Citroen have signed Yvan Muller to partner fellow Frenchman Sebastien Loeb in its assault on the World Touring Car Championship in 2014 – a line-up that should boast 13 FIA world titles from the past ten years.
Muller, who turns 44 next week, is close to wrapping up the 2013 WTCC title in an RML Chevrolet, adding to those he won in 2008 with SEAT and 2010 and 2011 with Chevrolet.
He will join 39-year-old Loeb, who won nine consecutive World Rally Championship titles from 2004 until his final full season in 2012.
“It will be a real honour to represent Citroen Racing from 2014,” said Muller, who hails from the same Alsace region of France as Loeb. “As a rally fan, I have always followed Citroen and Seb’s victorious seasons in WRC with interest.
“It’s fantastic that a brand with such a terrific record is getting involved in a category where it still has everything to learn. This isn’t the first time I have joined a team that doesn’t have a lot of experience in the discipline it is racing in. It’s nice to be able to go beyond my role as a driver by offering the benefit of my knowledge and making an active contribution to building a successful team.”
Yves Matton, Managing Director of Citroen Racing commented: “Throughout its history, be it in cross-country rallies or WRC, Citroen Racing has always sought to recruit the best drivers. We have set ambitious goals for our new challenge in WTCC, and the arrival of a driver as experienced as Yvan will help us to make rapid progress.
He has shown this season that he is at the peak of his powers and that his thirst for wins has never been greater. He will also be an excellent point of reference for Sebastien Loeb. The two men are from the same region and have known each other for a long time. Their mutual respect will create a natural cohesion within the team.”
