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Yvan Muller tests for Volvo in Portugal

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Four-time World Touring Car champion Yvan Muller has become the latest in a list of potential candidates for Volvo’s 2017 driver line-up, after the former Citroën driver tested Polestar’s S60 at the Portimao circuit.

Muller was spotted at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve by motorsport.com with the Polestar Cyan Racing team earlier this week, and took to the track behind the wheel of the Volvo S60 TC1.

The 47-year-old announced his retirement from the WTCC late last season, taking part in what was expected to be his last race for Citroën at Losail in Qatar, where he sealed second place in the drivers’ championship.

Muller admitted he still expected to be racing in some form and wouldn’t retire completely during a press conference at the event, and would announce his plans at the beginning of the year.

“I had some proposals for next year, but I decided myself,” said Muller in November. “I always wanted to decide at the end of my career when to stop. I won’t say I will never race again forever, but I don’t want to do any more full seasons as a race driver.”

Muller’s involvement with Polestar’s test could indicate that the Swedish manufacturer has convinced him to come out of retirement already, with strong opposition expected from Honda, Rob Huff’s privateer Citroën and potentially another Gabriele Tarquini-led assault with an independent Lada programme this year.

It could also be that Muller is involved engaged in a development capacity. Volvo are yet to announce any of their drivers for 2017, but four-time STCC drivers’ champion Thed Björk is almost certain to stay with the team.

Robert Dahlgren confirmed last week he has left the manufacturer, with the list of drivers known to be talking to, or under consideration for the team’s other two cars including Fredrik Ekblom, Néstor Girolami and Nicky Catsburg.

Polestar Cyan Racing have responded to comment from TouringCarTimes saying they won’t comment on private tests, and will be announcing their driver line-up later this month.