For the second year in a row, Vauxhall's Yvan Muller went into the final round with a great chance of taking the Championship. He was level on points and it was all to play for. Yvan took time out to talk to BTCCinfo.


You started the year as a lot of peoples' favourite for the Championship. What sort of effect did that have on you?

Nothing. Nothing at all. I've been racing for quite a few years, I have to say it doesn't affect me anymore in terms of pressure. If I am the title favourite that means I have a good car, I have a chance to go for the Championship. My ego is not that high.

So are you happy with the car's performance this year?

Yes, we can be happy. At the moment Vauxhall are 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Championship, that means that the car was the best car of the season. At the end the other cars have made big progress but that is normal, we have stayed on the same level while the others have progressed. Now we have to start to work a bit more for next year.

And are you happy with your own performance?

There is always some point where I could say I could have done better, generally this season I have to say it was difficult to do better than I have done. Unfortunately I have had quite a lot of bad luck, that cost me a lot of points. There is nothing I could do, when the engine blew up or the tyres blew up or an electrical problem, whatever, I can't do anything. My work is to drive the car, to overtake cars. In terms of engines I can just say "I don't want that anymore" but it's not that easy unfortunately.

In the past I've always had some good and bad and good and bad moments. Your life is up and down and up and down! And for four or five years I've tried to stay constant, you know. When everything goes wrong I try to stay on the medium level. When everything goes good, ok I try to stay on the same level. It's much easier for my life, and especially for the people with who I live.

With the series getting a lot more publicity, and more TV coverage, has that made any difference to you at all?

No not really. To be honest I don't realise this. To give you an example, I didn't see one race on TV this year. I didn't see anything on TV, I don't read the news or magazines. So I don't realise the impact of the Championship. I know because people tell me that the Championship has come back on a high level, that's it, but I don't know how big it is for English people.

Richard West has announced that the rules are to stay the same for the next few years. Do you think this will help more manufacturers come in?

For sure it is important to keep the rules very similar to what it is, I think there will be some change but just to progress on some easy points, but it is important to keep the rules the same as it is now. First because that means that people can use the cars they already have, secondly people will come back to the Championship knowing they have a car for two or three years. So it is important to stay clear with the rules for two or three years.

Is there one rule you'd like to see changed?

It is not for me to say. I have some ideas, but I don't decide and people don't ask me! But for sure there are a few small problems which I think they should try to resolve for the future. Generally the rules are quite fair, nothing is perfect but it is difficult to do better than this at the moment. I would like rear-wheel drive, six-cylinder engines - something like that - but with the costs they wanted it is difficult to do better than this.

Which do you prefer, driving on tarmac or ice?

I don't prefer one or the other, I like both. I have to say my first work is on tarmac. Ice? Yes I am a specialist for six or seven years now but I can't say I prefer one or the other.

What plans have you got for over the winter?

A quiet winter at home, bit of sunshine if I can somewhere. But not on ice!

And for next year - still in BTCC?

I don't know. I don't know yet. My ambition for the future is to keep going, to enjoy motor racing.

And you're still enjoying it now?

Yes, in a different way than in the past but yes I enjoy it.


Our thanks to Yvan for his time.

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