Yvan Muller and Tom Chilton will race Independent Chevrolet Cruzes for RML, the team have announced today as they prepare to defend their World Champions status.

Muller returns for his fourth campaign at the wheel of the Chevrolet Cruze and will be looking to reclaim the title while joining the team for his second season in the WTCC is former Team Aon driver and 2011 British Touring Car Championship Independent Champion, Tom Chilton.

“I’m very fired-up for the new season and highly motivated to challenge for the title again,” explains the triple Champion.

“I have been with RML for four years and I am very happy to continue our long association.  I have the highest respect for the RML team and a lot of faith in their ability to prepare and race a winning car.  For sure we’ll be mixing it with the works teams. Bring it on!”

Chilton heads into his second season in the WTCC, after a tough maiden season at the wheel of the Arena Motorsport built Ford Focus. He finished the 2012 campaign 22^nd overall, having scored points during the Moroccan and Slovakian rounds.

“2013 is looking very exciting for me,” adds Chilton. “Last year was a real learning curve, both in terms of getting used to a new championship and in quickly adapting to new circuits.

“So now I have that experience, my target for this year is to be competitive from the start and to focus on consistent podium-worthy performance.  RML is a top team and I really can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the Cruze – I know there’ll be a lot to learn quickly but I believe I’ll be with one of the best teams to teach me.”

For the first time since the team joined the WTCC, they will be running an Independent outfit having run the Chevrolet works package since 2005, and the announcement made last year marked the end of the partnership.

“Our partnership with Chevrolet reached a natural conclusion and whilst we are immensely proud of what we achieved on the track and for Chevrolet, time moves on and we are treating this as a whole new challenge,” explains Ray Mallock, Chief Executive at RML.

“The competition in the WTCC remains formidable and we do not underestimate the scale of the challenge ahead of us, particularly as we will have very limited pre-season testing.”

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