Muller hopes worst race of the season is a one-off

Yvan Muller was contemplative leaving Brno, the championship leader suffering his worst result of the season with no points from the Czech Republic race.

Yvan’s championship challenge has been built on consistency, with the 2008 World Touring Car Champion’s worst race before Brno being Morocco, taking just 26 points from finishing second and sixth in the meetings races.

“The good news is that we are keeping our leading position in both championships and even increasing the gap in the Manufacturers’ standings.” said Yvan Muller.

“For me personally, it has not been a good weekend, there is always one weekend like this in a season and I hope this was the one! In Race 1, I just couldn’t avoid being carried away by Turkington and Michelisz when
they collided, and that broke one of the front suspension”.

Yvan Muller was lucky to leave Brno with the championship lead, as former SEAT team mate Gabriele Tarquini’s car broke down with three laps to go whilst running in fourth in race two. Had he finished, Tarquini would be leading the championship for the second time this season.

Chevrolet team mates Rob Huff and Alain Menu had a strong race, with Rob Huff taking his first victory since Macau last year, and Menu equaling his best result of two third places in Curitiba.

“It has been another great weekend for the team, and for me, personally, just what I needed!” said Rob Huff.

“In Race 1, I managed to stay alongside Tarquini at the start and kept the advantage at first corner, which was crucial.”

“(In Race 2) I had a nice fight with Farfus in the last lap, he passed me at the end of the straight but I was able to re-pass him immediately afterwards, I am really proud of that move! I took fourth and some more good
points, which are useful for both the team and myself in the championship”.

Tarquini was unhappy about his retirement, but explains why he expected it:
“It is good to score points (in race 1) but I had an injector problem for the second race. We knew we had the problem but didn’t have time to repair it in the small window between races which cost me the second race.”

BMW had a very strong weekend, probably not as strong as the BMW form book for the track suggested, but after qualifying eleventh, a win and a fifth place was a great result for the three-time champion Andy Priaulx:
“The car was very good in both races. I am very happy to be leaving with so many points and to have taken a big step forward in the championship thanks to the retirements of Gabriele and Yvan. Obviously it is very special to claim the 50th victory for BMW in the WTCC, however, we must take another step forward in order to challenge for the championship at the end of the season.”