Historic hat trick for Santiago Urrutia

Uruguayan driver Santiago Urrutia won all three races this weekend in Valencia, a first in the history of the TCR World Tour.

At the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Santiago Urrutia achieved a historic feat, becoming the first driver to win all three races in a single weekend since the creation of the TCR World Tour. This demonstration of strength allows the Geely Cyan Racing driver to take sole possession of the championship lead.

The meeting had started with Yann Ehrlacher securing pole position in his Geely. But luck quickly turned against the Frenchman. In Race 1, Mikel Azcona took the lead before a series of dramatic events completely reshuffled the deck. Ehrlacher was forced to retire due to a mechanical problem, while Azcona's hopes of victory were dashed by a puncture near the end of the race. Urrutia inherited first place and went on to win ahead of Thed Björk and an excellent Aurélien Comte, who secured his first podium finish of the season.

Uttutia solid as a rock

The second race was even more eventful. After a collision at the first corner, Jenson Brickley took the lead and looked set for a surprise victory. But with four laps to go, the Briton suffered a mechanical failure while controlling the race. Having already climbed from eighth to second, Urrutia reclaimed the lead to secure his second consecutive win. Comte confirmed his excellent weekend with a superb second place ahead of Norbert Michelisz. Meanwhile, Ehrlacher, relegated to 21st on the grid after an engine change, staged a strong comeback before being forced to retire once again.

Riding high after his first two victories, Urrutia started from pole position in Race 3 and this time left no chance for his rivals. Despite high temperatures that put the cars to the test, the Uruguayan perfectly managed his lead to finish ahead of Björk and Azcona.

With three wins in three races, Urrutia leaves Spain with 140 points and the championship lead. Having had a perfect weekend, the Uruguayan driver has made a significant move in the title race before the next round of the Paul Ricard CircuitJuly 4th and 5th.

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