WTCC - Rounds 21 AND 22 - 17th/18th NOVEMBER 2007, MACAU (MAC) - QUALIFYING

Farfus claims second-row grid position for BMW in WTCC season finale.

Macau, 17th November 2007. Augusto Farfus (BRA) of BMW Team Germany secured
fourth place on the grid for the 21st round of the FIA World Touring Car
Championship. The Brazilian who is third-in the drivers' classification
recorded a lap time of 2:31.751 minutes in qualifying at Macau's "Guia
Circuit", and is the BMW driver with the best starting position for the title
decider.
Andy Priaulx (GBR), who is leading the Drivers' Championship and is on equal
points, 81, with Yvan Muller (FRA/SEAT), had to make do with 12th place on the
grid for race one. Farfus is ten points behind the two leaders prior to the
"showdown" in the former Portuguese colony. Jörg Müller (GER) finished 15th for
BMW Team Germany at the 6.120-kilometre track. Chevrolet's Alain Menu (SUI)
claimed pole position for the first race on Sunday.
"The qualifying was - as expected - difficult for the BMW drivers," said BMW
Motorsport Director Mario Theissen who is following the finale on site.
"Driving in Jörg Müller's slipstream, Augusto Farfus achieved the best possible
lap time. The planned position change between Jörg and Augusto in their second
outing did not work out as planned. Andy Priaulx did not manage to get a
perfect lap in the crucial period of the qualifying. As a result, we have a
difficult position in the fight for the World Championship. On the other hand,
on no other track the course of the race is as unpredictable as in Macau."
Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) secured a slot on row five by coming home tenth for
BMW Team Italy-Spain. His team-mate Félix Porteiro (ESP) was 11th in the
45-minute nail-biter. Fredrik Ekblom (SWE), once again competing for BMW Team
UK, will be forced to fight his way back up from 20th.
"I knew that this would be the hardest qualifying of the whole year," said
Farfus following the session. "That comes as no surprise as we are fighting for
a World Championship here. I'm happy with fourth place. Tomorrow I will give my
all to aid BMW on its quest to defend the title." A mistake on his final lap
cost Priaulx his chance for another improvement. "I lost the rear of the car on
San Francisco Hill and hit the barrier," said the double World Champion. "But
that's no reason to give up. A lot can happen during the races here in Macau.
Everything is still possible." Müller also wants to contribute to BMW keeping
its lead in the Manufacturers' Championship. As the 38-year-old said: "First of
all it will be important for me to keep out of all trouble in the middle of the
pack. Then I will do my best to help BMW in the title fight. "
The first race will start at 12:00hrs local time (4:00hrs GMT). The reversal of
the top-8 in race one for race two is likely to make the outcome of the season
finale even more exciting and unpredictable. In addition, pile-ups and safety
car phases are not uncommon here.

For stats and results Macau please see the attached document.

Race Calendar:
11th March - Curitiba (BRA), 6th May - Zandvoort (NLD), 20th May - Valencia
(ESP), 3rd June - Pau (FRA), 17th June - Brno (CZE), 8th July - Porto (PRT),
29th July - Anderstorp (SWE), 26th August - Oschersleben (GER), 23rd September
- Brands Hatch (GBR), 7th October - Monza (ITA), 18th November - Macau (MAC).

Press Contact:
Benjamin Titz, Phone: +49 (0) 179 7438088, benjamin.titz@bmw.de
Florian Haasper, Phone: +49 (0) 177 5637923, f.haasper@sport-media-service.de
Press releases, race reports and photos are available rights-free for press
purposes at: www.press.bmw.com