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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">EUROPEAN TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">04/07/2002</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">BMW's reaction to Anderstorp</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">German manufacturer delighted</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/bmwanr.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"><B>First Race Win For BMW</B><BR> <BR> BMW has at last broken the stranglehold Alfa Romeo has had this season on the European Touring Car Championship by winning the second race at Anderstorp. It was the BMW Team Germany car of Jörg Müller that was first across the line, but he was not the only 320i driver on the podium as third was Sweden's Fredrik Ekblom in his BMW Team Belgium car. It was an exciting weekend with a good qualifying performance by the drivers translated into some good results after two very exciting races, with the first one starting on a very wet track and the second finishing on a completely dry one. The weekend was also a good one for BMW Team Spain as Jordi Gene scored its first points of the season. <BR> <BR> <B>BMW Team Germany - Schnitzer Motorsport - Charly Lamm:</B> <BR> It was a fantastic weekend for us. I am especially happy for Jörg. He came from a relatively low grid position and scored a few points in the wet race, which brought him a second row start for the second race. He was then on slick tyres and did everything right. Dirk was unlucky in race one when there was an incident with Giovanardi and the car came in with a broken right front steering rod. The team did a fantastic job to repair it and then Dirk drove in his typical style and got a point. <BR> <BR> <B>Jörg Müller (GER) - Qual - 8th - Race 1 - 4th - Race 2 - 1st:</B> <BR> It was a perfect end to the weekend. It is strange to say but we were struggling with our set up at the beginning of free practice. We changed something on the car and it went completely the wrong direction, so the second free practice was for nothing. I am just happy that we are now back with the right set-up. I am very happy, but we still have to work as if you see the fastest lap times for the Alfas they were a lot quicker than us. They were stuck in traffic at the beginning and this is why I got a big gap with Rickard and then I just got by him on the last lap. It was fun. <BR> <BR> <B>Dirk Müller (GER) - Qual - 6th - Race 1 - DNF - Race 2 - 6th:</B> <BR> I am really disappointed and don't know what to say. It can't believe Giovanardi can bump drivers out like he wants. I left him room but just after turn one he pushed me out and I think the front right steering rod broke. The team did a tremendous job, it is a hell of a team and they got me out for the second race. The fact I got the point was the result of the good work by Schnitzer. Congratulations to Jörg he got the first win for BMW and Schnitzer and I am happy for him. Now let's see what the next race brings.<BR> <BR> <B>BMW Team Belgium - RBM - Bart Mampaey:</B> <BR> We were very disappointed in the first race when Fredrik had a very good start but got a little bit over-motivated in the first corner, missed his braking point, went wide and came back on the track last. He did some very good times to come back from 19th to 11th. In race two he made a brilliant start and proved we had the car to win today. It is racing, mistakes can happen, but Fredrik did a fantastic job in the second race to make up for it. <BR> <BR> <B>Fredrik Ekblom (SWE) - Qual - 5th - Race 1 - 11th - Race 2 - 3rd</B> <BR> In the first race I went a little bit too quick into the first corner, but you have to try hard and sometimes you try a little bit too hard and that is what I did. You learn and you go again. I was dead last and I finished 11th. In race two I made a good start, had some dicing and finally I was in third race and it is fantastic. I don't think this is just because it is my home track, as we have sorted the car and from now on I think the others have to watch out for us. It is a big thank you to the team.<BR> <BR> <B>BMW Team Great Britain - BMW Team Netherlands - Carly Motors/Team Isert - Carly Pellinkhof:</B> <BR> They all had an exciting races today. The drivers were happy with the cars, but with the fights it is more difficult to tell how the set up was. I was hoping to get some points but we are quite happy. <BR> <BR> <B>Peter Kox (NL) - Qual - 10th - Race 1 - 8th - Race 2 - 8th:</B> <BR> The second race was enjoyable, but the first wasn't as I struggled with my car. I think I have found out now that in the race my set-up was too soft. I had a really good start in race two, but lost a position because an Alfa passed me at the end of the straight. I was on the outside and lost the momentum for two or three corners and looked like an idiot because everybody was passing me. That was also when Tom passed me and I had interesting fights with him and Dirk.<BR> <BR> <B>Duncan Huisman (NL) (Team GB) Qual - 16th - Race 1 - 18th - Race 2 - 11th:</B><BR> The first race was okay and for the first six laps I was coming through the field, but then I had no grip anymore. On the penultimate lap Villamil tried to close a gap of 60 metres in one corner and it doesn't work so he pushed me off. I had some damage that had to be repaired for the second race so there was no time to change the set up to the proper one for dry conditions. The car was okay and it was big fun, but I was losing the others in a straight line so perhaps I was running a little bit too much wing. I enjoyed it and hopefully I can be back in Francorchamps and be a bit quicker. <BR> <BR> <B>Tom Coronel (NL) (Team GB) - Qual - 17th - Race 1 - 9th - Race 2 - 7th:</B> <BR> I was really racing out there and had some good fights. It was difficult to come from the back as I started the first race from 17th. In the wet I was really fast, a lot faster than some people in front, so I was hoping it would stay wet but it dried out. I had a bad start in race two as I had to start on the wet line. I had some big fights with the Alfas and the Volvo of Hanson then in the end I had a big fight with De Simone here on the straight. I outbraked him on the inside, he steered in and we touched and I think his left wheel broke. I was running six with one lap to go and then on the straight Dirk overtook me.<BR> <BR> <B>BMW Team Spain - Ravaglia Motorsport - Roberto Ravaglia:</B> <BR> Both drivers have done a really good job. Jordi did a great job in the first race and then unfortunately had a problem with Ferrier in the second race, but then did good lap times. Fabrizio showed he was strong in the race.<BR> <BR> <B>Fabrizio De Simone (ITA) - Qual - 12th - Race 1 - 7th - Race 2 - 14th:</B> <BR> These are the first really good races I have been able to do. I had a good fight with Peter Kox in the first race and passed him on the last lap. In the second race I wanted a dry set-up and had a really good start and was then third. The Alfa got by like it was an airplane and then Fredrik came by really well. I then began to fight with the next group and then two laps from the end I had a battle with Tom Coronel who hit my front left wheel and broke the steering. My race finished there but I am happy as our level was good and the race was hard. <BR> <BR> <B>Jordi Gené (ESP) - Qual - 9th - Race 1 - 5th - Race 2 - 9th:</B> <BR> I am very happy with the weekend. Qualifying was very good, the first race was fantastic and I had a lot of fun as it was full time attack. In the second I made a good start and was not sure whether Ferrier touched me as I had the brake balance wrong and went out at the first hard braking point. I was disappointed as I knew I could do well and this weekend our performance has been going up all the time.</FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>