Muller prepares for Thompson onslaught

With four rounds to go, Muller's Vauxhall Motorsport team-mate James Thompson is just 17 points behind the Frenchman, going into Saturday's evening races at Snetterton. Thompson beat Muller to the 2002 title after a battle that went to the final round at Donington.

"He's closing fast on me," said Muller. "I know what I have to do to keep ahead of him, but it's not easy. Not only is James on top form and my biggest threat, but the Hondas and MGs are getting increasingly competitive. It's great for the crowd, as they are seeing some hard racing and it's totally unpredictable, but it makes my job more difficult."

Thompson said: "The previous race at Croft didn't bring me any wins, but it certainly helped me to close the gap on Yvan. As this season has progressed the competition has really hotted up. I'm not only fighting with my team mate, but the MGs and Hondas too, so it's not going to be easy to overhaul him. Of course, the fierce competition may help me too, as the other team drivers can, potentially, take points away from Yvan."