The 11th and 12th races of 2009 FIA World Touring Car Championship were held at Automotodrom Brno. The Czech circuit is well known as one of the popular fixtures in the series, since the days of the WTCC's predecessor, the European Touring Car Championship, offering some good racing every year.

The circuit has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for the BMW camps, as eight out of last twelve races, including those in the ETCC days, were won by the German manufacturer's cars which apparently suit the characteristics of this race track.

In the two heat qualifying sessions newly introduced this year, the BMW drivers got as many as six slots among the top ten qualifiers who were allowed to go into the second heat. And, in the closing stage of the heat, the fierce battle for the pole position for Race 1 (the series' 11th race) really fascinated the spectators.

The winner of this close competition decided by a hundredth of a second, not by a tenth, which represented the level of competitiveness in this world championship series, was Augusto Farfus (BMW Team Germany) who scored the BMW's first victory of the season in the previous round in Spain. The Brazilian beat Andy Priaulx of BMW Team UK by just 0.04 seconds and sat on the deserved pole position.

The races on Sunday, which marked the halfway point of the 2009 championship, were run under an overcast sky instead of a preferable azure but the track remained dry with the temperatures being 18℃/30℃ (atmosphere/track surface) at the start of Race 1.

As the signal turned to green after a rolling lap and the competitors rushed into Turn 1, the pole sitter, Farfus, steered his car to the outside. But his move was so abrupt that the following two Chevrolet drivers, Nicola Larini and Rob Huff, couldn't avoid to hit the back of the Brazilian's BMW. As a result, Farfus was thrown out of the track and had to end his race in the gravel bed.

Jordi Gene of SEAT Sport, Alain Menu in another Chevrolet and Priaulx who shared the front row with Farfus were also involved in the accident which required the Safety Car to come out on Lap 1.

Soon after resuming the race, without the two BMW drivers, Farfus and Priaulx, who were on the front row at the start, Alex Zanardi driving for BMW Team Italy-Spain took the lead position. Gradually extending the gap with the followers, he wasn't threatened the position at all and scored his first win in a year, since taking a victory here at Brno last year.

Another star of the race was Jorg Muller of BMW Team Germany. Despite starting from the seventh grid, he went through the ranks in an astonishing pace and overtook all the opponents in front of him except Zanardi. With his second place finish, the BMW camps achieved a superb one-two.

YOKOHAMA Independent Trophy class was also won by a BMW driver, Felix Porteiro driving for Proteam Motorsport.

According to the reverse grid rule, the SEAT Sport ace Yvan Muller sat on the pole position for Race 2 (the season's 12th race), with Porteiro on the second grid.

But it was the independent class BMW driver who headed the race at Turn 1 after a good getaway off the line. Behind him, Sergio Hernandez also made a fine start from the fifth grid and shrewdly moved up to second on Lap 3. Hernandez competed in WTCC last year as an independent class driver but was picked by the factory backed BMW Team Italy-Spain for the new season. The 25 year old Spanish driver displayed a splendid drive which impressed the spectators throughout the race.

After taking the second position, Hernandez caught up with Porteiro and put heavy pressure on the race leader from close behind. On Lap 4, the BMW Team Italy-Spain driver managed to overtook the independent counterpart. Then after building the gap with the pursuers lap after lap, he finally saw the checkered flag for his maiden victory in WTCC with a 2.316 second margin.

Porteiro eventually dropped to fourth when he finished the race but still won the independent class following the same feat in Race 1.

>From the SEAT camp, Yvan Muller and Tiago Monteiro got on the podium of Race 2, as they came in second and third respectively, making a telling reply to the dominating German opponent. Their Italian teammate, Gabriele Tarquini, finished in fifth by leading a closely fought four-way tail-to-nose contention throughout.

As a result, the BMW's traditional advantage at Brno was proven again and the German manufacturer improved its winning rate to 10 out of 14. It was of course the best weekend ever for BMW Team Italy-Spain, as their two drivers, Zanardi and Hernandez, won the two races of the day.