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Andy Priaulx wins third world touring car title
 Andy Priaulx blasted across the finishing line, headlights ablaze, to capture an improbable world touring car championship victory 19 November 2007 But he turned it around to claim his third consecutive WTCC title by winning the season finale. Trackside Keith’s Collantine pays tribute to the unstoppable Priaulx. Andy Priaulx blasted across the finishing line, headlights ablaze, to capture an improbable world touring car championship victory. His third WTCC title has surely been the hardest and his most impressive. He spent the first half of the year battling with BMW team mates Jorg Muller and Augusto Farfus. But in the second half of the season a new challenge emerged. The Seat team had been allowed to develop a new, extra-powerful diesel engine that propelled Yvan Muller into the title fight. Meanwhile Priaulx was dogged by misfortune. He lost precious points when he was hit by Pierre-Yves Courthals at the Brno round, and Roberto Colciago at Monza. Priaulx and Yvan Muller went into the final two races at Macau tied on points – with four other drivers able to win the title as well. The weekend began badly for Priaulx. A rare mistake left him 12th on the grid while Muller’s diesel engine powered him down the long Macau straights to take second.
Priaulx made no mistake in the last round and shrugged of fierce pressure from James Thompson to win the race – and the title with it. After winning the title Priaulx spoke frankly about the favour shown to BMW’s rivals this year. He said: "When you are driving with the number one plate you are always the guy that everybody is looking at. You are almost like a magnet. "And what is also quite clear is that this year the regulations have not favoured BMW at all in the slightest. We have been fighting for small points.” Priaulx won the championship for the fourth year in a row. His first victory in 2004 came when the series was called the European Touring Car Championship and he’s now won three World Touring Car titles too.
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But Muller came unstuck in the first race when a fuel pump on the new engine broke while he was leading. The canny Priaulx fought his way up to eighth for a single point. More importantly, it would give him pole position for the second race as the top eight finishers were reversed.Page 1
