Yvan Muller and Tom Chilton both had reasons to celebrate during the ninth weekend of the 2013 World Touring Car Championship at Sonoma Raceway.
For Chilton, he backed up his maiden Pole Position in the series with his maiden victory in the opening race of the weekend, despite pressure from the Honda of Tiago Monteiro.
“That Honda was strong – I had no time to relax from the start – every lap was a qualifying one!” Chilton recounts after the opening 13 lap encounter, which he controlled from the start to the chequered flag.
He was unable to replicate his result from the opening race as he battled in the mid pack having started 10th on the reverse grid. He finished just outside the points in 11th.
“What a fantastic weekend!” exclaimed Chilton. “It’s just such a great feeling to take my first would touring car win and to achieve it after being the fastest man in qualifying yesterday, it’s exactly what I’d hoped for.
“But I had to work for it and to stay ahead of Yvan and Tiago really was key. Tiago kept the pressure on so every lap had to be inch perfect, which meant I was adjusting my driving over the distance to aid the tyres and prevent wear.
“And thankfully, I just got everything perfect. Now I need to continue this form for the remaining races – it’s a relief and a real boost to get that first victory in the bag,” he concluded.
Yvan Muller took his 12th podium from 18 races in the opening race at Sonoma Raceway and backed it up with a 4th place finish in the second race. He was forced to wait until Suzuka to be crowned Champion as Gabriele Tarquini won the second race to keep a mathematical chance of overhauling the Frenchman.
“Today I was not fast enough,” admitted Muller. “I was expecting warmer temperatures and I did a set-up that was ideal for hot temperatures in the first race. I did wrong and it was my mistake, but I wasn’t fast enough to follow Tom and Tiago. Anyway, from the beginning of the weekend I have been one step down from what Tom has done so the weekend is just continuing.
“We made some adjustments for race two and it worked out better for me and I was able to fight through to 4th. It was tough out there but with some good racing so I am pleased with 4th and further important points.”
Muller isn’t focusing on the Championship yet and is intent on scoring enough points to secure it, and it is secured then he will celebrate his fourth crown in six years.
“It’s very difficult not to talk about the championship because fifty people have talked to me about it already today! When it happens, someone will tell me and then I can celebrate, but at the moment nobody told me it is done and so I race as normal,” concluded the Frenchman, who takes a 144 point advantage to Suzuka in 2 weekends time.