Reigning European Touring Car Champion and leading Brit in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, Andy Priaulx, experienced his first taste of the Orient this week ahead of the 52nd Macau Grand Prix next weekend (20 Nov).

Guernsey-born Priaulx encountered a traditional Chinese Dancing dragon in the heart of London's Chinatown as he prepares for the final race of the season. Revered as a sign of auspiciousness, he hopes it will bestow its good fortune and bolster his luck ahead of the final WTCC round as he goes in search of World Championship glory.  If successful, Priaulx will be the only British four-wheeled world champion of 2005.

Priaulx, who is looking to steer his BMW 320i to Championship victory in Macau, is currently only one point shy of series leader, BMW Germany's Dirk Muller. 

Priaulx knows it will be close predicting that, as in 2004, it will probably go down to the last corner.

He commented: "All year the racing has been tight and last year it went down to the final corner of the final race and I can't see it being any different this time round.  Everyone will need every ounce of good luck and hopefully my own personal dragon will have worked its magic and I'll be returning as world champion."