24h Spa-Francorchamps - Preview

PREVIEW - 24h Race Spa-Francorchamps, 31st July/1st August 2004

Nürburgring winners line up for BMW again at Spa.
Munich, 26th July 2004. Seven weeks on from a one-two win in the Nürburgring 24
Hour Race, BMW is gearing up for its second involvement in an endurance classic
this season. On 31st July/1st August 2004, Team BMW Motorsport will be fielding
two BMW M3 GTRs in the 24 Hour Race at Spa-Francorchamps.

The Nürburgring winners - Hans-Joachim Stuck (GER), Dirk Müller (GER) and Jörg
Müller (GER) - will take it in turns behind the wheel of car number 142, while
Pedro Lamy (PRT), Antonio Garcia (ESP), Kurt Mollekens (BEL) and Andy Priaulx
(GBR) will be driving the BMW M3 GTR with the number 143. Responsible for the
technical side of the two 500 bhp GT sports cars will once again be the
seasoned Schnitzer Motorsport racing team under the guidance of team manager
Charly Lamm (GER).

On the 6.947-kilometre roller-coaster course in the Ardennes, Team BMW
Motorsport aims to deliver the same flawless performance - both in the cockpit
and in the pits - that enabled it to claim a clean sweep at the Nordschleife of
the Nürburgring.

"At Spa we're certainly not among the favourites for an overall win," states
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. "The competitive situation is different
from the Nürburgring. We are not fielding the BMW M3 GTR in the highest class
but in Group 2. Starters in Group 1, featuring cars from the FIA GT
Championship, are clearly superior to us in terms of performance, some of them
by a good 150 bhp. We are thus primarily setting our sights on a class win."

In terms of race regulations, there are also differences at Spa compared to the
race through the "Green Hell". The BMW M3 GTRs will be competing according to
BELCAR regulations. These allow the use of ABS anti-lock braking, while
prohibiting traction control and the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) mobile
data transmission system. By using the GPRS system, Theissen was able to stay
informed of events on the Nordschleife during the Nürburgring 24 Hours while in
Montrèal, where the Canadian Grand Prix was being held at the same time. For
Spa-Francorchamps, he will definitely be present at the trackside to follow the
race in person.

This scenic circuit offers drivers one of the most spectacular sections in the
world - Eau Rouge - as well as several high-speed straights. Coupled with Spa's
notoriously unpredictable weather, it represents a major challenge. The 24 Hour
Race was first held here in 1924, since when BMW touring cars have celebrated a
total of 21 overall wins. The most recent was in 1998 by Alan Cudini, Marc Duez
and Eric van de Poele in a BMW 320i.

For five drivers in Team BMW Motorsport and for the Schnitzer squad, Belgium
has an additional challenge in store. Apart from their involvement in the 24
Hour Race, Priaulx, Garcia, Mollekens, Dirk Müller and Jörg Müller will also be
competing in the FIA European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) for BMW's
national teams. The time pressure will be intense: the second FIA ETCC race is
scheduled to finish at 14:17 hrs on Saturday, leaving just three minutes before
the start of the Driver Presentation for the 24 Hour Race.

Following the one-two win at the Nürburgring, Siemens VDO Automotive AG will
also be present at Spa-Francorchamps as a premium partner of BMW Motorsport.
The company is one of the world's leading automotive suppliers of electronics,
electrics and mechatronics.

Time schedule for Spa-Francorchamps:
Thursday, 29th July 2004
11:00-12:30 hrs - 1st Free Practice (24h Race)
15:15-16:45 hrs - 2nd Free Practice (24h Race)
20:30-21:30 hrs - 1st Qualifying (24h Race)
22:00-23:30 hrs - 2nd Qualifying (24h Race)
Friday, 30th July 2004
09:00-09:30 hrs - 1st Free Practice (FIA ETCC)
11:50-12:20 hrs - 2nd Free Practice (FIA ETCC)
12:35-13:20 hrs - 3rd Qualifying (24h Race)
15:25-15:55 hrs - Qualifying (FIA ETCC)
Saturday, 31st July 2004
08:00-08:15 hrs - Warm-up (FIA ETCC)
08:15-08:30 hrs - Warm-up (24h Race)
12:42 hrs - Start (1st Race FIA ETCC, 8 laps)
13:52 hrs - Start (2nd Race FIA ETCC, 8 laps)
16:00 hrs - Start (24h Race)
Sunday, 1st August 2004
16:00 hrs - Finish (24h Race)

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

BMW press information, press kit and photos for press purposes at:
www.press.bmw.com