	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	20	+7.916	3	8
7	5	Norbert Michelisz	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	20	+11.929	8	6
8	86	Esteban Guerrieri	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	20	+13.630	13	4
9	48	Yvan Muller	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	20	+14.555	9	2
10	9	Tom Coronel	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	20	+14.959	14	1'
11	52	Gordon Shedden	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	+15.386	11
12	70	Mat'o Homola	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	20	+19.480	18
13	88	Fabrizio Giovanardi	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	20	+20.091	23
14	21	Aurélien Panis	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	+21.327	24
15	23	Nathanaël Berthon	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	20	+22.411	20
16	8	Norbert Nagy	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	20	+24.790	22
17	27	John Filippi	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	20	+48.169	15
18	12	Robert Huff	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	17	+3 Laps	5
19	30	Gabriele Tarquini	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	16	+4 Laps	10
Ret	7	Aurélien Comte	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	11	Retired	18
Ret	63	Benjamin Lessennes	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	10	Crash	17
Ret	22	Frédéric Vervisch	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	9	Retired	12
Ret	10	Gianni Morbidelli	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	9	Contact	25
Ret	66	Zsolt Szabó	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	7	Crash	19
DNS	20	Denis Dupont	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	–	Qualifying crash	–
Source:^[6]

• John Filippi originally finished twelfth but was given a 30-second time penalty for contact with Benjamin Lessennes.

Race 3

		Name	Team	Car	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	30	Gabriele Tarquini	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	23	35:32.310	1	30
2	48	Yvan Muller	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	23	+2.524	2	23
3	11	Thed Björk	M Racing-YMR	Hyundai i30 N TCR	23	+2.922	4	19
4	68	Yann Ehrlacher	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	23	+4.645	6	16
5	5	Norbert Michelisz	BRC Racing Team	Hyundai i30 N TCR	23	+5.937	3	13
6	25	Mehdi Bennani	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	23	+6.631	7	10
7	12	Robert Huff	Sébastien Loeb Racing	Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR	23	+8.121	6	8
8	15	James Thompson	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	23	+9.932	8	4
9	69	Jean-Karl Vernay	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	23	+10.743	9	2
10	74	Pepe Oriola	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	23	+13.740	10	1
11	27	John Filippi	Team Oscaro by Campos Racing	CUPRA León TCR	23	+14.599	15
12	9	Tom Coronel	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	23	+14.838	14
13	70	Mat'o Homola	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	23	+16.011	16
14	86	Esteban Guerrieri	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	23	+16.475	13
15	8	Norbert Nagy	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	23	+18.464	22
16	21	Aurélien Panis	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	23	+19.526	24
17	63	Benjamin Lessennes	Boutsen Ginion Racing	Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8)	23	+20.205	17
18	52	Gordon Shedden	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	19	+4 Laps	11
19	88	Fabrizio Giovanardi	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	17	+6 Laps	23
Ret	23	Nathanaël Berthon	Comtoyou Racing	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	15	Damage	20
Ret	10	Gianni Morbidelli	Team Mulsanne	Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR	13	Retired	25
Ret	66	Zsolt Szabó	Zengő Motorsport	CUPRA León TCR	8	Retired	19
Ret	22	Frédéric Vervisch	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	6	Retired	12
DNS	7	Aurélien Comte	DG Sport Compétition	Peugeot 308 GTi TCR	–	Did not start	–
DNS	20	Denis Dupont	Audi Sport Team Comtoyou	Audi RS 3 LMS TCR	–	Qualifying crash	–
Source:^[7]

Standings after the round

Drivers' Championship standings

	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	Gabriele Tarquini	62
	2	Thed Björk	51
	3	Jean-Karl Vernay	41
	4	Yann Ehrlacher	37
	5	Mehdi Bennani	32

Teams' Championship standings

	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	BRC Racing Team	86
	2	M Racing-YMR	82
	3	Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT	56
	4	Sébastien Loeb Racing	56
	5	ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport	53

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2018 FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CUP ENTRY LIST – V3. fiawtcr.com. FIA WTCR.
2. News: Thed Björk leads a Hyundai 1-2-3 in qualifying for the first WTCR race in Morocco. 7 April 2018. TouringCarTimes. 15 April 2020. en-US.
3. News: Norbert Michelisz sent to the back of the grid for Morocco Race 1. 7 April 2018. TouringCarTimes. 15 April 2020. en-US.
4. News: Gabriele Tarquini wins incident-packed first race in Morocco. 7 April 2018. TouringCarTimes. 15 April 2020. en-US.
5. News: Gabriele Tarquini beats Yvan Muller to Sunday pole in Morocco. 8 April 2018. TouringCarTimes. 15 April 2020. en-US.
6. News: Jean-Karl Vernay wins action-heavy second race in Morocco. 8 April 2018. TouringCarTimes. 16 April 2020. en-US.
7. News: Gabriele Tarquini doubles-up and retakes the points lead in Morocco Race 3. 8 April 2018. TouringCarTimes. 16 April 2020. en-US.