Paul Jouffreau and Yvan Muller had a colossal battle for the final podium position in Round 2 at Valencia – Jouffreau came out on top after finding a gap in Muller’s rock solid defense
- Paul Jouffreau and touring car legend Yvan Muller engaged in a lengthy battle in Spain
- Jouffreau and Muller swapped positions back-and-forth several times
- The battle will surely feature among the highlights of the 2025 NASCAR Euro Series season
The NASCAR GP Spain at Circuit Ricardo Tormo saw a fantastic duel between two generations of drivers in PRO Round 2. RDV Competition’s 21-year old star Paul Jouffreau found himself involved in a lengthy battle with 55-year old legend Yvan Muller for the final spot on the podium. The two traded positions numerous times before Jouffreau made the decisive move with just three laps to go and the battle immediately earned a spot in the 2025 NASCAR Euro Series season highlights.
Jouffreau started Round 2 from the front row alongside Thomas Krasonis, with Muller lining up just behind in fourth. At the start, the driver of the #34 M Racing Chevrolet Camaro slotted between Jouffreau and Vittorio Ghirelli as they entered the first corner. Jouffreau was forced wide but managed a strong exit and appeared poised to challenge both Muller and Krasonis, until he missed his braking point at the second corner, dropping him down to fifth.
After regaining fourth place following Martin Doubek’s early retirement, Jouffreau engaged in a prolonged nose-to-tail battle with Muller. The Frenchman struggled to find a way past Muller’s solid defense, with his options further limited by an engine issue aboard the #3 Ford Mustang. The 21-year-old made several attempts in the last corner, but each time Muller managed to find just enough pace to retake the position.
Eventually, Muller’s defenses failed with just three laps to go. Jouffreau sent his RDV Competition machine on the inside at turn 6 and found the momentum he needed to complete the move in the next braking zone at turn 8. Muller valiantly tried to keep his place on the outside, but he was unable to and therefore had to settle for fourth place under the checkered flag.
“I did not have a good start and was forced to go really wide by Yvan Muller,” said Jouffreau on his view of the duel with Muller. “He didn’t leave the room, so that’s why I was so wide. Afterwards I missed the braking point because I didn’t know where the opponents were. We had some really bad issues with the engine, I was losing so much on the straight. That’s why I was forced to dive bombing my opponents from nowhere because it was my only chance to overtake them. I wanted to take a good exit and they were way faster than me on the end of the straight. I’m happy with that P3, nice battle at the end with Yvan Muller but we have something to change in the car.”
The duel between two drivers from different generations captured the essence of what makes pure racing so thrilling to watch. While Muller did not comment directly on his battle with Jouffreau, he praised the competition in EuroNASCAR, describing the battles as “hard but fair, as racing should be.” His words highlighted that drivers of all backgrounds and ages can find enjoyment and success in the official European NASCAR championship. Jouffreau now looks forward to the NASCAR GP Italy on May 17-18, being sure that the experience gained from his duel with Muller will help him in the battle for the NASCAR Euro Series title.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Nina Weinbrenner
