24-Hour-Race Nürburgring - Bulletin 4

The two BMW M3 GTRs of Team BMW Motorsport experienced differing
fortunes during the night. While the GT sports car with drivers Pedro
Lamy (POR), Duncan Huisman (NLD), Andy Priaulx (GBR), Boris Said (USA)
has been leading the long distance classic since lap 90, Dirk
Müller (GER), Jörg Müller (GER), Hans-Joachim Stuck
(GER) had to fight their way back up the timesheets from 14th after a
long pit stop. Currently last year's winners are fourth. On lap 61
Jörg Müller headed into the pit lane while second. The crew,
under the guidance of Team Manager, Charly Lamm, discovered a clutch
problem, and the part was changed. The BMW M3 GTR lost 70 valuable
minutes while in the pits, and at the time it looked as though it had
said good bye to its chances of fighting for the lead. Between them
Dirk Müller, Stuck and Jörg Müller spent the next four
hours driving the 500bhp car back to fourth place. Currently it is
Jörg Müller at the wheel, and he is still working hard to
regain lost ground. The car number 2 BMW M3 GTR ran trouble free with
only a scheduled brake disc change necessary. Lamy/Huisman/Priaulx/Said
benefited due to their team-mates' pit stop. They initially moving up
to second, and then, when the Porsche 911 GT3-MR (Car No 46) stopped
shortly after 6am at the Bergwerk section, the quartet's car took the
lead. Before that Huisman and Lamy had consolidated their second
position with consistent lap times. Since lap 89 it has been the
reigning European Touring Car Champion, Priaulx, back at the wheel of
the leading car number 2. Charly Lamm (Team Manager, Team BMW
Motorsport): "A turbulent night lies behind us, with many highs
and lows, which is typical in motorsport. We cannot predict the outcome
of the race from our current positions, as we have still got eight long
hours ahead of us."