Ruben Volt took his second win of the season, and the fourth of his short TCR Europe series career in Race 1 at Spa-Francorchamps, passing pole-sitter Felipe Fernández’s rival Honda Civic at Les Combes, while second place for Franco Girolami puts the Monlau Motorsport CUPRA driver back in the lead of the championship.

Fernández had a slow start in his Civic, but managed to get a good exit at La Source to go side-by-side with Volt’s Civic up through Raidillon, with Fernández just slotting ahead. Fernández however was compromised at the exit and lost speed on the Kemmel straight, and Volt was able to overtake him into Les Combes.

Behind a mirror image took place between championship protagonists Girolami and Aurélien Comte, with Girolami making the move up to third at Les Combes.

On the second lap, the MA:GP Lynk & Co of Viktor Andersson was fighting off Rubén Fernández’s Honda for ninth position, when they made contact at the exit of Eau Rouge with Fernández spinning off into the barriers and retired from the race. The race was held behind the safety car for one lap as Fernández’s car was recovered.

At the restart, Volt got away well, while Fernández was passed by Girolami at the La Source hairpin and fell to third.

TCR Europe debutant Eric Gené was making good progress in his repaired CUPRA after his qualifying smash, and following in the wake of Nicola Baldan’s Audi which had started from last. Gené’s race came undone when he made a mistake at Les Combes on the penultimate lap and dropped out of tenth and fell to the back of the pack.

Volt went on to win the race by 1.5 seconds over Girolami, with Fernández completing the podium, and picking up the Diamond Trophy victory.

Aurélien Comte scored key points with fourth, fighting hard throughout the race to hold back the ALM Honda of Ignacio Montenegro, who won in the Rookie class. Although Comte loses the lead of the championship, he’s within six points of Girolami heading into tomorrow’s second race.

Race 2 starts at 12:55 CEST, with the SP Compétition CUPRA of Giovanni Scamardi set to start from pole position.