Yvan Muller inks Chevrolet deal

Yvan Muller to leave SEAT for Chevrolet for the 2010 World Touring Car Championship season

22 Nov 2009

With the dust still settling on the final round of the World Touring Car Championship season, Chevrolet has confirmed that it has signed Yvan Muller for the 2010 campaign.

The 2008 champion, who saw his hopes of making it back-to-back titles come to an end after losing out to team-mate Gabriele Tarquini, will move over from SEAT to fill the seat vacated by Nicola Larini, who retired from WTCC competition following the Macau race weekend.

Muller will join forces with Rob Huff and Alain Menu in an impressive looking Chevrolet line-up, with his move coming at a time when SEAT is expected to downsize ahead of next season.

The Spanish manufacturer has already revealed that its working relationship with Oreca, who were responsible for running Muller's car, will end this year.

"I am delighted to join Chevrolet for the next season. After four successful and exciting years with SEAT, I was looking for a new challenge and Chevrolet was clearly my first choice," he said. "Having witnessed in first person the impressive growth of Chevrolet in the WTCC and knowing RML since my years in the BTCC, I am extremely confident in the potential of the Cruze and the Chevrolet team. My objective is to contribute to the further progression of Chevrolet and I am sure that together with Alain, Rob and the entire Chevrolet team, we can achieve great things and aspire to the highest objectives".

Ray Mallock, chief of the RML team which runs the Chevrolet programme, said he was delighted to sign the outgoing champion and stated it was a sign of Chevrolet's continued commitment to the WTCC.

"Our signing of Yvan confirms our commitment to winning this championship," he said. "As everyone in the pit lane knows, our first priority regarding our drivers is that they work together as a team to deliver the best results for Chevrolet. Yvan has proven himself in this respect and his track record speaks for itself. He has been a respected competitor of RML since the mid-90s and stands as one of the touring car greats, combining winning race skills with a fair and professional approach to other competitors on track."