Q & A with Andy Priaulx

And when, in the opening stages of race one, Muller was walking away with the race and Priaulx was stuck in 11th, it looked like the championship was indeed heading to SEAT.

But a penultimate lap fuel pump failure for Muller forced him out, and then a collision between Augusto Farfus and Gabriele Tarquini, turned the championship on its end and left the way clear for Priaulx to take an unprecedented third world title in a row - and his fourth championship after clinching the European Touring Car title in 2004.

Autosport.com caught up with Priaulx on Sunday evening, prior to the Briton partying the night away at BMW's end of season celebration in Macau.

Q. What is the feeling now you are world champion?

Andy Priaulx: The feeling is different to previous years. We came to Macau as the challenger, and we knew that we were relying on bad luck from the other manufacturer to make it possible. But at the end of the day we still had to build a car that was quick enough to win, we still had to build a car that was reliable enough to finish the races. And we still had to be here at the end of the season. We have had to race all year to be here with a chance. What I am most pleased and proud about is that for five years in a row now I have been there at the last race with a chance to win.

Q. You are a very controlled character, but today we saw you crying after you arrived in parc ferme. Does this championship feel more special than the others?

AP: No.

Q. Why the emotions this time then?

AP: I just think it is unbelievable what happened. I knew that we needed to have some luck, and to be honest this year we have had a lot of bad luck. There have been times when we have been in a good position and not finished, and I think the pressure of everything just got to me. I always keep cool, but I had a little thought to myself and that was nice. I am just so proud being in the championship five years in a row, and I've won four titles now (one ETCC, and three WTCC).

We have been on the back foot this year, technically, when you see Chevrolet and SEAT won most of the races. It wasn't possible to win from the front so we had to win from behind.

Q. In the early stages of race one you were stuck in 11th place and appeared unable to make further progress. Did you think the championship was over then?

AP: Yes I did, to be honest. I was relying on a bit of luck, and I have had the door firmly closed in my face all season so I feel it was expected to be honest.

These things go in rhythms. I know you cannot read the future, but I have had situations this year that have been uncontrollable and not allowed me to get the best. If I had finished Brno then I would have come here with a lot more points; and if I finished Monza then I would have come here with a lot more points. I am just proud I've been there all the time. I've not always had the best package but I've managed to finish the races and make it happen.

Q. There were a lot of accidents today, weren't there?

AP: Yeah, it is normal. The last race in Monza I didn't finish, and in both races I was not able to finish. And in Brno I started on the front row but was driven off the road, so it seems the driving standards are determining the championship. The only positive thing for me was that I was out of the pressure spot really, and if I was up in the top eight then maybe I would not have finished the race.

Q. Were you aiming for eighth place in the first race?

AP: Absolutely. Everyone aims for eighth and clearly this year a number of drivers have managed to get into the top eight in the same way. We need to try always to finish the races, so my main focus was to be top eight. That is why I didn't go too mad initially, and I just got into a rhythm - and it happened at the end.

Q. When did you realise that both Yvan Muller and Augusto Farfus were out of race one?

AP: I just got the radio call immediately. It was a very strange feeling actually because I half expected it and I don't know why. I half expected something to happen and it has happened every year. I am sure that they at some point expected me to not be around. What I am proud about is that at no point have I driven anyone off the road this year and I've done my own job in a single car team. Obviously we have had great support from BMW that has enabled me to be competitive, but we made it happen again.

Q. Once you had pole in the second race, was it easy?

AP: No, because James Thompson still had a chance to win the championship. If I made a mistake and he won the race, then I wasn't champion so I had to drive five laps with a lot of pressure. It is so easy to make a mistake around Macau, and if I was slow he would be right behind me. So I had to push quite hard, and I made no mistakes.

Q. You have won everything with BMW Team UK. What is the secret of the team?

AP: Well, I think we drive in a fair way. And we go about our racing in an honest way and we try to work really hard. We are very critical of ourselves and we always look to find a fair advantage. We were lucky to do it, but we made it happen.

Q. Is it going to be possible for anyone to beat you?

AP: Well I think we are fighting the regulations more than the drivers to be honest. If you put a car with such a bid advantage on the track then it is always possible to win. We have come from behind. We fought all year to be up there, we finished races, we've won races when we needed to, we finished races when we needed to - and we managed to make it happen.

Q. You said over the weekend that you believed there were forces that didn't want you to win this year. What do you mean by that?

AP: I just think there has been a very bad energy. I noticed it last year to be honest, but this season 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. There have been races that we have gone to where we have been considerably off the pace, like Monza, and I think it is quite clear that if BMW had gone to Monza with such a big advantage then we would definitely not have carried that advantage into Macau. So there are energies around that just want to see a new winner.

I can understand it in the lot of ways, because it is good for the championship, but I've worked really hard in my career to be here, I've worked extremely hard with the team this year, and the team have worked very hard day and night so they deserve to win it as well. We weren't going to give it up, and we kept our head under pressure.

You cannot say it was a fluke. But we are doing something right to win all these championships. You cannot say winning four in a row is a fluke. Maybe you can say this one was lucky, but I've also had a lot of bad luck in my career and a lot of bad luck this year. But we ended up as champion at the end of the day and we didn't have the best package.

Q. You do have a lot of supporters as well though, don't you?

AP: Away from this championship there have been 60,000 people tuned in in Guernsey. And I've had so many good text messages and emails. I know there is a lot of good will out there, but I know this has been a cooking pot this year. I can see it on people's faces that they didn't want me to win it, and they hate the fact that I have done it again.

It happened with Michael Schumacher in F1, and you have just got to rise above it. At the end of the day I could easily have made a mistake and not finished. I could have easily over defended and crashed. I could have easily put a wheel down the inside and locked up, and I didn't do it. I feel that that is something I can be proud of. Four in a row is also more important.

Q. In the long term, what other touring car mountains are there for you to conquer?

AP: I think my future is clearly with BMW, and they will decide what to do. And if the regulations keep swinging against them, then I would not like to guess what they are going to do. I am enjoying the WTCC. It is a fantastic championship, you race against some of the best touring car drivers in the world. It is a real pleasure to win races at this level because you know the grid is so tight and you are beating some big names of the past and the future, and when you do well you feel you are doing very well.

Q. Motor racing is having a bit of a boom in popularity in the UK on the back of the interest surrounding Lewis Hamilton. Do you think this world title will finally give you the recognition you deserve?

AP: It might happen, but I am not expecting miracles. To be honest, I have got an inner happiness. I have got a lovely family, two great kids and a great job. Sometimes you get recognition when you don't deserve it and sometimes it just goes with the flow and rhythm of what people think. So if I deserve the recognition then I will take it with a big smile. But if not I will just carry on with my job.

Q. But you have achieved what Lewis didn't by becoming a world champion. Does that make you proud?

AP: Yes, but James Toseland has been fantastic this season, John McGuinness has won the Isle of Mann TT - and these are names you don't hear a lot about in the press. It is often what you are driving in what formula you are driving that makes the difference. But hopefully after four world titles, it might mean something to Britain.

Q. Do you think BMW can bridge the gap to the diesels?

AP: Not with the current engine, no. Because we are dealing with variable performance. So what is the level? Is it the level of free practice one, or the level of qualifying? It changes. It is just not cricket, as they say.

Q. So do you think you need a diesel engine?

AP: We must have. I will be pushing BMW for a turbo charged diesel engine for the first race. Unfortunately we could see a diesel championship next year which means you will hear nothing, because they make no noise at all, and it will look pretty slow - which is a shame for touring cars. Part of the attraction with touring cars is noise of beautiful two-litre engines screaming.