Yvan Muller all set for World Rallycross debut this weekend

Four-time World Touring Car champion Yvan Muller makes his debut in the World Rallycross Championship at Lohéac this weekend with Albatec Racing, and is setting himself realistic targets on his first foray into the category.

Muller, also the ten-time Trophée Andros Ice Racing champion, and has previously competed in the World Rally Championship in both a Super 2000 and a WRC-spec car, will be competing in the Peugeot 208 RX of the Scottish-based Albatec Racing team, driving alongside team-mate Jerome Grosset-Janin this weekend at the French round of the FIA’s youngest World Championship.

“I’m very excited about racing in Lohéac, particularly the very first start and the first corner,” said Muller. “I spent some time learning the track on a simulator, but of course you can’t compare that to racing there. The cars are great and very fast, and have been designed to be good on both tarmac and gravel, so I’m sure there will be some compromise required. I think the biggest challenge will be to learn how much to attack on the gravel, and indeed the tarmac, to make sure I look after the tyres across the weekend.

“I don’t have any specific plans, just to explore and to learn, so I have not set myself any goals for the weekend. Rallycross has grown so much, and has a great future ahead of it, and at world championship level I expect the battle to be very intense.”