Priaulx clinches world championship hat-trick

Reuters

Briton Andy Priaulx driving his white BMW at the 2007 FIA World Touring Car Championship in Macau yesterday.

Briton Andy Priaulx won a third successive world touring car title yesterday, steering his BMW to victory on the 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.

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.