PressClub Global · Article.
Team BMW Motorsport - 24h Nuerburgring - Bulletin 1
Sat Jun 12 12:00:00 CEST 2004 Press Release
After a turbulent start to the race and three and a half hours' driving, the number 42 BMW M3 GTR is in the lead in the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race.
Press Contact.
Heike Bartsch
BMW Group
Tel: +49-89-382-33115
Fax: +49-89-382-28567
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Author.
Heike Bartsch
BMW Group
Nürburging 24 Hour Race, 12th-13th June 2004 - Race Bulletin 1
Team BMW Motorsport gets off to a good start in the 24 Hour Race.
Nürburg, 12th June 2004. After a turbulent start to the race and three and a
half hours' driving, the number 42 BMW M3 GTR is in the lead in the Nürburgring
24 Hour Race.
During the initial phase of the marathon event in the Eifel, the weather
underwent several changes as heavy showers alternated with sunny periods. It
made it very difficult to anticipate conditions on the 24.358 kilometre track.
Team BMW Motorsport, however, was able to draw on Team Manager Charly Lamm's
years of experience. He first opted for intermediate tyres for both cars and
then decided to switch to slicks on lap five. The timing of the driver change
from Jörg Müller (Hückelhoven) to Dirk Müller (Burbach) also proved ideal as
the car was able to take on wet tyres without losing any time.
Starting driver Jörg Müller advanced from fourth place to the front of the
field. "Our tyre choice was a stroke of luck," said the 34-year-old, who
vacated the cockpit for Dirk Müller after eight laps. "The driver change came
at exactly the right moment, allowing us to switch to wet tyres at the same
time," said Jörg Müller.
Dirk Müller headed for the pits on lap 15 to have his front windscreen cleaned
of oil, and the team took the opportunity to change from wets back to
intermediates. At the end of lap 20, leading the race, he handed over to
Hans-Joachim Stuck (Elmau).
The number 43 BMW M3 GTR started from tenth position on the grid with Boris
Said at the wheel. After lap five the American swapped with Pedro Lamy (PRT).
Ten laps later Dutch driver Duncan Huisman also got his first taste of the
race. A further switch to wet tyres became necessary on lap 20. Currently
Huisman is in fourth place in the number 43 BMW M3 GTR. The gap to leading
driver Stuck is 6:30 minutes.
The complete BMW press kit on the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race is downloadable at
www.press.bmw.com.
Press contact: Heike Bartsch, BMW Corporate Communications Motorsport,
Mobile: 0172 - 84 85 998, Tel: 089-382 33115, heike.bartsch@bmw.de