Jean-Karl Vernay’s home victory at WTCR Race of France not only made him a two-time winner in this season’s WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup, but it also reignited his title challenge with two events and four races remaining in 2021.

With the WTCR visiting France − and the challenging 3.030-kilometre Circuit Pau-Arnos − for the first time − Vernay beat fellow Frenchman Yvan Muller away from the line in Race 2 to score his first win since WTCR Race of Germany in June aboard his Goodyear-equipped Engstler Hyundai N Liqui Moly Racing Team Elantra.

Muller settled for second with Cyan team-mate Santiago Urrutia completing the podium to help mark Chinese manufacturer Lynk & Co’s fifth anniversary.

Vernay followed Frédéric Vervisch by becoming a two-time winner in WTCR 2021 after Vervisch scored an impressive victory in Race 1 aboard his Comtoyou Team Audi Sport RS 3 LMS. The Belgian made the most of his pole position on the partially-reversed grid to head Thed Björk (Cyan Racing Lynk & Co) with Gabriele Tarquini third for BRC Hyundai N LUKOIL Squadra Corse.

By finishing fourth in Race 1 ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport’s Esteban Guerrieri boosted his title chances in his Honda Civic Type R TCR, only for contact with Vervisch in Race 2 to cost the Argentine vital points as he finished in seventh. He’s six points adrift of new second-placed driver Vernay and 22 behind Ehrlacher, the Goodyear #FollowTheLeader.

Luca Engstler is now three points behind Gilles Magnus in the FIA WTCR Junior Driver Title order following a victory double. Tom Coronel took a winning brace in the WTCR Trophy for independent racers. Vervisch clinched the TAG Heuer Best Lap Trophy, while Vernay was the TAG Heuer Most Valuable Driver after he scored 42 points across the Circuit Pau-Arnos weekend.