WTCC: Yvan Muller is 2008 World Champion
Yvan Muller was crowned 2008 World Champion at the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) season finale in Macau after taking two podium finishes. The Frenchman, whose SEAT Le・ TDI is equipped with ZF Sachs Race Engineering clutches and dampers, already had an unassailable lead in the Drivers・Championship after finishing third in the first race because his sole remaining title rival Gabriele Tarquini ・also racing a Le・ equipped by ZF Sachs ・was only seventh.
Muller痴 second place in the second race was the reward for an extremely successful season. Furthermore, Muller became the first driver of a diesel powered car to claim the throne in the history of the FIA World Championships. ZF Sachs contributed to this historical event with its important components. By winning the Drivers・Championship the SEAT brand achieved all of the targets it set before for the season. The Spaniards where already crowned Manufacturers・World Champions at the eleventh race weekend in Okayama, Japan.
Results, Macau (RC), 12th round of the World Touring Car Championship, 15 Nov・6 Nov 2008:
Race 1
1. A. Menu, Chevrolet, 23m10.203s
2. A. Priaulx, BMW, +0.523s
3. Y. Muller, SEAT, +8.581s, ZF Sachs
4. A. Farfus, BMW, +9.335s
5. R. Huff, Chevrolet, +9.871s
6. J. Gen衫 SEAT, +10.692s, ZF Sachs
7. G. Tarquini, SEAT, +11.218s, ZF Sachs
8. J. Thompson, Honda, +12.080s
Race 2
1. R. Huff, Chevrolet, 23m23.216s
2. Y. Muller, SEAT, +7.253s, ZF Sachs
3. A. Priaulx, BMW, +7.957s
4. R. Rydell, SEAT, +18.120s, ZF Sachs
5. A. Zanardi, BMW, +51.727s
6. F. Engstler, BMW, +52.963s
7. M. Orido, Chevrolet, +58.314s
8. M. Marsh, BMW, +1m02.623s
Drivers・standings:
1. Y. Muller, 114 points; 2. G. Tarquini, 88; 3. R. Huff, 87; 4. A. Priaulx, 81; 5. R. Rydell, 77; 6. A. Farfus, 63; 7. J. M竫ler, 60; 8. J. Gen衫 56; 9. A. Menu, 54; 10. F. Porteiro, 51.
Manufacturers・standings:
1. SEAT, 326 points; 2. BMW, 274; 3. Chevrolet, 238; 4. Honda, 60.
Photo FIA