ALTAS ROTAÇÕES - Ruben Volt goes from the pit lane to victory at at wet Spa

Sunday, 17 May 2026 20:38

Ruben Volt goes from the pit lane to victory at at wet Spa

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Ruben Volt goes from the pit lane to victory at at wet Spa

Ruben Volt notched up his seventh career win in TCR Europe with a win in the rain at Spa-Francorchamps, swapping his slick tyres for a full set of wets and powering through the field to take victory ahead of the Audi of Nicolas Taylor, and Tiago Pernía’s Honda.

With just light rain falling on the circuit throughout the morning, the circuit was considered dry enough by most of the frontrunners to run with slick tyres, with the best-placed of those option to run a mixed slick and wet set-up coming from row six, with Junui Park and Tiago Pernía.

At the start, Gabriele Covini bogged down from pole position and Nicola Baldan swept into the lead, with Junesung Park up to second in his Hyundai ahead of Taylor.

Park then overtook Baldan at Les Combes, before a multi-car incident occurred at Bruxelles, with Jac Constable and Victor Fernández making light contact with Fernández spinning into the barrier, while the two CUPRAs of Sandro Pelatti and Victor Weyrich then collided in avoidance.

The race was suspended behind the safety car for four laps while Fernández’s car was recovered, with many drivers who were out of position at the start choosing to pit for full wet tyres as the conditions worsened, including both of the ALM Motorsport Hondas of Ruben Volt and Max Hart.

Soon after the restart, Taylor took the lead from Park, diving alongside him through Raidillon and up the Kemmel straight, completing the pass at Les Combes.

Pernía now was charging from the back of the top ten on his mixed tyre set-up, while Volt was making even faster progress and was into the top five after just three laps.

Pernía and Volt both charged on Park’s struggling Hyundai at the final corner with three laps to go. Park clipped Perníá while Volt went down the inside and to third, before taking second place at Les Combes.

Perníá soon passed Park, while Volt took the lead from Taylor’s car, who was also struggling on a full slick set-up. Taylor was vulnerable to Pernía on the final lap and slipped to third, while Volt went on to take an impressive victory in difficult conditions. After the race it was assessed that Pernía's pass on Taylor had taken place under double-waved yellow flags which were out to cover the straned ar of Covini, and after the race Pernía was given a time penalty which effectively reversed the position.

At the final corner, Park was passed by both Mike Halder and Max Hart’s Hondas in a photo-finish drag race to the line, which proved pivotal to keep the German at the head of the points table, five points clear of Taylor.

The next round of the TCR Europe series takes place at Paul Ricard on June 5-7.

QUOTES

Ruben Volt

ALM Motorsport

First place

We had wets on so it helped a lot. Everyone at the front decided to go on full slicks, including me. But I had a horrific start, I got boxed in at Turn 1 and some wheel damage, and I was just hanging on. The safety car fortunately came out so we decided to come in for full wets. The first four laps we were almost seven seconds quicker than everybody else, but in the last two laps the front tyres were starting to go so I’m glad there weren’t any more laps.

Nicolas Taylor

PMA Motorsport

Second place

I think the first 11 cars went with full slicks, we thought about going half-half, but we decided to follow everyone else. I had a good start but there was a bit of chaos in the first corner, I think some of the CUPRAs came into the corner pretty hot and I got clipped in the rear but into Eau Rouge I was P3. I slipped by Baldan and then I was fighting for P1 for a couple of laps and had a sketchy moment with Park at Raidillon. I was leading the race but then some cloud came over and put some more water on the track and it was just getting more slippery and we were just trying to survive. Ruben and Tiago on different tyre set-ups just came on really fast and we couldn’t put on much of a fight, but ultimately I’m really happy to have got good points in the championship and to be the best of those on slick tyres.

Tiago Pernía

Squadra Martino

Third place

I’m very happy, it was a solid race. We made the right choice with the tyre strategy and then after that to fight with all the cars, it was tough. I think we could have won the race, as we had some trouble with Ruben, but I’m very happy with my first podium.