Yvan Muller at Rally France-Alsace 2012 !

After 2010 and 2011, it will be the third time that the French driver, triple World Touring Car Champion (WTCC), will participate to the Rally France-Alsace.

Born in Altkirch, in the Haut-Rhin, Yvan Muller will be, as Sébastien Loeb, on his home ground. After a Citroën Xsara WRC in 2010 and a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 in 2011, Yvan Muller will be driving this year a MINI John Cooper Works WRC prepared by Prodrive. He will benefit from the same car than Dani Sordo, who finished the Rally France-Alsace 2011 in second place.

Mainly known from the public for his ten victories in the Trophée Andros (in eleven participations), Yvan Muller is involve since 2006 in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) which he has won three times already. Currently leading the drivers’ standings, before the four last races of the season, the Alsatian driver certainly won’t be in Alsace for fun!

“It’s Yvan who contacted us. He tested the car and loved it. He’s very motivated to succeed at the Rally France-Alsace”, explained Dave Wilcock, Prodrive WRC Team’s technical director, after a test session in July.

Following that first day, Yvan Muller declared: “I am really looking forward to competing in my home event in a top level World Rally Car after last year’s run in an S2000. I have only had a day to familiarize myself with the Mini, but the balance of the chassis immediately gave me a great deal of confidence. As both my Chevrolet touring car and the Mini use similar 1.6 turbo engines, the performance was nearly the same. I am sure it will take me a little while to get used to driving with pace notes again, even so my target would still be a finish in the points.”

Between two races of the World Touring Car Championship (United-States at the end of September and Japan at the end of Octobre), he will try to capitalize on his race and region knowledge before going back to conquering a fourth WTCC title.