WTCC - Rounds 7 and 8 - Oschersleben - Preview
BMW aims at claiming further victories in Oschersleben.
Munich, 29th May 2006. For rounds seven and eight of the FIA
World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), the BMW national teams
are returning to a traditionally successful location. During
the last eight races in the "Motorsport Arena Oschersleben",
a BMW driver was able to claim victory seven times.
Last year, Andy Priaulx (GBR) of BMW Team UK secured victory
in the first race. In race two, BMW Team Italy-Spain driver
Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) provided emotional moments when he
won the first race since his accident in 2001, in which he
lost both legs. The 39-year-old will enter the races in Oschersleben
without additional weights - jut like his team-mate Marcel
Costa (ESP).
Following two difficult races in Brands Hatch, Priaulx, as
well as the two drivers of BMW Team Germany, Jörg Müller
(GER) and Dirk Müller (GER), are hoping to be able to
benefit form the fact that they will compete with less handicap
weight on board. Priaulx is forced to load an additional ballast
of 50 kilograms, Jörg Müller needs to take 25 kilograms
on board of his BMW 320si WTCC, and Dirk Müller 20 kilograms.
While local hero Priaulx was at the centre of the fan interest
in Brands Hatch, particularly the drivers of BMW Team Germany
are now looking forward to their home event in Oschersleben.
Dirk Müller (BMW Team Germany):
"I'm really looking forward to the only World Touring
Car Championship races in Germany. The track is interesting
and offers some technical sections that you simply need to
know. I like Oschersleben. It is important to find a good
compromise in terms of car set-up here. There are many different
types of corners, and you need to have the correct balance
everywhere. The few kerbs you are forced to cross in Oschersleben
are a hazard and need to be taken into consideration for the
set-up."
Jörg Müller (BMW Team Germany):
"Overall, the Motorsport Arena is one of the slower tracks
on the race calendar. Most important is a good mechanical
grip, particularly under partial loads, as for instance in
the 180-degree corners. Additionally, the car has to be able
to cross the kerbs quickly. I was able to win in Oschersleben
in 2003. However, past successes are useless in this extremely
close field of drivers in the championship. The really nice
part is to be able to compete in front of a home crowd again.
My family and many friends will be on site to support me.
That is a great feeling."
Charly Lamm (Team Manager BMW Team Germany):
"In Oschersleben, 14 diversified corners and two short
straights, where good acceleration is crucial, await the drivers.
Absolute concentration is a must in the cockpit. During the
home event of BMW, especially our BMW Team Germany will give
its all to improve our position in the World Championship."
History and background:
The "Motorsport Arena Oschersleben" is one of the
evergreens on the race calendar of FIA Touring Car Championships.
Between 2002 and 2004, six European Championship races took
place here. And last year, the "Magdeburger Börde"
was host to the WTCC as well.
BMW drivers have been able to win seven of eight races on
the demanding track. Dirk Müller won both ETCC races
in 2002 and in the following year, Jörg Müller and
Priaulx were able to enter the list of winners. In 2004, during
the last European Touring Car Championship event in Germany,
Priaulx managed to record a further race victory: Next to
Zanardi, the 31-year-old was able to celebrate a triumph during
the debut of the WTCC here last year.
The circuit is one of the most modern motorsport facilities
in Germany. On 25th July 1997, the "MOTOPARK Oschersleben"
was opened, and in August 2005 it was renamed "Motorsport
Arena Oschersleben".
One distinctive section of the track is the "Hasseröder
Corner". The 180-degree corner is slightly elevated.
A section with similar characteristics is hard to find on
other modern race tracks.
In the chicane before the opposite straight, the drivers
often provide spectacular scenes. It is not uncommon to drive
with two wheels in the air when crossing the kerbs here. The
last corner before the start-finish straight offers a good
overtaking opportunity.
The accompanying programme of the WTCC is also guaranteed
to provide excitement. The drivers of the MINI Challenge and
the ADAC Procar Series will fight for championship points.
Additionally, Formula BMW Germany is holding rounds nine and
ten here. The four worldwide Formula BMW series in Germany,
the UK, Asia and North America give talents the opportunity
of driving state-of-the-art single-seaters with 140bhp strong
BMW engines and to collect first experiences in open-wheel
racing.
Next to the race track, which hosts car and motorbike races,
a kart track is also part of the "Motorsport Arena".
This 1018 metre outdoor facility is regularly host to races
in different German kart series.
The town of Oschersleben counts 18 000 inhabitants and is
located 35 kilometres from Magdeburg. The German capital of
Berlin is approx. 150 kilometres to the north east.
The two WTCC rounds are both 14-lap races, covering a total
distance of 51.38 kilometres per race. The first race on Sunday
will start at 15:20hrs, round two begins at 16:30hrs. EUROSPORT
provide live race coverage.
Race Calendar:
2nd April - Monza (ITA), 30th April - Magny-Cours (FRA), 21st
May - Brands Hatch (GBR), 4th June - Oschersleben (GER), 2nd
July - Curitiba (BRA), 30th July - Puebla (MEX), 3rd September
- Brno (CZE), 24th September - Istanbul (TUR), 8th October
- Valencia (ESP), 19th November - Macau (CHN).
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