Matton praises "exceptional" drivers as Citroen seals title

Citroen clinched its second consecutive manufacturers’ title after winning both races at the Chinese venue, Jose Maria Lopez winning the first race ahead of Yvan Muller and Sebastien Loeb before Muller came from sixth on the grid to win Race 2.

The double triumph means Citroen Racing has 879 points to its credit, 268 ahead of closest challenger Honda - a gap that cannot be bridged with just two events, Thailand and Qatar, still left in the season.

Matton was of full praise of his drivers for their efforts, saying: “First of all, I would like to thank our drivers for the work they have done and for their sense of fair play.

"Even with the best car and the best team, you can’t achieve these kinds of results without exceptional drivers.

"In particular, I would like to thank Yvan, who was the first to join us and made sure we were ready from the very start of the 2014 season.”

Matton also had words of acknowledgement for the staff back in France, who he considers key for Citroen’s achievement: “When we talk about Citroën Racing, it also includes all the staff at our technical centre.

"You don’t see them on the television, but they are an integral part of this World Championship title.”

Lopez close to retaining drivers' title

Reigning champion Lopez is also a step closer to defending his drivers' crown. The Argentinean leads the standings with 396 points, 75 more than Muller, with Loeb now having fallen out of contention.

With two dates on the calendar left, and 110 points still to be awarded, Lopez would just need to score 35 in order to seal the deal.

As he has eight victories, against five for Yvan Muller, the Frenchman would have to win all four races left in order to resolve a hypothetical tie in his favour.

Tamara Aller / TouringCarTimes