Yvan Muller: “We have confirmed our level” after second P2 in a row in qualifying

Yvan Muller was the fastest qualifier for the new Lynk & Co Cyan Racing team for the second qualifying session in a row in Morocco, stating that the pace has confirmed the testing performance of the all-new manufacturer.

Muller qualified the 03 TCR in second on Saturday, but due to a minor excursion which damaged his engine, he was forced to replace it and start from the back, effectively unable to score any points at one of the WTCR calendar’s trickiest circuits to pass on.

On Sunday, Muller followed this up another second place in qualifying, with Thed Björk, who was fighting for victory with Race 1 winner Esteban Guerrieri’s Honda on Saturday, again qualifying in third, just behind him.

“During the winter we never know where we are, we have an idea, but the qualifying for the first race is the confirmation of our level, but that’s just the first part of the job. We have to do the rest,” said Muller.

“For me, today is my real first race, but in the first race I’ll start P9 and we’ll see.”

2017 champion Björk said the Marrakech circuit was always a challenge to qualify on.

“When you go out there in qualifying, it’s not easy. If you start off safe, on a street circuit where it’s really tight, you’ll not be there,” said Björk. “Then you just have to push the limits of what you can do, and just get the feeling of doing it properly and put the lap together, and it’s really difficult.

“I tried to put that level together at the end of Q1 and stay there, and it was really difficult. I’m so proud of the team, Lynk & Co and everybody, it feels good.”