Unable to get the Alfa 156 up to speed on the Magny-Cours circuit the three factory N.technology Alfa Romeo drivers, Augusto Farfus, Salvatore Tavano and Gianni Morbidelli, were unable to repeat the stunning result last time out in the FIA WTCC at Monza, and eventually failed to make any impression on the points paying positions with Farfus' 12th place in race two the best finishing position of an unrewarding weekend. “This weekend was tough," said the Brazilian after the races: "First of all I was suffering with the ballast I am carrying. Secondly, Magny-Cours is not a good circuit for our cars. These type of corners just don't suit it and there was not much we could do.”

RACE 1

Thanks to the BMW cars superb starting capabilities, Jörg Müller stormed through the front row SEATs to enter the first corner in the lead. Fellow Team BMW Germany driver, Dirk Müller also shot off the line promoting himself from 6th to 2nd within seconds. The race was then on between them with Dirk the victor. Tarquini’s speed off the line was less successful and dropped down to fourth with SEAT Sport team-mate Rydell in front of him. At the first corner, Tavano in his N.technology Alfa Romeo and BMW Team Italy-Spain’s Costa, went off.

As the race ensued, Dirk began to close the gap between himself and Jörg. It was edged down until on lap 9 Dirk made a smooth manoeuvre at Lycée bend and managed to hold the car and defend his position to cross the line 0.436 ahead of his team-mate and fellow countryman. Rydell was always close to the action in León but couldn't quite challenge for a top 2 position. Meanwhile, there was a contest between Britons, James Thompson and Andy Priaulx for 7th. Priaulx managed to close the gap to just 0.369 of a second but did not overtake, finishing 8th and therefore secured pole for Race 2.

SEAT once again finished in the top three but this time it was the Spaniard Jordi Gené who lifted the trophy. The first corner was a catalyst of action with a few drivers retiring as a result. Dirk Müller and Rickard Rydell were the first to suffer after another SEAT hit Rydell who then collided with Dirk. Pierre-Yves Corthals also suffered impact and almost rolled his JAS Motorsport Honda Accord. In a separate series of events, Luca Rangoni hit Marcel Costa at the Adelaide hairpin; as a result the Spaniard hit his team-mate Alessandro Zanardi and both crashed into the barriers. SEAT's James Thompson began the race from the front row but his team-mate, Gené, demoted him to 3rd on lap 4. Thompson then had to defend hard to keep Jörg at bay but BMW Germany man snuck through at the Grande Courbe on lap 5. Tension was still to come for SEAT because Terting overtook the Chevrolet of Huff on lap 7 and then chased team-mate Yvan Muller before passing him at Lycée two laps later to finish 6th.

Meanwhile, the Chevrolet drivers where in the thick of the action. Huff was challenging the SEATs and led his team-mates until the penultimate lap in which Larini moved to 8th place leaving Huff to finish in the spot behind. Despite impressively moving from 21st to 7th during the first lap, Augusto Farfus was overtaken by Yvan Muller and Huff on the second lap. As the race ensued, the Alfa Romeo driver dropped back to 12th.