Marco Butti goes to the season finale tied at the top of the TCR Europe drivers' championship after two sensational drives at the weekend at the Red Bull Ring, including an epic battle with title rival Jimmy Clairet in Race 2.

Butti will go to Barcelona on the same points as rival Eric Gené, while another ten drivers can also win the championship, with some in very realistic contention, just a handful of points behind them.

The Italian finished where he started on the grid in Race 1, but excelled in Race 2, charging up on the first lap, before becoming involved in two great fights with Max Hart and Clairet, moving up to second place in the race.

“We started the race first with a good standing start, but after Turn 3 there was a big crash which included my team-mate, so I’m very sorry for Jacopo (Cimenes)," said Butti. "We had a red flag for many minutes and then we restarted behind the safety car. After that we had quite a boring one.

"It was very difficult because we are the fastest car on track in sectors two and three, but in sector one it’s really easy to see the difference we have in power.

“(The second race) was a really nice race for us. We started P7, but I managed to overtake two or three cars in Turn 1, and then later I managed to get to second with good pace. I was waiting for a mistake from Jimmy Clairet, but it never arrived at all, but at Turn 5 I tried something really special. I’m really happy because we’ve taken a lot of points, and I go to Barcelona at the top of the standings. I’m really happy for my team, my family support, and my sponsors.”