Duncan Huisman joins BMW Team Italy-Spain in the FIA WTCC.

2006 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) Duncan Huisman joins BMW
Team Italy-Spain in the FIA WTCC. Munich, 14th June 2006. Prior to
races nine and ten of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in
Curitiba, BMW Team Italy-Spain is introducing Duncan Huisman (NLD) as
its new driver. In Brazil, the 34-year-old will battle for World
Championship points behind the wheel of the BMW 320si WTCC for the first
time. Huisman replaces Marcel Costa (ESP), who competed for the team of
Roberto Ravaglia (ITA) in the first eight races of the season. "I
am very happy to be able to welcome Duncan to our team," Ravaglia
commented on the signing of Huisman. "He will add a lot of Touring
Car experience to the team. That is why I am convinced he will be a
great help in ideally utilising the potential of the car." Huisman
is also looking forward to his first appearance in the new BMW 320si
WTCC and says: "I am very happy that BMW Team Italy-Spain has
given me the opportunity to return to the World Touring Car
Championship. I will meet the team on the Adria Raceway in Italy for
the first time this week, for the seat fitting and a first set-up of
the car. Together with BMW Team Germany, we will then travel to
Budapest for some tests, and I can't wait for it to happen. The car
looks fantastic and has already proved it is very competitive in the
World Championship races so far. " Huisman competed in two WTCC
races last year in the BMW 320i. Alongside World Champion Andy Priaulx
(GBR), he entered the Macau event for BMW Team Holland and immediately
recorded a win in the second race. This was, however, not the first
time the experienced driver won the legendary "Guia Race".
Huisman triumphed on the narrow city circuit in 2001, 2002 and 2003. No
other driver has won in Macau more times than that. Huisman also left a
lasting impression on the European Touring Car Championship. In 2003, he
claimed victory in the Independents' Trophy in the BMW 320i of Team
Carly Motors. In his career so far, Huisman has also collected
countless titles in national racing series. Among other things, he has
won the Dutch Touring Car Championship three times. In addition,
Huisman proved he is a universal motorsport talent by showing good
performances in long distance races. In 2005, he entered the
Nürburgring 24 Hours for Team BMW Motorsport for the second time
in a row and, together with his team-mates Priaulx, Boris Said (USA) and
Pedro Lamy (PRT), recorded BMW's 18th overall victory. In the current
season, Huisman has so far competed in the Swedish Touring Car
Championship, where he will continue to race in a BMW 320i.
Nevertheless, he is now focussed on celebrating a good debut
performance for BMW Team Italy-Spain. Huisman will enter his first race
at the "Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba" on 2nd
July, when the World Touring Car Championship makes its first appearance
this year outside Europe.