Yvan Muller ended his World Touring Car Championship career in Qatar, securing second in the drivers’ championship behind his Citroën team-mate José María López, and added he has no regrets about his decision to retire from racing.
The four-time WTCC drivers’ champion, also a ten-time Trophée Andros Ice Racing champion but also well known for his exploits in the British Touring Car Championship where he was 36-times a race winner, ends his WTCC career with an unbeaten 48 victories, winning his last title in a non-factory backed Chevrolet Cruze in 2013 before being recruited by Citroën.
Although the stories of the day were the fights on the track, with friend and rival Gabriele Tarquini scoring a popular victory in what could possibly be the Italian’s last race in the WTCC, the focus shifted to Muller when the race was over, with team-mate José María López the first to congratulate him on a successful career in touring cars.
“I am not thinking about me, I am just thinking about Yvan,” said López, deflecting questions about his final race in the post-race press conference. “Thank you Yvan for everything. Today is about him because he is leaving us for good, for sure. I respect him so much and thank you Citroën. Honestly the race for me doesn’t make a difference. You always want to win and give congratulations to the guys, but the applause, all the questions and this conference is for Yvan, and not for me.”
Yvan Muller finished sixth in his final race after being passed by the charging Honda of Tiago Monteiro who was chasing third place in the drivers’ championship, but had done enough in the first race to ensure a 1-2 for Citroën Racing in their final year in the WTCC.
“Many things are on my mind right now, especially the words from José and the big applause from the crowd and all the comments of the people,” said Muller. “It was time for me to stop. Of course it’s a very emotional moment but everything has to end and I’m so pleased it’s happening now with all these guys who I have so much respect for. OK, we had some fights and trouble, but at the end we were all friends with a lot of respect. That is also part of the sport I like.”
The 47-year-old has continued to be coy about his future plans post the WTCC. Muller manages his own team Yvan Muller Racing, the main programme of which is in LMP3 in the European Le Mans Series, but wouldn’t be drawn on his own personal plans for 2017.
“There are many things to do now,” said Muller. “I will of course look after my team and my young drivers. I will keep going to coach them but the time I was spending as a driver I will be spending with my family and to see my children grow up. The last third of the time I will spend on something else and I will come back with a different hat but I won’t say what.”