Briton Andy Priaulx won a third successive world touring car title on Sunday, steering his BMW to victory on the twisting streets of Macau in the season finale.
The 33-year-old's championship hopes had looked dead and buried during the first of the day's two races before misfortune for his closest title rival gave the Channel Islander a lifeline which he grasped with both hands.
"I never give up but I knew it needed something special to win this title for the third time," said Priaulx, who won both of his previous titles in the former Portuguese colony.
"We all know you need a bit of luck to win a championship, but also you have to be there to take the luck and today was my lucky day."
A mistake in qualifying had left Priaulx 12th on the grid for the first race and he faced a huge task to see off the five other drivers still challenging for the title race.
Matters got worse when French Seat driver Yvan Muller, equal top of the drivers' standings coming to Macau, quickly took the lead with Priaulx languishing in 11th.
On the final lap, however, Muller's engine suddenly stopped and Priaulx managed to scramble up the field to eighth for a single point and pole position on the reverse grid for the second race.
The Guernsey man then cruised to his third race win of the season to clinch what was effectively a fourth successive title - he won the European touring car title in 2004 before it was transformed into the world championship.
Later on the same circuit, 23-year-old British driver Oliver Jarvis dominated the Formula Three race which is considered a proving ground for most promising of young drivers. Formula One greats Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher are among the many winners of the Macau Grand Prix who went on to succeed at the highest level of motor sport.
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