ETCC - Rounds 13 and 14 - Spa-Francorchamps - Race

BMW Drivers Entertain and Win in Spa

Spa-Francorchamps, 31 July 2004: The BMW Team Deutschland drivers Dirk Müller
and Jörg Müller not only kept the Spa crowd entertained during the two FIA ETCC
races but also had a win and second place each. Dirk took the spoils in race
one and Jörg in race two. With the exception of Jordi Gené's third place for
SEAT in race one it was a BMW lock out as Antonio Garcia (BMW Team Italy-Spain)
took third in race two.

The consensus of opinion from both the drivers and the spectators was they were
two of the most exciting races seen in the FIA ETCC and they leave the BMW
drivers in even better championship positions. Dirk has now taken the lead back
with 86 points, while Jörg is second on 83 and Andy has dropped down to third
with 81. In the Constructors' Championship BMW is starting to build an
incredible lead with 212 points, while Alfa Romeo is second on 134 and SEAT
third on 54.

Dirk was delighted with how his weekend had gone: "I am really happy and after
yesterday when Jorg showed a strong performance in qualifying I didn't expect
to be able to hold him in the first race. In the first half of the race my car
was brilliant so I pushed like hell and I think that helped me to win. However,
it was hard and tough but fair racing and I think one of the best touring car
races I have ever been in."

Jörg also enjoyed the racing, and was honest about how his team-mate took the
lead in race one: "In the first race Dirk was a bit too close in my mirrors, I
made a mistake so he was able to pass me. In the second race the Alfa was
struggling under braking so I was able to pass Tarquini and then I had a
strange fight with Farfus, which I was not happy with."

RACE 1
Weather: Hot and sunny - 26ºC

Jörg Müller got the perfect start from pole and led the first lap with Dirk
behind him and Andy third, having been able to get by the SEAT of Jordi Gené.
However, behind them there was chaos as the cars left the grid with Alex
Zanardi (BMW Team Italy-Spain) being pushed into the barrier after being hit by
the Alfa Romeo of Fabrizio Giovanardi. "They all wanted my bit of tarmac," he
commented. This accident also saw the SEAT of Rickard Rydell damaged and the
organisers gave Kurt Mollekens (BMW Team Belgium-Luxembourg) a drive through
penalty for causing what they considered an avoidable accident, although he
defended himself vehemently as he said all his damage was due to cars hitting
him from behind. On lap two the lead changed when Dirk passed his team-mate,
and stayed there until the chequered flag. Andy also had a skirmish with Jörg,
which saw him take to the grass. The front four formed a close train with never
more than fractions of a second separating any two drivers. Starting behind the
German Production Championship cars didn't seem to present Tom Coronel with too
many problems as he went from 33rd on the grid to 13th at the end of lap one.
However, he could not make up the extra places so the Independents class was
won by Salvatore Tavano in his Alfa Romeo.

RACE 2
Weather: Same as race one, hot and sunny 26ºc

It was the Alfa Romeo of Agusto Farfus Jr that started the race from pole and
from the moment the lights went out he was in the limelight for the wrong
reasons. He squeezed Antonio Garcia onto the grass as the cars left the grid,
receiving a caution via a black and white flag for his behaviour. However, when
he blatantly pushed Jörg onto the grass later in the race he was immediately
given a drive through penalty. This meant that at the end of lap four Jörg was
able to take the lead. Dirk was storming through the field from seventh on the
grid and by lap five it was the two BMW Team Deutschland cars in front again.
Antonio also had a great drive into third claiming afterwards that his car was
so strong he felt he could have won the race. Andy made a good start but
dropped back after flat spotting his tyres on the first lap. Tom Coronel made
the most of the places he gained in race one and not only won the Independents
trophy class but also finished sixth.

Results and Positions

BMW Team Deutschland - Schnitzer Motorsport
No 42 - Jörg Müller (GER) Qual 1st - Race 1 - 2nd - Race 2 - 1st - 10
kilos ballast
No 43 - Dirk Müller (GER) Qual 3rd - Race 1 - 1st - Race 2 - 2nd - 20
kilos ballast

BMW Team Great Britain - RBM
No 11 - Andy Priaulx (GBR) Qual 4th - Race 1 - 4th - Race 2 - 5th - 40
Kilos ballast

BMW Team Belgium Luxembourg - RBM
No 12 - Kurt Mollekens (NLD) Qual 9th - Race 1 - 18th - Race 2 - 7th

BMW Team Italy-Spain - Ravaglia Motorsport
No 4 - Alex Zanardi (ITA) Qual 11th - Race 1 - DNF - Race 2 - 16th
No 5 - Antonio Garcia (ESP) Qual 5th - Race 1 - 6th - Race 2 - 3rd

BMW Privateer Teams
Carly Motors - No 20 - Tom Coronel (NLD) Qual 25th - Race 1 - 14th - Race 2 -
6th
Carly Motors - No 21 - Paulien Zwart (NLD) Qual 23rd - Race 1 - DNF - Race 2 -
DNF
Proteam M/sport - No 25 - Stefano D'Aste (ITA) Qual 17th - Race 1 - DNF -
Race 2 - DNS
Crawford Racing - No 27 - Carl Rosenblad (SWE) Qual 14th - Race 1 - 12 th
- Race 2 - 9th
The qualifying positions are for FIA ETCC and do not take account of the grid
positions of the German Production Car Championship entries.

Race 1 - 7 laps (an aborted start meant the race distance was reduced by one
lap)
1. Dirk Müller (GER/BMW 320i) 18m 08.742s.
2. Jörg Müller (GER/BMW 320i) 18m 09.050s
3. Jordi Gené (ESP/SEAT) 18m 10.215s
4. Andy Priaulx (GBR/BMW 320i) 18m 10.517s
5. Gabriele Tarquini (ITA/Alfa Romeo) 18m 10.677s
6. Antonio Garcia (ESP/BMW 320i) 18m 17.024s
7. Frank Diefenbacher (GER/SEAT) 18m 17.841s
8. Augusto Farfus Jr (BAR/Alfa Romeo) 18m 17.924s

Race 2 - 8 laps
1. Jörg Müller (GER/BMW 320i) 20m 48.010s
2. Dirk Müller (GER/BMW 320i) 20m 49.441s.
3. Antonio Garcia (ESP/BMW 320i) 20m 50.481s
4. Gabriele Tarquini (ITA/Alfa Romeo) 20m 51.606s
5. Andy Priaulx (GBR/BMW 320i) 20m 52.886s
6. Tom Coronel (NLD/BMW 320i) 20m 55.516s
7. Kurt Mollekens (BEL/BMW 320i) 20m 55.895s
8. James Thompson (GBR/Alfa Romeo) 20m 56.369s

Championship Positions - Drivers
1. Müller D 86
2. Müller J 83
3. Priaulx 81
4. Tarquini 66
5. Giovanardi 46
6. Garcia 43
7. Farfus 29
8. Gené 23
9. Diefenbacher 19
10. Coronel 19
11. Thompson 17
12. Rydell 13
13. Mollekens 9
14. Rangoni 5
15. Tavano 3
15. Zanardi 3
17. D'Aste 1

Manufacturers
1. BMW 212, 2. Alfa Romeo 134, 3. SEAT 54.

Michelin Independents Trophy
1. Coronel 110
2. Tavano 76
3. Balzan 73
4. D'Aste 54
5. Rangoni 52
6. Rosenblad 49
7. Bartyan 44
8. Harrision 23
9. Ruokonen 23
10. Asch 11
11. Grunert 9
12. Klenke 8
13. Zwart P 7
14. Zwart K 3
15. Sardelli 1

Contacts: Heike Bartsch, BMW Press, mobile +49 172 8485998,
heike.bartsch@bmw.de
Ann Bradshaw, race press officer, mobile +44 (0) 7713 317006,
annbradshaw@tiscali.co.uk
Press information and pictures are available to download from www.press.bmw.com