Formula 1
Best season yet for BMW
Winning the Constructors' title at Suzuka would be a great end to the year for the BMW Williams F1 team, but even if that does not happen BMW is satisfied with its best performance to date this season, with 144 points. Indianapolis was not a great ...
Published: Sep 30, 2003, 5:29 PM
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Winning the Constructors' title at Suzuka would be a great end to the year for the BMW Williams F1 team, but even if that does not happen BMW is satisfied with its best performance to date this season, with 144 points. Indianapolis was not a great race for the team -- it could have extended its lead over Ferrari significantly but only Juan Pablo Montoya went the distance.
Ralf Schumacher and Mario Theissen.
Photo by Brousseau Photo.
The Colombian scored three points but his sixth place finish was the end of his Driver's championship hopes. Ralf Schumacher spun off in the wet to end his race -- but with Williams just three points behind Ferrari, there's still everything to play for at Suzuka.
"Since we've come to Formula One, this is our strongest season," said BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen. "We're still fighting for a title which we, at the same time, consider most important. We could still make it," he added of winning the Constructors' in Japan, but concluded wryly: "Provided it doesn't rain."
Williams was disadvantaged at Indianapolis by the weather -- tyre supplier Michelin could not compete with rival Bridgestone's intermediate rubber in the wet conditions. "In slightly damp conditions our grooved dry-weather tyres enabled our leading drivers to run up to three seconds per lap faster than Michael Schumacher," said Michelin's Pierre Dupasquier.
"In wetter conditions we were losing two seconds per lap on intermediate tyres compared to Michael Schumacher and one second against other competitors. This race has given us lots of useful information."
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