Newly crowned four-time World Touring Car Champion has admitted that his 2013 title is ‘probably the title I am most proud of’ after he clinched the championship in the first race at Suzuka.
Frenchman Muller secured a record fourth WTCC title in the opening race in Japan by finishing third. The RML Chevrolet driver has dominated the 2013 season with a blend of consistency and speed, such that he was able to wrap up the title with five races to spare.
“This is probably the title I am most proud of,” said Muller. “The conditions behind this year were very different to my other three. A month before Monza we didn’t even know if we could make the grid this year, we didn’t have a manufacturer to support the project, which makes things very difficult. But with huge effort from RML, myself and our partners, we managed to get things in place and have built a successful program.
“Both RML and myself had to make sacrifices to be here and so this is payback for all the hard work, both at the start of the year and the continued commitment and determination throughout the season to be standing here as Champions.”
Despite wrapping up the title at a record early stage during a WTCC season, Muller says that he remains completely focussed for the remainder of the season, intending to end his four-year partnership with RML on a high.
“This season has been perfect so far, but it is definitely not over yet for me,” added Muller. “We are still fighting for the Teams’ trophy, which perhaps we can settle as early as Shanghai and Tom is targeting second in the Drivers’ standings – we all want to end with an RML 1-2 so we’ll keep working together to do our best, for ourselves, for RML and all our partners and sponsors who have been a huge support throughout.”
The title marks RML’s seventh in the WTCC (four driver’s titles and three manufacturer’s titles). The team have scored 199 podium finishes in the 200 WTCC races since the series began in its present form in 2005.