The 2010 FIA WTCC Drivers’ Championship has ended like in 2008, with Yvan Muller crowned as the new champion and Gabriele Tarquini and Rob Huff finishing on equal points, with the italian classified second thanks to more race wins.
Muller has won his second world title, this time for Chevrolet, two years after the one he claimed for SEAT Sport.
“It feels good! I did my job properly and I’m pleased for the team,” he commented.
He was given the absolute certainty of the title even before Macau, when the International Court of Appeal excluded Andy Priaulx from the Japanese meeting.
“Before the verdict I had done twenty races to win this title, so I don’t feel like I won this off the track. After Japan I felt it was already done, as I had a 37-point lead so there was only a small chance of losing it. I had being winning this title since the first race in Curitiba and kept hold to have the biggest advantage by Japan.”
Muller showed an impressive consistency since he joined WTCC in 2006. In five seasons he was classified twice first, twice second and once fourth, claiming 13 victories and scoring more points than any other driver 711. During the current season he obtained three wins and 13 podium results out of 22 races.
“There are many keys to a championship. Consistency is important but you also need a good car, good engineers, good mechanics and a bit of luck! It is nice to have been fighting for the title in the last five years. I think if you do a world championship classification over the whole of the last five years, I would also win that!”
He was also the first driver to win the WTCC with different Manufacturers.
“To make comparison it’s unavoidable. When I won my first title with SEAT it was a very important year after I had lost the 2007 championship on the last lap. Winning now with Chevrolet has also been special. It has been my first year with them, and giving them their first title added a special feeling."