ETCC - Rounds 13 & 14 - Spa-Francorchamps - Preview

FIA European Touring Car Championship
Round 7 - Spa Francorchamps, Belgium, 30/31 July 2004
BMW FIA ETCC Drivers Prepare for a Busy Weekend at Spa

Munich, 26 July, 2004. The Spa-Francorchamps weekend promises to be exciting
and busy for the BMW FIA ETCC drivers as five of them will be taking part in
not only the two races in the championship, but also the 24 Hours of Spa.

This unique double header will see them swapping the BMW 320i for the more
powerful BMW M3 GTR less than two hours after the finish of the second of their
two eight lap races. However, the drivers do not feel this will be a big
problem and are relishing the chance to drive both cars, which will require
totally different driving techniques, in the same weekend.
The drivers who will be doing both are BMW Team Great Britain's championship
leader Andy Priaulx (GBR), BMW Team Belgium Luxembourg's local driver Kurt
Mollekens (BEL), BMW Team Italy-Spain's Antonio Garcia (ESP) and the BMW Team
Deutschland drivers Jörg Müller (GER) and Dirk Müller (GER) who will share the
M3 GTR with Hans-Joachim Stuck (GER). This means the only BMW national team
driver who can leave the track on Saturday afternoon is BMW Team Italy-Spain's
Alex Zanardi (ITA).

BMW Motorsport Director Theissen, who has resolved to personally attend both
races at Spa, says this: "The dual strain which this event puts on the drivers
and team is huge. A marathon of this kind is an incredible sporting and
technical challenge - it is team sport under extreme conditions. It's a matter
of speed, teamwork, strategy and reliability. I'm convinced we have an
excellent line-up. The drivers are experienced in long-distance racing and with
high-performance GT cars like the BMW M3 GTR. Counterbalancing the double
burden shouldered by the Schnitzer Motorsport team, who are also fielding two
BMW 320i's in the ETCC as BMW Team Deutschland, is their experience of five
victories at Spa."

It goes without saying the Spa 'expert' is Kurt Mollekens. He reckons in his
motorsport career he has raced at the track four or five times a year, and this
will be the eighth successive year he has raced in the 24 hours. Kurt also
feels he will stand his best chance to date of being on an FIA ETCC podium.

"I have tested at Spa in the ETCC car and that might be an advantage. Most of
the other circuits we have been to have either been new to me or I have not
been there for seven or eight years, and this has proved an handicap," he said.
It is difficult to find a driver who does not think Spa is one of the best
tracks in the world and Kurt is among these: "It is one of the few circuits
where they have retained the quick corners which are challenging. I
particularly like Blanchimont and Raidillon. I think it is a BMW circuit
because our car is good in high speed corners. Andy was very quick there last
year, claiming pole and winning race two, and I would expect us to be quick
there again this year."

The teams also head there with BMW and its drivers still leading all the
championship categories. In the drivers it is Andy Priaulx, fresh from his win
in the last race in Donington, in front with 72 points from Dirk Müller with 68
and Jörg Müller with 65.

The BMW drivers have won eight of the 12 races and this is reflected in the
Manufacturers' Championship point as the marque leads with 176 points with Alfa
Romeo second with 123 and SEAT third with 46. Dutch BMW 320i driver Tom Coronel
(Carly Motors) has won the Independents' Trophy class in half the races so he
leads this points table with 96 from Salvatore Tavano with 61 and Alessandro
Balzan 59.

The on track action starts on Saturday and the schedule for the FIA ETCC and
the 24 Hours of Spa is as follows:
Thursday, 29 July 11.00 - 12.30 - 24 Hours Free Practice 1
15.15 - 16.45 - 24 Hours Free
Practice 2
20.30 - 21.30 - 24 Hours
Qualifying Night Session 1
22.00 - 23.30 - 24 Hours Qualifying Night
Session 2
Friday, 30 July 09.00 - 09.30 - FIA ETCC Free Practice 1
11.50 - 12.20 - FIA ETCC Free
Practice 2
12.35 - 13.20 - Spa 24 Hours
Qualifying 3
15.25 - 15.55 - FIA ETCC
Qualifying
Saturday, 31 July 08.00 - 08.15 - FIA ETCC Warm Up
08.15 - 08.30 - 24 Hours Warm Up
12.42 - FIA ETCC Race 1 - 8 laps
(55.744km)
13.52 - FIA ETCC Race 2 - 8 laps
(55.744km)
16.00 - 24 Hours of Spa

Press Contacts:
Heike Bartsch, BMW Corporate Affairs, Motorsport, mobile +49 (0)172 8485998,
heike.bartsch@bmw.de

Ann Bradshaw, race press officer, mobile +44 (0) 7713 317006,
annbradshaw@tiscali.co.uk