Victory and titles for BMW in the American Le Mans Series final

ALMS final - Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, 6 October 2001

Munich. Victory in the Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta crowns an exciting
season in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) for manufacturers' champion BMW.
On Saturday, Hans-Joachim Stuck and his two American partners Bill Auberlen and
Boris Said drove the BMW M3 GTR of the American BMW Team PTG to a GT class
victory in the 1000-mile race on the 2.54-mile roler-coaster circuit in the US
state of Georgia. "The new V8-powered M3 GTR is a fantastic car and such a
pleasure to drive," said a delighted Stuck. "Everything went brilliantly for us
today."

Second place in the ALMS final went to the two Müllers - Dirk and Jörg - in the
M3 GTR fielded by Team BMW Motorsport and also driven by the 450 bhp V8 engine.
That means one Müller has stepped into the shoes of the other, with Jörg
becoming new GT champion in the ALMS sharing a car with previous title-holder.
For Jörg Müller this is the first championship title which hasn't been claimed
in a single-seater car. The 31-year-old has won titles in Formula Ford, Formula
3, and in the Formula 3000 Europaen Championship. From 1997 to 2000 he worked
as a Formula 1 test driver.

"I came here with the aim of winning the title," he says. "I tried to go easy
on the car, and now of course I'm incredibly thrilled and relieved that it has
worked out. But," he regretted, "I'm deeply disappointed that I can't celebrate
the title together with JJ." JJ Lehto (FIN) and Jörg Müller shared a BMW
throughout the season and claimed a total of four victories. They had split up
for the final so as to maximize their chances. "JJ deserves the title as much
as I do," Müller was at pains to point out.

Up to two hours before the end of the race, Müller/Müller looked certain to
win. But then a one-minute stop-and-go-penalty set the duo back. During a
driver changeover, Jörg had helped the mecanics with cleaning the windscreen.
The regulations state that the driver may only be assisted in getting into the
car and buckling up. "Apart from that it was a great race," said Dirk, "even
though it was pretty tough with just two of us driving."

JJ Lehto, who finished the season in second place, was in the second M3 GTR of
Team BMW Motorsport, alternating at the wheel with Karl Wendlinger (A) and
Fredrik Ekblom (S), who celebrated his 31st birthday on Saturday. Luck wasn't
on Lehto's side for the final. During night practice on Thursday he got
involved in a serious accident which left his M3 GTR so severely damaged that
it took until just before Friday's qualifying to be repaired. The fact that
Lehto nevertheless managed to clinch pole position was celebrated like a
victory by the delighted team.
Along with Ekblom, the Finn led the first two-and-a-half hours of the race.
Following a collision he then had to make an unscheduled pit stop, thereby
losing a lap to Müller/Müller. Later on in the race, Wendlinger also made
contact with a rival. "It affected the wheel track," explained a disappointed
Lehto. "That meant the car was extremely difficult to drive and there was no
question of catching up again."

The second M3 GTR, fielded by Team PTG and driven by Americans Brian Cunningham
and David Murray together with Niclas Jönsson (S), was forced to retire some
four hours into the race due to a broken cardan shaft disc.

BMW Motorsport Team Manager Charly Lamm summed up the race: "I'm absolutely
thrilled at our winning manufacturers', team and drivers' classifications.
Today's race was extremely tough, and there was no respite in the pits either.
With ten safety car stages, it was impossible to get into a proper rhythum
because we were constantly having to change tack."

Brand-new car in the top export market

"The teams and drivers put in a superb performance in this year's ALMS
venture," noted BMW Motorsport Director Dr Mario Theissen. "Because of the vast
distance covered, the logistical demands were enormous, plus we had to get the
new BMW M3 GTR race-ready in the course of the season. Seen against that kind
of background, this season's successes can't be rated highly enough." Added
Theissen: "They're also extremely important for BMW, with North America being
our biggest market after Germany. In fact, when it comes to M cars the USA is
our largest market worldwide. The BMW fan community over here is also
impressively well organized in a large network of clubs, and they can
experience the brand's sporting credentials at the trackside."

35,000 miles on business

For Germany's Team BMW Motorsport in particular, the season was marked by
unusually long journeys to work. The Team rolled up for ten races spread across
six American states, Canada, England and Spain. If test sessions are included,
the trucks clocked up some 7,000 miles in Europe and almost 28,000 miles in
America. Team members sometimes spent an entire month in the USA, and the
shortest home visit was just five days. The Team didn't have any permanent
facilities in the States as there wasn't enough time between the races. Work
had to be carried out in the various paddocks. The BMW Team PTG of Tom Milner
ran its operations from Winchester in the state of Virginia.

Seven victories and six poles in ten races

Following the ALMS season's opener in Fort Worth, Texas, at which both the
German and the American BMW teams were still running last year's cars, the new
BMW M3 GTR made ist debut at the Sebring 12 Hours. This endurance race in
Florida served at the same time as the first test drive for the GT sports car -
which stayed the course around the clock. "But," said Charly Lamm recalling the
subsequent inspection of the car, "it would hardly have lasted another mile."
The March race at Sebring saw Lehto/J. Müller claiming first podium place for
the BMW M3 GTR.

The subsequent European guest appearance at Donington (GB) witnessed both BMW
cars retiring from the race. But the next event in Jarama (E) was to provide
compensation with the coupé claiming its first on-two victory (winners:
Ekblom/D. Müller). Sears Point in California saw BMW contesting the race in the
new sports cars with its full team complement. From then on, PTG would also be
fielding two M3 GTR's. At Sears Point victory went to Lehto/J. Müller, with
following race in Portland claimed by Stuck/Said. In Mosport, Mid Ohio and
Laguna Seca double victories were gleaned by Lehto/J. Müller ahead of Ekblom/D.
Müller. The final had Auberlen/Said/ Stuck claiming victory number seven for
BMW.

GT Class results Petit Le Mans:
1. Bill Auberlen (USA)/Boris Said (USA)/Hans-Joachim Stuck, BMW M3 GTR, 360 laps
2. Dirk Müller (D)/Jörg Müller (D), BMW M3 GTR, 359 laps
3. Lucas Luhr (D)/Sascha Maassen (D), Porsche 911 GT3, 355 laps
4. Fredrik Ekblom (S)/JJ Lehto (FIN), Karl Wendlinger (A), BMW M3 GTR, 355 laps
5. Randy Probst (USA)/Christian Menzel (D), Piorsche 911 GT3, 353 laps
6. Christophe Bouillon (F)/Johnny Mowlem (GB)/Michael Petersen (USA), Porsche,
344 laps

Final standings GT Class ALMS 2001, drivers:
1. Jörg Müller, BMW, 191 points
2. JJ Lehto, BMW, 186
3. Sascha Maassen, Porsche, 177
4. Lucas Luhr, Porsche, 176
5. Boris Said, BMW, 169
6. Dirk Müller, BMW, 164
7. Fredrik Ekblom, BMW, 159
8. Hans-Joachim Stuck, BMW, 158
9. Randy Probst, Porsche, 148
10. Christian Menzel, Porsche,148

Manufacturers
1. BMW, 204
2. Porsche, 180
3. Callaway, 22

Teams
1. Team BMW Motorsport, 194
2. Alex Job Racing, 180
3. BMW Team PTG, 170
4. Seikel Motorsport, 112
5. Kyser Racing, 106
6. Petersen, 104