Nico Müller happy with “unexpected result”

Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline driver Nico Müller was grateful to his team after driving a recovering race which resulted in the Swiss finishing second and on the podium for the second race in a row.

Müller started the race from the pole position and led in the initial stages, choosing to stay out on the track despite the safety car intervention in the early stages.

“I was very happy with the car,” Müller told TouringCarTimes. “The qualifying session went well and we made the most of it.”

“When I saw Pietro’s (Fittipaldi) car out, I thought there could be a safety car,” the Swiss said. “When it came out and I saw how many cars had already been in the pits, I thought I would be out of the points.”

Müller stuck to his original strategy, pitting at the end of lap 29, the penultimate driver to do so. He returned to the track in seventh place, making his way back through the pack.

“I thought I could finish in fourth position, so getting into the podium places was a surprise,” said the Team Abt Sportsline’s driver. “I have to thank to the team as they interpreted correctly the information from yesterday’s free practice sessions and gave me a great car.”

Müller fought until the end, closing the gap to BMW’s Joel Eriksson with three laps to go. The Audi driver attacked the Swiss in the penultimate corner to snatch second place.

“I got revenge on Joel after what happened in Zolder,” Müller laughed. “But it was great because I didn’t expect to reach the podium after the pit stop.”

Müller is second in the championship, 21 points behind fellow Audi driver René Rast.