24-Hour-Race Nürburgring 2005 - Preview

One of the world's most traditional endurance races is fast approaching again.
This coming weekend, 230 entrants will be pitting their skills against one
another in the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race. For the last time BMW will be
dispatching two BMW M3 GTRs into the "Green Hell". These GT sports cars with an
output of 500 bhp helped Team BMW Motorsport to secure a one-two win on the
legendary Nordschleife last year. It was BMW's 17th overall victory in the
marathon event.

In 2005 BMW is once more placing its trust in the seasoned racing team of
Schnitzer Motorsport, run by team manager Charly Lamm (Freilassing), and BMW's
own engineers. Due to a modified race course and the resulting increase in lap
distance to 25.378 kilometres, strategist Lamm will be implementing a new
battle plan.

"In 2004 we drivers along with the team delivered a fault-free performance,"
says Hans-Joachim Stuck (Ellmau), who will be contesting a 24-hour race for the
55th time. "But we also had that extra bit of luck that you need to be
successful in a race of this kind. Everything just worked out perfectly, which
will make it difficult for us to repeat a one-two win. But we will certainly be
pulling out all the stops."

Last year's winners Stuck, Dirk Müller (Burbach) and Jörg Müller (Hückelhoven)
are also lining up on the grid this year in car number 1. Alternating at the
wheel of car number 2 will be Pedro Lamy (PRT), Boris Said (USA) and Duncan
Huisman (NLD), who finished second in 2004. Also joining the team is reigning
European Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx (GBR), who draws on experience with
the BMW M3 GTR in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. As an official partner of
Team BMW Motorsport, Germany's leading petrol station chain, ARAL, will also be
present at the Nordschleife in 2005.

The seven-man squad of Team BMW Motorsport will be facing robust competition.
Seasoned Nordschleife aces such as Uwe and Jürgen Alzen, Klaus Ludwig and Peter
Zakowski are itching to dethrone BMW in 2005. Course architect Hermann Tilke
will also be behind the wheel this weekend to contest his 20th 24-hour race.
Many of today's state-of-the-art Formula One circuits hail from the drawing
board of the Aachen-based designer. Yet, as Stuck firmly believes, the
Nordschleife still outclasses the new tracks by far. "Hermann will forgive me,
but nowhere in the world will there ever again be such a beautiful and
challenging race track as the Nordschleife," states the 54-year-old driver.

In all, 63 BMW cars will be entering the 33rd edition of the endurance classic.
That makes BMW the most heavily represented brand at the event once again.
While the two BMW M3 GTRs will be gunning for overall victory, other entrants
are out to fulfil a dream simply by taking part. There's "Projekt 24h", for
example, a group of students from the College of Technology and Economics of
the Saarland and the Kaiserslautern Technical College, who are competing in a
BMW 120d which they have rendered raceworthy as part of an assignment.

Among others, the television channel DSF will be broadcasting around ten hours
of the 24-hour race, which starts on Saturday, 7th May 2005, at 15.00 hrs.

Schedule:
Friday, 6th May 2005
10.00 - 12.00 hrs 1st timed practice
19.00 - 23.00 hrs 2nd timed practice
Saturday, 7th May 2005
12.30 - 14.30 hrs Grid line-up
15.00 hrs Start of 24 Hour Race
Sunday, 8th May 2005
15.00 hrs Finish of 24 Hour Race

Service:
- The BMW press kit, press information and up-to-date photos from the
Nürburgring 24 Hour Race are available for download at www.press.bmw.com. The
picture archive will be continuously updated in the course of the race.

- Press contact trackside: Heike Bartsch, BMW Corporate Affairs, Motorsport,
Mobile: 0172-84 85 998, Tel: 089-382 33115, heike.bartsch@bmw.de

- The BMW Motorsport press team will be at the Press Centre to assist
journalists and will be regularly issuing the latest press releases.

- There will be opportunities to interview drivers in the BMW Lounge in the
Tower.

- The website www.bmw-motorsport.com contains up-to-date information. Live
timing and live webcams will provide the latest information around the clock.
There will also be regular race updates as well as interviews and background
reports.