BMW CAR CLUB (GB)
SOUTH EAST REGION
Website design by Melvyn Pettit
Top
European Touring Car Championship, Donington Park, 28/29th June 03
03 FIA ETCC, Donington Park
Race 2 results
1 Jorg Muller (BMW 320i E46)
2 Duncan Huisman (BMW 320I E46)
3Rickard Rydell (Volvo)
4 Nicola Larini (Alfa Romeo)
5 Andy Priaulx (BMW 320i E46)
6 Andre Couto (Honda Civic Type-R)
7 Salvatore Tavano (Honda Civic Type-R)
8 Paolo Ruberti (Alfa Romeo)
9 Frank Diefenbacher(Seat Toledo)
10 Tom Coronel (BMW 320i E46)
Race 1 results
1 Gabriele Tarquini (Alfa Romeo)
2 Nicola Larini (Alfa Romeo)
3 Dirk Muller (BMW 320i E46)
4 Jorg Muller (BMW 320i E46)
5 Rickard Rydell (Volvo)
6 Roberto Colciago (Alfa Romeo)
7 Paolo Ruberti (Alfa Romeo)
8 Duncan Huisman (BMW 320I E46)
9 Salvatore Tavano (Honda Civic Type-R)
10 Jordi Gene (Seat Toledo)
Murray Walker interviews Team Managers and Drivers
For the second year, the BMW Car Club GB had a display at the ETCC races held at Donington Park. Once again BMW GB offered a free ticket with every race ticket purchased for BMW car drivers, also the club had a table in BMW GB hospitality for 10 club members. As you can see from the photograph at the top of the page, before the ETCC race one. The voice of F1, Murray Walker interviewed the BMW drivers and Team mangers who are entered into the 2003 ETCC. Left to Right: BMW Team Deutschland run by Schnitzer Motorsport, Charly Lamm Team Manager, drivers Jorg and Dirk Muller. BMW Team Italy-Spain run by Ravaglia Motorsport, Roberto Ravaglia Team Manager, drivers Fabrizio Glovanardi, Antonio Garcia. BMW Team Great Britain run by RBM Team, driver Andy Priaulx with mic, Murray Walker and Team Manager Bart Mampaey. One interesting fact that Murray gave out, was that Charly Lamm had raced in over 100 countries.
I persuaded Team GB Driver Andy Priaulx to join us at our table for some pictures, which he was happy to do. Pauline was happy to have her photo taken with him. As you can read in the SPA-Francorchamps 03 trip report. I took a print of this and other pictures to Spa and Andy signed them. New BMW hot shoe Andy was born Guernsey. He achieved good results in hillclimbing and single seaters. After dominating the 1999 Renault Spider Championship, winning every time out. He switched to F3 for a couple years and now into Tin Tops. Started in 2001 BTCC, in 2002 had a works Honda Civic drive. 2003 he now competes on the European stage with the RBM Team. He came to Donington in 2nd place in the Championship, winning the last race in Brno.
By the time the racing started we had marshalled over 50 BMW cars in our area, making a fine display. Selwyn Frostick, Glen and Pauline Wells and myself had travelled up early Saturday morning to set up our display. Once that was achieved it was time to walk the pits and watch the practice. Jorg Muller first free practice ended with him hitting the wall on Starkeys Straight at around 100MPH when he tangled with fellow BMW driver Tom Coronel, resulting in Tom Coronel being fined by the race officials.
Team Schnitzer had to take Jorg Mullers BMW E46 320i to a bodyshop at a BMW dealership in Nottingham to effect the massive bodywork repairs. The car was back and ready to compete in the race day morning warm up. Practice was going to be tough for BMW Team Great Britain as Andy Priaulx had the maximum ballast of 40kg having won the previous race. He ended up eighth in qualifying.
In race one, the BMW of Jorg Muller starting from the back of the grid was soon making up places, by around lap 7 of the 13 lap race he was in the top 10. His climbed though the grid, which ended with him finishing in fourth. Only one place behind his team mate Dirk Muller. The 40kg hurt Team GB, Andy Priaulx overtook Roberto Clciago through the craner curves, only to be later to be punted off the track by him. So he ended the first race in 15th position.
Murray Walker signs Paulines ticket
After a 30 minute break, which the teams are only allowed to work on the cars for 15 minutes. With the first eight of Race 1 being reversed for the Race two grid, which means Jorg Muller started race 2 in 5th position. Watching the start from the main grandstand , BMW Team Schnitzer cars had a flying start. This meant Jorg Muller shot pass Rydell, Ruberti, Colciago and was second by Redgate. He passed Huisman at the esses, and was in the lead before the end of lap one. He controlled the race from then on. Andy Priaulx had another nightmare race as the front left tyre exploded and sent him back of the group, after the wheel change he fought to get back up to fifth by the finish.
BMW GB had a display out side the Paddock Suite, on display was a BMW Z4 and a BMW M3 convertible.