Macau WTCR: Muller scores back-to-back wins

Muller started fifth, but had dragged his Cyan Racing Lynk & Co into the lead before the end of the opening lap and was not headed thereafter.

The four-time world champion's nephew Yann Ehrlacher led the early reckoning in his Lynk & Co, leading Bjork on the run down to Lisboa while Muller passed the Mulsanne Alfa Romeo of Kevin Ceccon and Esteban Guerrieri (Munnich Motorsport Honda) to run third.

Ehrlacher then moved over on the exit of Maternity Bend at the top of the mountain, letting Bjork and Muller through into first and second, before Muller passed Bjork for the lead.

That position change was not shown on the race broadcast, but Muller indicated in his post-race television interview that he "owed" both Ehrlacher and Bjork.

Bjork stayed in Muller's slipstream for the remaining seven laps but did not challenge his teammate, with Muller adding to his Saturday race win to move to within 20 points of the top of the WTCR standings.

The two leading Lynk & Cos were kept honest by Ceccon, who recorded his second podium finish of the weekend by finishing third, while Guerrieri gave his own title hopes a boost with a gutsy drive to fourth.

The Argentinian briefly occupied third after passing Ehrlacher opportunistically at Lisboa at the start of the second lap, though was easy prey for Ceccon a lap later.

Guerrieri was visibly on the limit in his attempts to keep the rear of his Honda in line, but rebuffed a number of attempted overtakes from the BRC Hyundai of Nicky Catsburg, including a final-lap assault at Mandarin, to secure the position.

Fifth ultimately went the way of Johan Kristoffersson (Sebastien Loeb Racing Volkswagen), ahead of Ehrlacher - who lost a handful of positions when Guerrieri squeezed past him - the fourth Lynk & Co of Andy Priaulx, and Audi drivers Frederic Vervisch and Jean-Karl Vernay.

Catsburg ultimately dropped back after his failed attempt to pass Guerrieri, giving 10th to his points-leading teammate Norbert Michelisz.

The Hungarian lost one position from his 12th-place starting position on the opening lap, but was handed a position early on by teammate Gabriele Tarquini, passed the Volkswagen of Rob Huff soon after, and was promoted one additional position when Catsburg slowed.

Those gains mean Michelisz has an 11-point margin over Guerrieri in the title race, with Muller a further six points back.

Race results:

Cla	#	Driver	Chassis	Laps	Gap
1	100	Yvan Muller	Lynk & Co	8
2	11	Thed Björk	Lynk & Co	8	0.455
3	31	Kevin Ceccon	Alfa Romeo	8	0.932
4	86	Esteban Guerrieri	Honda	8	1.896
5	14	Johan Kristoffersson	Volkswagen	8	5.305
6	68	Yann Ehrlacher	Lynk & Co	8	8.076
7	111	Andy Priaulx	Lynk & Co	8	8.662
8	22	Frederic Vervisch	Audi	8	9.010
9	69	Jean-Karl Vernay	Audi	8	10.222
10	5	Norbert Michelisz	Hyundai	8	11.101
11	1	Gabriele Tarquini	Hyundai	8	11.583
12	88	Nick Catsburg	Hyundai	8	12.712
13	50	Tom Coronel	CUPRA	8	12.908
14	12	Rob Huff	Volkswagen	8	13.925
15	96	Mikel Azcona	CUPRA	8	18.087
16	10	Niels Langeveld	Audi	8	18.589
17	55	Ma Qing Hua	Alfa Romeo	8	19.527
18	18	Tiago Monteiro	Honda	8	20.361
19	29	Nestor Girolami	Honda	8	20.762
20	2	Robert Dahlgren	CUPRA	8	31.614
21	33	Benjamin Leuchter	Volkswagen	8	31.747
22	9	Attila Tassi	Honda	7	1 Lap
	25	Mehdi Bennani	Volkswagen	5	3 Laps
	36	Lo Kai	Audi	5	3 Laps
	6	Luca Engstler	Hyundai	2	6 Laps
	21	Aurelien Panis	CUPRA	1	7 Laps
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