After two successful race weekends in Monza and Magny-Cours, the BMW national teams head with confidence to Silverstone, which is hosting races five and six of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). So far, the drivers of BMW Team Deutschland have dominated the first World Touring Car Championship to be held since 1987.
At the season opener in Italy, Dirk Müller (GER) - who leads the drivers' rankings - collected 18 world championship points. In France, both race wins went to his team-mate Jörg Müller (GER). With the other BMW drivers busy collecting points in the first four races as well, BMW tops the Constructors' Championship with 65 points ahead of Alfa Romeo (46) and SEAT (33).
At the focus of attention on the 3.619-kilometre Silverstone Circuit will be the reigning European Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx (GBR) of BMW Team UK. The 30-year-old, who ranks third in the world championship with 23 points, is looking forward to his two home races, though he will have a weight handicap of 50 kilos on board his BMW 320i. His fellow BMW-drivers Dirk Müller (50), Jörg Müller (50), and spanish driver Antonio Garcia (35) of BMW Team Italy-Spain will also be carrying an extra load into the weekend's races.
"In my home race I always have a lot of weight on board," says Priaulx. "It was the same at Donington in 2004. As for the weather, anything's possible in Silverstone. I hope that I can put in a good performance in the wet. If it's dry it's a case of picking up as many points as possible. I want to win a race soon, but so far we've just been slightly short on speed."In the past, Silverstone has twice hosted races in the European Touring Car Championship. The WTCC will not be held on the Grand Prix Circuit, however, but on the shorter International Circuit, though that also offers the challenging mix of slow, medium and fast sections typical of Silverstone.
And there's another reason why Priaulx is keyed up about the races at his home track: "I spent a long time at Silverstone as an instructor. That's why it really is my second home. My wife Jo and I lived there in a caravan for almost a year when my career as a racing driver was just starting. I love this place," he says.
Priaulx gained an added incentive for the WTCC in the Nüburgring 24 Hour Race this past weekend. Together with Pedro Lamy (PRT), Duncan Huisman (NLD) and Boris Said (USA) he claimed victory in the Eifel with the BMW M3 GTR. The second GT sports car driven by Dirk Müller, Jörg Müller and Hans-Joachim Stuck (GER) was second to cross the finishing line. Next to the three WTCC drivers, BMW Team Deutschland's team manager Charly Lamm was also busy at the Nordschleife. The seasoned strategist led Team BMW Motorsport to their second clean sweep in two years in this endurance classic. It was a first in the history of motor sport.
Schedule / UK-time:Saturday, 14th May 200509.00 - 09.30 hrs 1st free practice11.30 - 12.00 hrs 2nd free practice14.15 - 14.45 hrs Qualifying
Sunday, 15th May 200509.20 - 09.35 hrs Warm-up14.10 - 14.35 hrs 1st race - 14 laps (50.67 km)15.15 - 16.40 hrs 2nd race - 14 laps (50.67 km)
Racing calendar FIA WTCC 2005Date Race10th April Monza, Italy 1st May Magny-Cours, France 15th May Silverstone, Great Britain29th May Imola, Italy26th June Puebla, Mexico30th July Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium28th August Oschersleben, Germany 18th September Istanbul, Turkey 2nd October Valencia, Spain20th November Macau, China
