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BMW twice as victorious in Euro Touring Car championship
Magny-Cours, May 03: Dirk Muller and Andy Priault gave BMW two wins in the French rounds of the Euro Touring Car championship.
Magny-Cours, May 03: Dirk Muller and Andy Priault gave BMW two wins in the French rounds of the Euro Touring Car championship.
Dirk and Jorg Muller came first and second in the first Euro Touring Car race at Magny Cours in France on Sunday (May 2). The two BMW Team Deutschland drivers led from the start with Jorg leading until Dirk dived through on the inside in the second part of the 12 lap race to lead to the flag. Under the current handicap regulations Jorg was carrying an extra 10kg of ballast because of success in the previous race. Behind the two Mullers the Alfa Romeos were once again running like a train together, occasionally fighting among themselves. However Antonio Garcia's BMW managed to split them in the closing laps of the race with Augusto Farfus finishing third, Garcia fourth and the squabbling Gabriele Tarquini and Fabrizio Giovanardi, both of them weighed down with 40 kg of ballast, finished fifth and sixth.
In the second race -- according to the rules -- the first eight finishers lined up in reverse order on the grid, so it was Andy Priaulx's BMW, after finishing eighth in the first race, that led into the first corner and held the lead to the chequered flag. Jordi Gene in a SEAT was second and further down the field the Alfa Romeos were attempting to climb up the order.
Gabriele Tarquini tried to push his way through and knocked Dirk Muller and Antonio Garcia off the track. Tarquini continued, Muller was delayed and Garcia had to retire.
Soon the order settled with Priaulx leading from Tarquini, Augusto Farfus and Fabrizio Giovanardi in the Alfa Romeos with Jorg Muller's BMW behind.
Muller managed to outwit Giovanardi into outbraking himself in the closing laps and so took over fourth place.
The German nearly fooled himself though on the final lap when he ran off track but managed to regain the circuit and follow the leaders home.
Tarquini leads the drivers championship with 40 points from Jorg Muller with 35 and Dirk Muller with 34. BMW leads the manufacturer's table by two points with 80 to Alfa Romeo's 78.
Leading finishers in race one: 1. Dirk Muller (Germany) BMW 2. Jorg Muller (Germany) BMW (10kg ballast) 3. Augusto Farfus (Brazil) Alfa (10kg ballast) 4. Antonio Garcia (Spain) BMW 5. Gabriele Tarquini (Italy) Alfa (40 kg ballast) 6. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Italy) Alfa (40 kg ballast)
Leading finishers in race two : 1. Andy Priaulx (UK) BMW 2. Tarquini 3. Farfus 4. Jorg Muller 5. Giovanardi 6. Dirk Muller
Leading championship positions after three meetings and six races: 1. Tarquini 40 points 2. Jorg Muller 35 3. Dirk Muller 34 4. Giovanardi 33 5. Priaulx 31 6. Farfus 24
Manufacturers: 1. BMW 80 points 2. Alfa Romeo 78 3. SEAT 10
Bureau Report
Dirk and Jorg Muller came first and second in the first Euro Touring Car race at Magny Cours in France on Sunday (May 2). The two BMW Team Deutschland drivers led from the start with Jorg leading until Dirk dived through on the inside in the second part of the 12 lap race to lead to the flag. Under the current handicap regulations Jorg was carrying an extra 10kg of ballast because of success in the previous race. Behind the two Mullers the Alfa Romeos were once again running like a train together, occasionally fighting among themselves. However Antonio Garcia's BMW managed to split them in the closing laps of the race with Augusto Farfus finishing third, Garcia fourth and the squabbling Gabriele Tarquini and Fabrizio Giovanardi, both of them weighed down with 40 kg of ballast, finished fifth and sixth.
In the second race -- according to the rules -- the first eight finishers lined up in reverse order on the grid, so it was Andy Priaulx's BMW, after finishing eighth in the first race, that led into the first corner and held the lead to the chequered flag. Jordi Gene in a SEAT was second and further down the field the Alfa Romeos were attempting to climb up the order.
Gabriele Tarquini tried to push his way through and knocked Dirk Muller and Antonio Garcia off the track. Tarquini continued, Muller was delayed and Garcia had to retire.
Soon the order settled with Priaulx leading from Tarquini, Augusto Farfus and Fabrizio Giovanardi in the Alfa Romeos with Jorg Muller's BMW behind.
Muller managed to outwit Giovanardi into outbraking himself in the closing laps and so took over fourth place.
The German nearly fooled himself though on the final lap when he ran off track but managed to regain the circuit and follow the leaders home.
Tarquini leads the drivers championship with 40 points from Jorg Muller with 35 and Dirk Muller with 34. BMW leads the manufacturer's table by two points with 80 to Alfa Romeo's 78.
Leading finishers in race one: 1. Dirk Muller (Germany) BMW 2. Jorg Muller (Germany) BMW (10kg ballast) 3. Augusto Farfus (Brazil) Alfa (10kg ballast) 4. Antonio Garcia (Spain) BMW 5. Gabriele Tarquini (Italy) Alfa (40 kg ballast) 6. Fabrizio Giovanardi (Italy) Alfa (40 kg ballast)
Leading finishers in race two : 1. Andy Priaulx (UK) BMW 2. Tarquini 3. Farfus 4. Jorg Muller 5. Giovanardi 6. Dirk Muller
Leading championship positions after three meetings and six races: 1. Tarquini 40 points 2. Jorg Muller 35 3. Dirk Muller 34 4. Giovanardi 33 5. Priaulx 31 6. Farfus 24
Manufacturers: 1. BMW 80 points 2. Alfa Romeo 78 3. SEAT 10
Bureau Report