BMW pre-race news

Jorg Muller and Dirk Muller are first up for BMW in Le Mans.

Le Mans, 12th June 2010. The countdown to the Le Mans 24 Hours (FR) is on. At 15:00hrs, Team BMW Motorsport's two BMW M3 GT2 cars will launch their campaign in the endurance classic at the "Circuit de la Sarthe". Car number 78, with Jorg Muller (DE), Augusto Farfus (BR) and Uwe Alzen (DE) alternating at the wheel, will start the race from sixth in the LM GT2 class.

The BMW M3 GT2 Art Car with number 79, driven by Dirk Werner (DE), Dirk Muller (DE) and Andy Priaulx (GB), will begin from tenth. Jorg Muller and Dirk Muller are the respective first-stint drivers.

At a press conference this morning, BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen presented Jeff Koons, who designed the 17th BMW Art Car, with a set of racing overalls in the same design as car number 79 and bearing the name of the American artist.

"I am absolutely thrilled to be here," said Koons. "Working together with BMW has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. To feel the aesthetic of racing at this track is great."

Jorg Muller (Car Number 78):
"It is a great honour to start in a race as big as this -- but also a particular pressure. As the start driver, you have to take a cautious approach without losing any ground. Everyone is very excited and tense at the start. A good first stint can help give the team the necessary composure. That is exactly what I will be trying to do."

Dirk Muller (Car Number 79):
"The Le Mans 24 Hours is finally here. We always knew that we would be the rookies here, and would have to catch-up the competition. We have managed that very well so far. We are within reach of the leaders and have a good strategy. It is an honour for me to start in the BMW M3 GT2 Art Car."

-source: bmw