Andy Priaulx, left, in discussion with fellow BMW driver Augusto Farfus in Macau last year. The two will be teammates for the 2010 championship season. (Picture by FIA WTCC, 0926204)

THIS year sees Andy Priaulx having his best chance of regaining the FIA World Touring Car Championship, which gets under way at Curitiba this weekend, since he was last crowned world champion in 2007.

The 35-year-old BMW driver took the honours for three years running from 2005 to 2007.

But the last two championships have seen the Sarnian come up against the might of the Seat 2.0 Turbo Diesels, which have ruled the roost with Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini winning the last two titles.

However, the Spanish car manufacturer announced in January that it was pulling its factory team from the WTCC with immediate effect. This should dent Seat dominance in the field.

Tarquini will still drive a Leon 2.0 TDI in 2010, but for new outfit Sunred, while Muller has gone to Chevrolet.

Meanwhile BMW, having pulled out of Formula One, has streamlined its operation to just two cars, which sees Priaulx have a teammate for the first time in Augusto Farfus.

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