BMW CAR CLUB (GB)
SOUTH EAST REGION
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FIA European Touring Car Championship, Donington Park, 26/27th June 2004
2003 ETCC Donington
Drivers' Points after Donington
1. Andy Priaulx BMW 320i 72pts
2. Dirk Müller BMW 320i 68pts
3. Jörg Müller BMW 320i 65pts
4. Gabriele Tarquini Alfa Romeo 156 S2000 57pts
5. Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 S2000 46pts
6. Antonio García BMW 320i 34pts
7. Augusto Farfus Jr Alfa Romeo 156 S2000 28pts
8. Jordi Gené SEAT Toledo Cupra 17pts
9. Frank Diefenbacher SEAT Toledo Cupra 17pts
10. James Thompson Alfa Romeo 156 S2000 16pts
11. Tom Coronel BMW 320i 16pts
12. Rickard Rydell SEAT Toledo Cupra 13pts
13. Kurt Mollekens BMW 320i 7pts
14. Luca Rangoni Alfa Romeo 156 Gta 5pts
15. Salvatore Tavano Alfa Romeo 156 G
Race 2 results
ETCC Race 12 - Donington - Top Ten
1. Andy Priaulx BMW 320i
2. Gabriele Tarquini Alfa Romeo 156
3. James Thompson Alfa Romeo 156
4. Dirk Müller BMW 320i
5. Antonio García BMW 320i
6. Kurt Mollekens BMW 320i
7. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320i
8. Tom Coronel BMW 320i
9. Rickard Rydell SEAT Toledo Cupra
10. Salvatore Tavano Alfa Romeo 156 Gta
Behind him there was a lot of action as there was a collision between Fabrizio Giovanardi’s Alfa Rome, Jordi Gené’s SEAT and Jörg Müller’s BMW 320i. Jörg’s explanation of what happened was: “I am very unhappy about what happened as I have not had an accident for two and a half years. There was enough space on the inside for Giovanardi to go through the corner, but I got hit by him and then we just went off the circuit and I went into Jordi, which I am sorry for.”
Sadly all three cars retired. However, for Andy there were no such problems as he was able to keep a constant pace and, despite having first Augusto Farfus Jr and then Gabriele Tarquini behind him, was never in danger of letting an Alfa driver by. Dirk Müller also made a great start, despite his 40 kilos, and was able to go from ninth to sixth at the end of lap one and then eventually up to fourth and claim fastest lap. This time it was the turn of Tom Coronel to win the Independents Trophy class and also have a good close race with the SEAT of Rickard Rydell.
Andy Priaulx wins on home soil
Race 1 results
ETCC Race 11 - Donington - Top Ten
1. James Thompson Alfa Romeo 156
2. Jörg Müller BMW 320i
3. Gabriele Tarquini Alfa Romeo 156
4. Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156
5. Augusto Farfus Jr Alfa Romeo 156
6. Andy Priaulx BMW 320i
7. Jordi Gené SEAT Toledo Cupra
8. Kurt Mollekens BMW 320i
9. Dirk Müller BMW 320i
10. Antonio García BMW 320i
From then on he was under constant pressure from the Alfas of Gabriele Tarquini, Fabrizio Gionvanardi and Augusto Farfus Jr. Tarquini managed to overtake him on lap four and stayed there until Jörg got back in front on lap eight. From this point on he was able to control the pace and so at the chequered flag followed Thompson over the line. It was also a good race for the RBM team-mates, Andy Priaulx (BMW Team Great Britain) and Kurt Mollekens (BMW Team Belgium Luxembourg). Kurt moved from 12th on the grid to eighth to claim pole for race two and Andy made up seven places from 13th to sixth and claimed fastest lap.
It was a relatively incident free race as FIA ETCC events go but Antonio García had to cope with no brakes from lap six on and Carly Motors driver Klaas Zwart didn’t start as he suffered a differential problem on the grid .
SEAT’s Rickard Rydell was upholding the Spanish manufacturer’s honours, but suffered what he thought was an electrical problem on the last lap that dropped him from sixth to last. Tom Coronel always knew he would have a tough job to win the Independents Trophy Class from 20th on the grid, but he managed to move up to 13th overall and second in class behind the Alfa Romeo of Salvatore Tavano.
For the third 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.
Due to the pits being full off GT, ETCC, F3, Formula Renault race cars, our normal spot for our infield parking and display was taken over by the Ferrari 360 Challenge pits, so we moved to the end of the area, making our display the first stand drivers see when entering the infield area by the trade stands.
Klass Zwart spins at the old hairpin
Saturday: After seting up our area with our Flags Bunting and Headstones, it was time to watch the first 30min free pratice of the European Touring Car Championships race cars. As you can see from the pictures above we were kept amused by Carly Motors BMW Dutch driver Klaas Zwart, who never got the old hairpin right all day! Toping the timing list was the number 6 Alfa Romeo of James Thompson.
The second free pratice was wet and most of the cars gave us spectators great photographs of race cars with the spray behind.
ETCC RACE 1
Jörg Müller takes second place at Donington
BMW Team Deutschland's Jörg Müller was the star of the first race at Donington Park. He made an amazing start from fifth on the grid and was able to follow the Alfa Romeo of polesitter James Thompson across the line at the end of the first lap.
ETCC BMW's fly in the rain !
ETCC RACE 2
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 Kurt Mollekens (BMW Team Belgium Luxembourg) was on pole, but as soon as the lights went out Andy Priaulx (BMW Team Great Britain) got a great start and led into the first corner.
BMW GB had a display outside the Paddock Suite, on display was a BMW Z4, 6 series convertible and the NEW 1 series .