The FIA officially crowned Yvan Muller as the 2011 FIA World Touring Car Champion at its Gala awards evening in New Delhi, India, last week.
The first season of Series 2000 cars fitted with the new 1.6-litre turbo engine was a success with Muller claiming his third FIA World Touring Car title. His victory in a Chevrolet (Holden) Cruze was also the second win for Chevrolet in the Manufacturers’ Championship.
In the last five seasons, the three times World Touring Car Champion Yvan Muller has emerged as the most consistent driver in the WTCC, winning the Championship in 2008, 2010 and 2011 and finishing runner-up in 2007 and 2009.
His consistency was especially highlighted by the results obtained throughout the current season of eight victories and 19 podium finishes out of 24 races. The results enabled him to beat his own Chevrolet team-mate Rob Huff in the final race in Macau, who also claimed eight victories for himself during the season. Alain Menu secured third position, making it an all Chevrolet Cruze podium.
As the Cruze is a global car, its involvement in a World Championship where the racing cars are so close to production models will further develop future engineering and sales – General Motors (inclusive of Holden) have sold one million Cruze models worldwide this year alone.