Curitiba: BMW race report

Top-3 positions for BMW drivers at WTCC season opener. Curitiba, 2nd March 2008. BMW experienced a successful start to the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship. In race two at Curitiba (BR), both Andy Priaulx (GB) of BMW Team UK and BMW Team ...

Top-3 positions for BMW drivers at WTCC season opener.

Curitiba, 2nd March 2008. BMW experienced a successful start to the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship. In race two at Curitiba (BR), both Andy Priaulx (GB) of BMW Team UK and BMW Team Italy-Spain's Felix Porteiro made it onto the podium by finishing second and third respectively. Jorg Muller (DE) and Augusto Farfus (BR) of BMW Team Germany completed the excellent team result by finishing fourth and sixth.

In the first round of the new season, Farfus had crossed the finish line third. However, the 24-year-old was later excluded from race one due to a breach of the technical regulations. The "V" support for fixing the engine protection did not comply with the regulations. But the Stewards considered that there was no fraudulent intent within the team. Thus Muller moved up into third place, and Priaulx was classified fourth. Porteiro came sixth, while Alessandro Zanardi (IT) was 15th and 11th at the "Autodromo Internacional de Curitiba".

Following the two races in Brazil, Priaulx ranks third in the Drivers' Championship with 13 points. Muller has got 11 points under his belt, and is fourth, Porteiro follows in sixth position, while Farfus is in seventh place. In the manufacturers' classification, BMW lies in second place with 25 points.

Andy Priaulx (BMW Team UK):
"It's not easy to gain ground from 12th on the grid. However, today I had the dose of luck that is needed for that. My car was very competitive. On Saturday we had been off the pace. But it tells you a lot about our team that we were able to deal with that."

Jorg Muller (BMW Team Germany):
"It was my goal to score points in both races, and I made it happen. My start in race one was good so I was able to go at high speed. In race two I could overtake quite a few cars. Eleven points is a very positive overall result."

Augusto Farfus (BMW Team Germany):
"It's disappointing to lose six points that I fought so hard for on the track. The speed of our car was very good, but we are still lacking outright speed so we can attack the diesel cars on the straight. We made a lot of progress over the winter."

Felix Porteiro (BMW Team Italy-Spain):
"Never had I expected to score a podium finish right at the beginning of the season. Prior to race two we made some modifications to the car. This move turned out to be successful. I'm really happy with this weekend."

Alessandro Zanardi (BMW Team Italy-Spain):
"In race one I was hit by another car in turn 1. It was just a slight touch, but a tyre valve was pushed in. Following my pit stop I was able to match the pace of the front- runners - but by this time I was one lap down. I had nothing to lose in race two. In Mexico I will launch my next attack to finish in the points."