The FIA officially crowned the 2007 FIA World Touring Car champions at a star-studded event in Monaco. It was a fitting finalé to another exciting season, with six drivers, representing the four different manufacturers, heading into the final round of the season with the chance to win the championship.
In the end, Andy Priaulx’s championship-winning experience served him well and he claimed his third world title in three years.
Andy Priaulx said:
“I can’t believe I’m here again to be crowned FIA World Touring Car champion. The season was very tough. I knew I needed something special to retain the title and I am proud that I got to the last round with a chance. You need luck to win the championship but you also need to be there to take that luck.
“In Macau, the pressure was incredibly high over the course of the weekend and I need to thank my team for giving me the motivation. They gave me a quick and reliable car throughout the whole season and that was a key factor in winning the championship.”
The 2007 Manufacturers Championship was the closest yet, with BMW snatching victory at the last race. But the fact that every manufacturer was victorious in at least one race this season is testament to the high level of competition.
BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen collected the award on behalf of his team. He said:
“It has certainly been the most competitive season so far. We were in a difficult situation when we arrived at Macau because we had to be defensive. However, Macau always brings something special and we pushed until the chequered flag. Nobody could have expected what happened but our drivers took all the chances and it paid off.”
