DNF disappointment for Yvan Muller caps off a mixed weekend for YMR

Yvan Muller was on target to snatch back the World Touring Car Cup championship lead from Hyundai rival Gabriele Tarquini in Slovakia Race 3, until the wheel of his i30 N TCR sheered off at the end of lap four.

Muller showed strong pace throughout the weekend, but lacked the opportunity to prove it, after he lost his third place in the first qualifying session when his and two other Hyundais were excluded due to a boost irregularity.

Muller fought through to 12th but still missed the points, but was able to turn seventh on the reversed grid Race 2 into a podium result on Saturday evening.

In Race 3, Muller was looking set for at least a second place if not the win in the final race, until the technical problem saw him retire from the race.

As a result, Muller now trails his former SEAT team-mate Gabriele Tarquini by three points in the standings as the WTCR heads into its two-month mid-season break.

“All the nuts of the wheel broke,” said Muller to TouringCarTimes.

“It is what it is, we’ll have to accept it. We started this weekend not in a good way, but we improved throughout the weekend which is the positive thing we have to keep in mind.”

With the rival BRC team of Gabriele Tarquini and Norbert Michelisz seemingly with the upper hand in Slovakia, with the team securing two poles and two victories over the weekend, the Frenchman was pragmatic over the weekend’s results, after YMR slipped to second in the teams’ championship, ten points behind BRC.

“We are not testing like them, we don’t have the time, or the budget, not that’s an excuse. We were fast in Vila Real, they were fast here, so hopefully we’ll be fast in Ningbo.

“We’ll keep taking the points, and we’ll look at the championship when we get to the last race.”