Citroën’s quartet of drivers are all keen to end the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) season on a high in the finale on the streets of Macau, with all of the championship titles having already been decided.
Citroën took the Manufacturers’ title in Shanghai and followed it up last time out in Japan with the Drivers’ title, taken by Argentine José María López. The Argentine racer has not previously raced on the unique Macau street circuit, but that didn’t cause him any problems earlier in the year when he raced on unfamiliar circuits.
Having secured the coveted driver’s title, López confesses to feeling more relaxed ahead of the season finale this weekend.
“At the start of the season, the team and I were in the same boat,” explained ‘Pechito’ López. “We were both starting out in the discipline and we couldn’t set any specific goals. Everything has gone brilliantly, and we have managed to rack up plenty of victories and two world titles.
“I will arrive in Macau in a relaxed frame of mind, but I know what I’m like. Once I’m in my Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, I will want to give 100% and perform as best I can.”
López also admits that he is still dealing with all of the attention being lavished on him as the first Argentine World Champion in motor racing since Juan Manuel Fangio.
“Every morning, I wake up with a big smile on my face,” said López. “I’m really enjoying life right now, while trying my best to reply to all the congratulatory messages and media attention. In Argentina, because it’s been such a long wait since Juan Manuel Fangio’s last title, it’s caused a real craze.
“I also know that lots of people were touched to see the whole Citroën Racing team wearing my country’s colours. I was really emotional myself at the end of the race, when I saw everyone wearing those blue and white shirts!”
Yvan Muller is the Citroën driver with the most experience of Macau, having lined up eight times since 2006. However the Frenchman has only won twice before, including being cruelly denied a chance at the 2007 title due to mechanical problems with his car.
“This circuit has often been kind to me, but I’ve also experienced major disappointments there, like in 2007, when I lost the title by breaking down on the last lap,” admitted Muller, who also took the title in Macau in 2008, 2010 and 2011. “There’s nowhere quite like it. It’s got so many qualities. In the space of a few kilometres, we will have to contend with both the quickest bend and the slowest hairpin of the season. I think it will also be the fastest circuit of the year in terms of top speeds.
“Macau requires more commitment at the wheel than any other circuit. Unlike on most street circuits, there are real overtaking opportunities. The key is the Mandarin Oriental Bend. You have to go through it as fast as you can in order to build momentum before braking at the Hotel Lisboa. It’s tight, but we can’t afford to make any mistakes. Macau is also one of the most dangerous circuits…”
Former rally star Sébastien Loeb raced on the Circuito da Guia last season, when he competed in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia in preparation for this year’s WTCC, finishing second.
“I took part in a race in Macau last year, to prepare for this year,” said Loeb. “I found it a fun circuit. There’s a really fast section along the seafront, then a winding, hilly sequence, with testing combinations, crossroads, and the famous Melco hairpin.
“It’s always hard to compare rallying and track racing, but it’s probably the closest to what I’m used to! More than ever, qualifying will be crucial if I want to have a chance of coming out on top. I’m really keen to round off my first FIA WTCC campaign with a good result.”
Finally, Citroën will field a fourth car for the fifth time this season, with Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua returning to action. “I can’t wait to take part in this major Asian event, and I’m proud to be ending the championship with the Citroën Racing team,” said Ma. “It’s always difficult to know what to expect on this kind of circuit, but I hope to produce the same level of performance I managed in Shanghai.”
Unusually, free practice starts on Thursday, with qualifying following on Friday and no WTCC track action on the Saturday. The final two races of the season take place at 11:15 and 12:30 local time on Sunday.