Yvan Muller Q&A

"I have to say since the first race I have been a bit disappointed by the first half of the season. So many times I have been leading races and some small thing has come along and cost me the victory. In motor racing we have to accept this sort of thing but from the start of the season I have had quite a lot of bad luck. For example today, in first qualifying I was much quicker than anyone else and in second qualifying the driveshaft broke, cost me pole position, and instead of that I am 12th. Many times in the year that sort of thing is happening. Now I am starting to warm my ears - it is starting to upset me. I thought this morning that my luck was changing, but it looks like not. There is nothing I can do, but try to do my job as best I can and see what happens in the future."



"OK there is the engine side, where we have some problems on some parts - the same parts we used last year - which we had no problems with last year, but do this year. Why? I don't know. Secondly on the mechanical side when we have a problem it is always with a TOCA part [common parts that all teams must use] and maybe because the part is a bit cheaper but less strong. You have a choice if you find that the part breaks at 1000km, you say you have to change it at 900km, but then the cost is a bit high. So you check the part and if it looks OK you don't change it and there is a risk that it will break."



"Yes, but there is nothing more I can do. I think I've shown my potential and shown my speed, but I am only third in the championship. If the situation does not change for the second half of the season, OK the championship is not for me again. I will just keep going. I have no other choice. To be honest I haven't enjoyed it much this year."



"At the moment I don't know. I haven't thought about this. It's five years now that I've been in the UK, but I don't know yet. First I have to talk with Vauxhall, find out what is happening for the future with Vauxhall in the BTCC. Then I will see."



"I'm doing Queensland and Bathurst [Australian V8 Supercars], I have some rally plans, I'm not sure yet which ones, though I have some idea, and I have my jet-ski record. The record is between St Tropez and Calvi in Corsica it's 180km and at the moment it is 2h15m. It's the one that Francois Delecour held for a while and at the moment the guy who holds it is Alexandre Debanne, he's raced a bit, but he's more a TV guy, a good bloke, very sporty. Debanne will do it again in July and then we will do it in August - we're doing it with two jet-skis me and my ice-racing team-mate Philippe de Korsak - he was European Champion on jet-ski in the past and last winter when I saw Debanne do the record on TV, I spoke to Philippe and we took up the challenge. I think we can beat 2h15m, but we'll have to see what Debanne can do in July. It's physical, because you have to stand up all the way. We need good flat water and a good machine, it's quite a lot of work, because six months ago I didn't really know what a jet-ski was apart from a little bit like everyone on holiday. You need strength and technique.



"That would be nice, but I have no proposal on this side. I don't know anybody over here, but if someone wants to make me an offer... In France there are two rallies I will try to do - the last round of the French asphalt championship and the Rallye du Var, which is European Championship 1600cc. I have a proposal for that, but I can't say what it is yet.



"I don't know yet. I am talking with a constructor which wants to come in and that will be decided before the end of this month."



"I will try to stay focused and motivated to do my job and the we will say what happens. If the luck turns, that's good, but if it doesn't OK, life will not change for me. I think people will see anyway that I am performing. And even if people don't, I don't care. The people that matter know."