New Champion at WTCC Suzuka
23 Sep 2013

The FIA World Touring Car Championship race at Suzuka, also described as the “Home” race for the Japanese Tyre manufacturer YOKOHAMA, saw the crowning of the new World Champion – Yvan Muller.

Dominant, confident and without too much external excitement, Muller commented that he wanted to ensure he obtained the points needed to guarantee him and his RML Team yet another world title before he moves on to the Citroen partnership with Sebastian Loeb next year.  Although there are still two more races in the calendar, China and Macau, the points difference between him (360) and Gabrielle Tarquini (211), currently in second, means the battle will now only continue to see who is second and third and in the independents challenge to determine who opts for the YOKOHAMA trophy.

During race one, the Hungarian Michelisz made a perfect start from pole position and never abandoned his fast pace.  “The car was perfect and I only had to make sure I didn’t make any mistakes” he said at the end of the race.  The second place in race one was hotly contested between Muller and Macdowall who kept his second place by keeping an at times conservative Muller at bay.

Currently third in the overall table is Tom Chilton, Muller’s team partner on 183 points and the other Briton James Nash, who is enjoying his best season at WTCC so far and who is on 181 points in fourth.

Race two saw the Dutchman Tom Coronel obtain yet another win in Japanese soil, which is evidently his best country in terms of WTCC wins.  Coronel had a fierce but clean tete-a-tete with Bennani who had set off in Pole position.  The 200^th race of WTCC enjoyed special celebrations with Coronel enjoying the top spot in the podium with Bennani finally second and Monteiro in 3^rd place.

Following the weekend points tally the YOKOHAMA trophy currently stands with James Nash leading on 150, Michael Nykjaer on 134 and Alex Macdowall on 118 points.