2005 Sandown 500 winner Yvan Muller is looking forward to his first V8 Supercar start in five years this weekend at the Armor All Gold Coast 600.
The Frenchman will drive alongside Greg Murphy in the Castrol EDGE Commodore, after being forced to pull out of Phillip Island and Bathurst drives with the Paul Morris Motorsport squad due to clashing commitments in the World Touring Car Championship.
Muller has been regarded as one of the world’s finest touring car drivers over the last two decades, having won the French, British and World Touring Car Championships.
He currently leads the 2010 WTCC for Chevrolet.
The 41 year old told Speedcafe.com.au that the addition of sequential gearboxes into the V8 Supercar Championship Series has made the Australian cars much more enjoyable to drive.
“Now, for the first time I really enjoy, because the H-pattern was very hard,” he said of driving the #51 Commodore at Queensland Raceway on Wednesday.
“The H-pattern, on the left hand (side), in a new car, it was tough, but now I really enjoy.
“I can think on my driving, which before we were thinking about the gear.”
Despite being the only international driver in the field this weekend to have previously won a V8 Supercar race, Muller was disappointed that the weather conditions on Wednesday hampered his running.
“We need mileage,” he said.
“Unfortunately the weather was not on our side, but we need mileage to be fast.
“For sure, with the small time we have, it is impossible to be as fast as the full-time drivers.”
Not surprisingly, Muller reports that the V8 Supercars are very different to his 2.0 litre, front wheel drive, Chevrolet Cruze.
“I think the speed into the corner is slower than our car, and the braking on our car is better,” he noted.
“Of course the power is better (in the V8 Supercar), but into the corner the speed is higher on our car, probably because of the weight and the tyres – that’s the difference.
“That is something we have to get used to.”
