Yvan Muller was very pleased leaving Macau, after the Cyan Racing driver scored a second successive win in race two on Sunday, with the Frenchman benefitting from team orders to move to within 11 points of the championship lead.
Muller started the second race from fifth on the grid, but thanks to a strong start he was in third after the second corner, with team-mates Yann Ehrlacher and Thed Björk leading the way ahead.
Ehrlacher swiftly moved out of the way of both Björk and Muller heading up San Francisco hill a few corners later, before Björk allowed Muller past at the end of the lap.
The move was in some respects surprising, given that Björk is also in contention for the drivers’ championship, but Muller explained that the decision was made before the race, if he was able to get up behind them at the start.
“That was a fantastic start,” said Muller. “I knew if I wanted to have the opportunity to win, I had to pass the Alfa and the Honda, and then I knew it was my team-mates in front and the place would be clear, so I was very focused on that.
“We knew of course straight away, because they were starting one and two with Thed, that if that was the case at the first corner Yann would let Thed past and if I was joining them, I would pass both of them.
“And it happened and thanks very much to Thed and Yann because that victory could have been them.”
Muller’s second straight victory, after he won from pole position in Saturday’s race, combined with sixth in race three, means he has moved to just 11 points shy of the top of the table heading to the season finale in Malaysia in mid-December.
“This championship is over 30 races and anything can happen. We’ve seen that other times this year. But I’m back in the game.
“The weekend has almost been perfect; I couldn’t expect more. I am very pleased. I’m just eleven points from the lead of the championship ahead of Malaysia, everything is possible.”