Cyan Racing has confirmed that it will retain reigning FIA World Touring Car Cup champion Yann Ehrlacher and touring car racing’s most successful driver Yvan Muller as part of an expanded five-car line up in 2022.
The Swedish team had already revealed that it was to keep Thed Björk and Santiago Urrutia this year, along with singing up TCR Asia champion Ma Qing Hua to graduate to the world stage.
For Ehrlacher, it marks the Frenchman’s fourth consecutive season with the Lynk & Co squad, whilst Muller, 52, stays with the team for another season alongside his nephew.
“The 2022 season will be as challenging as every year, the competition will be very high,” said Ehrlacher. “I have no illusions that it will be easier after two consecutive titles, we will have to try even harder this year.
“I have worked hard mentally and physically ahead of this season, and I feel ready. I am super-happy to start my fourth season with Cyan Racing.”
Following the retirement of his long-time rival Gabriele Tarquini at the end of 2021, Muller has now become the oldest driver on the grid.
The veteran, of 56 World Touring Car wins, still believes he has the right mentality to challenge for success in the coming season.
“I don’t feel like it has been 17 years since I made my World Touring Car debut,” said Muller. “I feel fresh and my mindset ahead of this season is almost like for my first.
“We have come a long way together as a team and the results that we have achieved during this period are one of a kind.
“But the story has not finished and the goal for this season has not changed.”
Cyan Racing Team Manager Fredrik Wahlén, is pleased with the experience and depth of the team’s expanded five-car lineup.
“Yann and Yvan are integral to our programme, as they have been since the start of the Lynk & Co Cyan Racing programme,” said Wahlén.
“I could not be happier with the line-up that we have. Now we need to put all the pieces together during pre-season testing and deliver when we start racing for real.
“Fielding five of the best touring car drivers in the world is obviously a strength and necessity in our push of defending our WTCR titles.”