WTCC: Coronel resists Lopez for Morocco win

Tom Coronel took a sensational win in the opening World Touring Car Championship race in Morocco after resisting world champion Jose Maria Lopez.

Coronel inherited the lead when Hugo Valente was handed a drive-through penalty for wiping out polesitter James Thompson on the opening lap, and survived a couple of late scares to hold on for his first victory in the WTCC in three years.

Thompson converted pole into a Turn 1 lead as the race started, with Valente holding second in his Lada and Coronel jumping into third in front of the Polestar Volvo of Thed Bjork. But disaster struck two corners later as Valente nerfed Thompson through the looping Turn 3, sending the Munnich Motorsport stand-in out of contention and handing Valente a clear circuit.

A swift investigation of the incident quickly saw the Frenchman handed a drive-through, and Valente waited the full three laps allowed before serving his penalty before finally releasing Coronel into the lead.

Lopez jumped Citroen teammate Yvan Muller at the start and made Coronel's route to victory far from simple.

By lap 10 Lopez was on the rear of the Chevrolet Cruze, but he backed off after failing to spot any gaps, then resumed his attack in the final third of the race as he pulled away from third-placed Muller.

A lock-up into Turn 10 on the penultimate lap from Coronel gave Lopez his best shot, but the Argentinian misjudged his braking point and gently touched Coronel into the tight Turn 11 left-hander.

Coronel retained the lead and with Lopez seemingly reluctant to attempt any more overtakes, Coronel was just able to hold on for his fifth WTCC win, finishing 0.319s clear. Muller held on to third despite pressure from Honda's Tiago Monteiro.

Norbert Michelisz and Rob Huff trailed their Honda teammate over the line in fifth and sixth, while Gabriele Tarquini – the only Lada intact after Nicky Catsburg collected Bjork on the opening lap – finished seventh.

Tom Chilton was eighth ahead of Sebastien Loeb Racing teammate and home hero Mehdi Bennani, while Fredrik Ekblom completed the points.

RESULTS - 21 LAPS:

Originally on Autosport.com