WTCR: Muller's double triumph in China, championship lead for Norbi

The world’s most successful touring car driver Yvan Muller finally scored first his first win this year in the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup, in the seventh round of the season that took place this weekend in China. The driver of the #100 Lynk &ampCo 03 TCR scored not one but two wins at Ningbo International Speedpark, in Race 1 on Saturday and Race 3 on Sunday.

The winner of Race 2 was Norbert Michelisz (BRC Racing Team) in the #5 Hyundai i30 N TCR. This was his third win of the season that enabled him to take the championship lead after the Chinese event despite not finishing the third race of the weekend.

Race 1 podium

On Saturday, Yvan Muller delivered Chinese car brand Lynk &ampCo a victory on home soil but also his first win in 2019. He won the race after starting from pole position and holding off the Chinese racer Ma Qinghua in the #55 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce of Team Mulsanne. After 13 laps, PWR Racing’s Mikel Azcona crossed the finish line third in the #96 Cupra.

Norbert Michelisz finished fourth and decreased his gap behind the championship leader Esteban Guerrieri (ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport) to just ninth points. Guerrieri scored no points by finishing 19th after starting from the pitlane.

Yvan Muller triumphed two times in China

On Sunday, Norbert Michelisz clinched a dramatic victory in the reverse-grid Race 2 to jump to the lead of the championship standings after his main rival Esteban Guerrieri didn’t finish the race due to the first-lap incident. Michelisz shared a podium with two veterans Gabriele Tarquini (BRC Racing Team) and Yvan Muller.

In the last race of the weekend, Yvan Muller started from pole again and converted it into his second victory. He shared a podium with his nephew and fellow Lynk &ampCo driver Yann Ehrlacher and Hyundai’s Gabriele Tarquini.

This victory made Muller the TAG Heuer Most Valuable Driver because he set a record for the most points scored in a single WTCR weekend with an impressive haul of 76.

After seven rounds and 21 races, Muller lies third in the championship with 231 points, just one point behind Esteban Guerrieri and seventeen behind new leader Norbert Michelisz.