The tight and twisty street circuit of Macau welcomed the World Touring Car Championship, as Yvan Muller sought his maiden World Driver's title. His main rival, and team mate, Gabriele Tarquini knew that luck would have to be on his side if he was to overcome Muller's lead.

Yvan Muller has won the 2008 World Touring Car Championship for the first time. After narrowly losing out in the 2007 championship to Andy Priaulx, the Frenchman has been in inspired form throughout the year. He clinched the title with a third place finish in the first race at the Macau Grand Prix.

After taking a gallant victory at Bathurst, and a clean sweep of race wins on the Gold Coast Team Vodafone's Jamie Whincup was hoping to carry his excellent form on to the sole flyaway race of the season in Bahrain.

The World Rally Championship moved to Japan for the penultimate round of the 2008 championship Sebastien Loeb needed only to finish third to secure his fifth consecutive championship title. To cling onto the now slim title hopes, Mikko Hirvonen needed to win and hope Loeb hit problems and finished out of the points.

The Superleague Formula championship season was still closely fought as the series moved to Italy for the fifth round. Two of the biggest names, and biggest rivalries, in football AS Roma and AC Milan would now be doing battle on the race track in Italy itself, and this would certainly draw huge interest.

Sebastien Loeb has won the 2008 World Rally Championship for a record breaking fifth consecutive year. His title rival Mikko Hirvonen won the Rally of Japan, but Loeb managed to finish a comfortable third, which was enough to see him claim the Driver's Championship.

With the season reaching an exciting climax, the driver's title was still undecided as the World Touring Car Championship moved East to Japan for the penultimate round. Mathematically any of Yvan Muller, Gabriele Tarquini, Andy Priaulx, Rickard Rydell or Rob Huff could take the 2008 title, and all was still to race for.

As the series resumed it's sprint race format, the action moved to the Gold Coast to Surfer's Paradise. Jamie Whincup had made a great leap in his quest for the championship at Bathurst, but Garth Tander was hoping to hit back quickly to regain lost ground.

Following on from success in Zolder, Liverpool and Beijing were battling at the top of the championship standings as the season moved to Estoril. Warm sunny weather greeted the drivers in Portugal, in stark contrast to the damp conditions in Belgium during the previous round.

With only a handful of rallies left in the 2008 season, Sebastien Loeb headed to home soil to continue what he does best, winning rallies and championships. Loeb used to be known as an asphalt specialist, but has since grown on other surfaces, but the bad news for his rivals – he has gotten better and better on asphalt as well.