Yvan Muller says he is not bothered about the fight to finish as the runner-up in this year’s World Touring Car Championship, as Citroën team-mate José María López could clinch the overall title in Japan this weekend.
Muller has endured a challenging weekend at the wheel of his Citroën C-Elysée this year, with the Frenchman having incredibly yet to take a win this season, after 16 races of trying.
The former four-time champion is a huge 124 points behind team-mate López in the championship standings, and his team-mate has already taken seven wins to Muller’s zero.
A recent upturn in form has seen Muller feature nearer the sharp end of the grid, and he is now third overall in the drivers’ championship standings, seven points behind Honda’s Tiago Monteiro. The 47-year-old insists that finishing as runner-up is not something which he particularly aspires to.
“The fight to finish as runner-up is not devoid of interest, but personally speaking, it doesn’t really bother me,” said Muller. “Above all, I’m interested in finishing in first place! My main aim is therefore to score as many points as possible for Citroën, to help the team win the Manufacturers’ World Championship again.
“I think we have increased our potential in the last two or three races. I have been challenging consistently for pole position, but I need to put together three perfect sectors in order to get there. That is the key to being able to go for the win the next day in the race!”
Muller endured a difficult weekend at the Twin Ring Motegi on the championship’s first visit in 2015, and he knows that it could be challenging again this year if the conditions prove to be unpredictable.
“Motegi is a fairly slow track, but it’s possible to overtake in several places. As far as the set-up is concerned, we need to concentrate on looking for traction and keep an eye on tyre wear. And we’ll also need to monitor the weather, because there is a high risk of showers at this time of year!
“It’s a real pleasure just being back in Japan. The fans really love their motorsport here and are very knowledgeable. This year, I’m taking advantage of the trip to spend a few days exploring the country with my family.”