Yvan Muller is hoping that lightening doesn’t strike twice as he arrives at the Salzburgring with a healthy advantage in the 2013 World Touring Car Championship.
In the second race of the 2012 WTCC Race of Austria, Muller had a puncture on the last lap which denied him victory and he admits that set up and tyre management will prove critical around the Austrian circuit.
“The circuit has two long straights with very fast turns, which puts a lot of stress on the tyres,” explains the Frenchman. “We were very fast last year but I picked up a puncture on the last lap which cost me the victory. The objective for this weekend is to stay on top of the championship and to do that, we must be more careful this year with our settings.”
The second race caught out all three of the RML Chevrolets as Muller’s team-mates in 2012, Rob Huff and Alain Menu; all suffered punctures with Huff finishing as the best of the Chevrolets in second.
Muller’s team-mate for 2013, Tom Chilton, is looking for a better weekend at the Salzburgring. His maiden appearance at the circuit saw him struggle in the Arena Motorsport run Team Aon Ford Focus, securing a best finish of 11th in the second race.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to Austria,” said Chilton. “It’s one of my favourite countries to visit and the location of the circuit is spectacular. Last year it was hard for me – the Ford was four seconds off the pace. So as in Hungary, I will have a lot to learn very quickly in a car that feels it is in a different category than the one that I competed in last time round here.
“My best result here in fact was during the Yokohama sprint race, in which forty of us ran the track. I finished fifth, which I was happy with – but this year I plan to beat that personal best in the Chevy and will hopefully leave my trainers on the side!” Chilton concluded.