Yvan Muller extends lead despite tough weekend in Morocco

RML Chevrolet’s Yvan Muller has extended his lead to 37 points after a strong pair of points finishes in Morocco. The Frenchman’s closest rivals are now Michel Nykjaer and Gabriele Tarquini, who are tied in second place.

After traffic in qualifying, Muller started from third on the grid behind the independent Chevrolet Cruze of James Nash and the pole-sitter Gabriele Tarquini’s Honda.

“The qualifying was a bit tougher than I expected, but I had the potential to do the pole position,” said Muller to TouringCarTimes, “but unfortunately (Fernando) Monje stayed in my way and that cost me three-tenths and I am one-tenth and a half behind, so that was the pole position.”

At the start of race one Muller fell behind the Nika Racing Chevrolet of Michel Nykjaer at the start. Muller then slipped behind former Chevrolet team-mate Rob Huff later on the first lap, but was able to retake the position at the hairpin whilst Huff was held up by Mehdi Bennani’s BMW. Muller closed on the leading trio of Nykjaer, Gabriele Tarquini and James Nash, but had to settle for fourth.

“I had a big hit on the end of the straight, I missed the apex and Rob used the opportunity, and after that we had a good clean fight. I was able to pass him back and then I came back to the leaders but then the safety car cost my chance to be on the podium.”

Despite starting eighth on the grid for race two, Muller’s progress was much better from the standing start, and he was up to second by the end of the first lap.

“I did a very good start, I gained a lot of places and then Rob helped me in the hairpin, because he went off with Monje, and then after that I tried to catch Pepe, but Pepe was defending well.”

There was near-miss later in the race when Muller was nearly collected by his team-mate Tom Chilton at the second chicane.

“At one stage we were together behind Pepe and I asked if Tom agrees to wait a bit and not do anything crazy,” said Muller. “Then in the chicane somebody hit him and I had to cut the chicane or he’d have hit me.

The Frenchman was unable to get past Pepe Oriola’s Tuenti Racing SEAT and finished in second place, but thanks to mixed weekends for Tom Chilton and Gabriele Tarquini, with both drivers suffering a DNF result each, extends his lead in the standings after Marrakech.

Muller’s lead is 37 points over Tarquini and Nykjaer, whilst team-mate Tom Chilton drops to fourth in the standings a further three points behind. A strong weekend for James Nash sees the bamboo-engineering driver fifth in the standings, just ahead of the highest place SEAT in the Championship, that of race two winner Pepe Oriola.