WTCC: Three BMW drivers qualify for top-ten grid positions in Imola.

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   Three BMW drivers qualify for top-ten grid positions in Imola.
		      20-09-2008 Press Release

Imola,
20th September 2008. In qualifying for the 17th round of the FIA World
Touring Car Championship, BMW Team Germany�s J�rg M�ller (DE) was the
quickest driver in the ranks of the BMW national teams. He set a
personal best time of 1:55,226 minutes at Imola�s �Autodromo Enzo e
Dino Ferrari�, claiming eighth on the grid for the first of the two
sprint races held on Sunday. SEAT�s Rickard Rydell (SE) was 0.465
seconds quicker and claimed pole position at the 4.909-kilometre
circuit.

M�ller�s team-mate, Augusto Farfus (BR), and BMW Team UK�s Andy
Priaulx (GB) share the fifth row of the grid after qualifying ninth and
tenth respectively. Local hero Alessandro Zanardi (IT) had to make do
with 12th. His fellow BMW Team Italy-Spain driver, F�lix Porteiro (ES),
finished 15th on the timesheets. 

�The free practice sessions gave us an idea of what to expect from
the front-wheel driven cars here in Imola,� said M�ller following the
30-minute session. �This is a circuit where power and torque are
essential, and the SEAT diesels especially have plenty of that.
However, we should look stronger over the race distance. But the
crucial question is, will we have a chance to overtake. It will
certainly be tough.�

In what was the first qualifying session of any FIA World
Championship following the extensive renovations of the classic
circuit, many drivers were struggling with the relatively slippery
conditions. �Today it was difficult for all of us to find a perfect lap
due to the low grip level,� commented Farfus. �In addition, handicap
weight has a major impact at this track. I carry 68 kilograms this
weekend � so I should be happy with this result. Who knows what might
happen in the second race tomorrow, considering the reversed grid.�

During most of the session, Priaulx had problems with the radio, so
was not able to keep in close contact with Team Principal Bart Mampaey
(BE). However, the triple World Champion identified other reasons for
not qualifying further up the grid. He said: �I knew fairly early on it
didn�t look like it was going to be a BMW weekend. There are too many
kerbs for our car and you just cannot get on the power. However, at
least I�m not too far away from P8.�

Race one at the �Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari� will start on
Sunday at 12:20hrs (11:20hrs BST), the second race will get underway at
15:35hrs (15:35hrs BST). The two rounds will be televised by Eurosport.
The rounds will also be streamed live on the internet, at
www.bmw-motorsport.com. 

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kbannon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group E39 525i Sport Individual Joined: 09-October-2002 Location: 64 Zoo Lane Status: Offline Points: 15508	Post Options Post Reply Quote kbannon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: WTCC: Three BMW drivers qualify for top-ten grid positions in Imola. Posted: 20-September-2008 at 21:39
	Three BMW drivers qualify for top-ten grid positions in Imola. 20-09-2008 Press Release Imola, 20th September 2008. In qualifying for the 17th round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, BMW Team Germany�s J�rg M�ller (DE) was the quickest driver in the ranks of the BMW national teams. He set a personal best time of 1:55,226 minutes at Imola�s �Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari�, claiming eighth on the grid for the first of the two sprint races held on Sunday. SEAT�s Rickard Rydell (SE) was 0.465 seconds quicker and claimed pole position at the 4.909-kilometre circuit. M�ller�s team-mate, Augusto Farfus (BR), and BMW Team UK�s Andy Priaulx (GB) share the fifth row of the grid after qualifying ninth and tenth respectively. Local hero Alessandro Zanardi (IT) had to make do with 12th. His fellow BMW Team Italy-Spain driver, F�lix Porteiro (ES), finished 15th on the timesheets. �The free practice sessions gave us an idea of what to expect from the front-wheel driven cars here in Imola,� said M�ller following the 30-minute session. �This is a circuit where power and torque are essential, and the SEAT diesels especially have plenty of that. However, we should look stronger over the race distance. But the crucial question is, will we have a chance to overtake. It will certainly be tough.� In what was the first qualifying session of any FIA World Championship following the extensive renovations of the classic circuit, many drivers were struggling with the relatively slippery conditions. �Today it was difficult for all of us to find a perfect lap due to the low grip level,� commented Farfus. �In addition, handicap weight has a major impact at this track. I carry 68 kilograms this weekend � so I should be happy with this result. Who knows what might happen in the second race tomorrow, considering the reversed grid.� During most of the session, Priaulx had problems with the radio, so was not able to keep in close contact with Team Principal Bart Mampaey (BE). However, the triple World Champion identified other reasons for not qualifying further up the grid. He said: �I knew fairly early on it didn�t look like it was going to be a BMW weekend. There are too many kerbs for our car and you just cannot get on the power. However, at least I�m not too far away from P8.� Race one at the �Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari� will start on Sunday at 12:20hrs (11:20hrs BST), the second race will get underway at 15:35hrs (15:35hrs BST). The two rounds will be televised by Eurosport. The rounds will also be streamed live on the internet, at www.bmw-motorsport.com.
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kbannon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group E39 525i Sport Individual Joined: 09-October-2002 Location: 64 Zoo Lane Status: Offline Points: 15508	Post Options Post Reply Quote kbannon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21-September-2008 at 22:35
	BMW Team Germany�s J�rg M�ller claims podium finish in Imola. 21-09-2008 Press Release Imola, 21st September 2008. J�rg M�ller (DE) finished second in the 18th round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship. The BMW Team Germany driver crossed the finish line in Imola (IT) behind Honda�s James Thompson (GB) and relegated Robert Huff (Chevrolet, GB) to third. BMW Team UK�s Andy Priaulx (GB) scored two points by coming seventh, while M�ller�s team-mate, Augusto Farfus (BR), took the chequered flag in eighth. In the first race of the day, Farfus and M�ller were the only BMW drivers to collect points by finishing seventh and eighth, with SEAT�s Yvan Muller (FR) securing victory. BMW Team Italy-Spain�s Alessandro Zanardi (IT) missed out on championship points in both races. Following finishing tenth in race one, Zanardi�s team-mate, F�lix Porteiro (ES), was involved in a heavy accident at the start of race two. While accelerating, he crashed into the SEAT of Gabriele Tarquini (GB) who hadn�t moved when the red lights went off. Fortunately both drivers walked away from this incident. With 55 points to his tally, Priaulx remains the best-placed BMW driver in the overall classification. However, the gap to the championship leader Muller increased to 25 points. In the manufacturers� standings, BMW still holds second with 207 points. J�rg M�ller (BMW Team Germany): �I must say I�m really happy with finishing second as I knew it would be nearly impossible to keep James Thompson behind me for long. Therefore I tried to avoid any mistakes and to secure another podium result. It was no big surprise for us to see the competition in such an impressive shape here.� Andy Priaulx (BMW Team UK): �When I look back at the weekend, and especially race one, I feel this was a missed opportunity and I am taking the blame. I could have braked half a second later into the first corner and could have been more aggressive.� Augusto Farfus (BMW Team Germany): �Over the course of the weekend J�rg and I were always the quickest BMW drivers. In the first race we used this to achieve the best possible result. However, at the start of race two I just lost too many positions.� F�lix Porteiro (BMW Team Italy-Spain): �This was quite a heavy crash. My neck is still painful, but overall I�m okay. I had a good start and tried to overtake Yvan Muller on the right-hand side. Then I switched to the left � and suddenly there was this car. I didn�t have a chance to avoid it.� Alessandro Zanardi (BMW Team Italy-Spain): �My poor grid position had a major impact on the outcome of my two races. Today we were faster in the corners than the opposition, but slower on the straights. That�s why it was extremely hard to overtake. In the first race I tried to pass Tiago Monteiro and unfortunately made a mistake.�
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WTCC: Three BMW drivers qualify for top-ten grid positions in Imola.

Three BMW drivers qualify for top-ten grid positions in Imola.

BMW Team Germany�s J�rg M�ller claims podium finish in Imola.