Shanghai WTCC: Bjork gives Volvo maiden win after last-lap move

The Volvo driver passed Honda’s Norbert Michelisz on the final lap to take maiden win, but crossed the line with a broken suspension after contact with the Hungarian, which could mean, the Swede may miss Race 2.

Michelisz took over the lead at the start from second on the grid, as polesitter John Filippi dropped back in his Campos Chevrolet Cruze.

Tom Chilton was up to second in the privateer Citroen with the fast-starting Lada of Gabriele Tarquini up to third. Bjork made a good start and was up to fifth, and was able to take fourth from Filippi at the end of the first lap.

Citroen's Yvan Muller followed the Swede past the Chevrolet driver one lap later and was up to fifth, with Nicky Catsburg also making his way past in his Lada Vesta, with Filippi now down to seventh.

Filippi’s race ended on lap three, when champion elect Jose Maria Lopez in the Citroen and Fredrik Ekblom in the Volvo both sandwiched the Chevrolet at Turn 3.

Hugo Valente also made a move down the inside of all three, and four-wide into the corner didn't work, with Lopez and Filippi making contact at the exit, with Filippi’s car terminally damaged with broken front-left suspension.

The race was suspended behind the safety car for two laps while the Campos Chevrolet was recovered, and restarted on lap six.

The next race-changing incident occurred on lap nine as second-placed Chilton ran deep into Turn 3 and was hit by Tarquini’s Lada, with both cars forced to retire with damage, promoting Bjork to second and Muller to third.

Bjork then reeled in Michelisz for the lead and made his move with three laps to go at the end of the back straight, but Michelisz forced the Swede wide at the exit and received a driving standards warning.

The Swede had one last go on the final lap, taking his ballast-free Volvo S60 past Michelisz on the back straight.

The two would make contact again at the end of the straight at Turn 14, but Bjork was able to wrestle his Volvo around the final turns and cross the finish line to score their first victory in the championship, with Michelisz second and Muller third.

Lopez also passed Catsburg for fourth on the final lap, with the Lada driver grinding to a halt after the chequered flag due to overheating from damage after earlier contact with Lopez.

The stewards are investigating a number of incidents, including Michelisz’s contact with Bjork on the final lap, Tarquini’s incident with Chilton, and two incidents involving champion Lopez, after contact with both Catsburg and Filippi earlier in the race.

“It was absolutely amazing to drive the car today,” said Bjork. “(Michelisz) didn’t make life easy, but it was a really nice fight. My only focus was to chase him and do the best I can, and went I got close I thought about overtaking.”

The opening race follows with Lopez set to start from pole, though the Argentinian was complaining about a vibration all race after the lap three incident, with question marks over whether Catsburg will be able to make his front row grid spot.

Opening race results:

Pos	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/Gap
1	Thed Björk	Volvo	16	-
2	Norbert Michelisz	Honda	16	0.361
3	Yvan Muller	Citroën	16	0.528
4	Jose Maria Lopez	Citroën	16	2.215
5	Nicky Catsburg	LADA	16	2.315
6	Hugo Valente	LADA	16	6.290
7	Tom Coronel	Chevrolet	16	6.911
8	Fredrik Ekblom	Volvo	16	12.151
9	Rob Huff	Honda	16	13.494
10	Tiago Monteiro	Honda	16	16.586
11	Mehdi Bennani	Citroën	16	17.078
12	James Thompson	Chevrolet	16	18.405
13	Grégoire Demoustier	Citroën	16	26.284
14	Ferenc Ficza	Honda	16	26.583
15	Daniel Nagy	Honda	16	32.857
16	Gabriele Tarquini	LADA	11	5 laps
17	Tom Chilton	Citroën	9	7 laps
18	John Filippi	Chevrolet	2	14 laps