FIVE FACTS:

Best of the best: With more titles (four), wins (48), poles (29), fastest laps (38) and laps led (571), Muller is the most successful driver in FIA World Touring Car Championship history.

A family affair: Muller followed in the wheel tracks of older sister Cathy by going racing, while her son and his nephew, Yann Ehrlacher, is his Lynk & Co-powered team-mate in WTCR.

Ice is not always nice: After making it 10 titles in the Andros Trophy ice racing series, Muller was effectively banned for continuing in the series he’d dominated for many winters.

Mr Versatile: As well as being an accomplished circuit racer – he took the British F2 crown in 1992 – Muller’s CV also lists Dakar and World Rally Championship outings, while his touring car career has included stints in France, Germany, Italy and the UK.

Did you know? Had he not tried motorsport for size Muller admits he would have joined the family haulage business, meaning trucking’s loss was very much touring car racing’s gain.

CAREER SO FAR:

1988: 3 (3 wins), French Formula Renault Championship

1989: 3, French Formula 3 Championship (Martini-VW)

1990: 6 (1 win), French F3 (Ralt-Alfa Romeo)

1991: 7 (best result 2), French F3 (Reynard-Alfa Romeo)

1992: 1 (4 wins), British Formula 2 Championship (Reynard-Cosworth)

1993: 17 (best result 5), Formula 3000 Championship

1994: 3 (2 wins), French Super Touring Championship (BMW 318is)

1995: 1 (9 wins), French Super Touring (BMW 318is)

1996: 4 (best result 2), Italian Super Touring Championship (Audi A4 Quattro); 1, Andros Trophy (BMW 318i Compact)

1997: 7 (best result 4), German Super Touring Cup (Audi A4); 1, Andros Trophy (BMW 318i Compact); 1, 24 Hours of Chamonix (BMW Z3)

1998: 7 (best result 2), British Touring Car Championship (Audi A4 Quattro); 1, Andros Trophy (Opel Tigra)

1999: 6 (1 win), BTCC (Vauxhall Vectra); 1, Andros Trophy (Opel Tigra)

2000: 4 (3 wins), BTCC (Vauxhall Vectra); 1, Andros Trophy (Opel Astra)

2001: 2 (10 wins), BTCC (Vauxhall Astra); 1, Andros Trophy (Opel Astra); 1 win, European Super Touring Championship (Alfa Romeo 156)

2002: 2 (5 wins), BTCC (Vauxhall Astra); 1, Andros Trophy (Opel Astra)

2003: 1 (6 wins), BTCC (Vauxhall Astra); 1, 24 Hours of Chamonix (SEAT Cordoba)

2004: 2 (5 wins), BTCC (Vauxhall Astra); 1, Andros Trophy (Kia Rio)

2005: 2 (6 wins), BTCC (Vauxhall Astra); 1, Andros Trophy (Kia Rio)

2006: 4 (1 win), World Touring Car Championship (SEAT León); 1, Andros Trophy (Kia Rio)

2007: 2 (2 wins), WTCC (SEAT León/León TDi)

2008: 1 (3 wins), WTCC (SEAT León TDi)

2009: 2 (4 wins), WTCC (SEAT León TDi)

2010: 1 (3 wins), WTCC (Chevrolet Cruze)

2011: 1 (8 wins), WTCC (Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T)

2012: 3 (9 wins), WTCC (Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T)

2013: 1 (7 wins), WTCC (Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T)

2014: 2 (4 wins), WTCC (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC)

2015: 2 (6 wins), WTCC (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC)

2016: 2 (1 win), WTCC (Citroën C-Elysée WTCC)

2017: 15 (best result 6), WTCC (Volvo S60 Polestar)

2018: 2 (3 wins), WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup presented by OSCARO (Hyundai i30 N TCR)

2019: 3 (4 wins), WTCR (Lynk & Co 03 TCR)