With one win and a total of three podium places, BMW enjoyed a successful launch in the new FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) this weekend. The first race at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza saw Dirk Müller (GER) of BMW Team Deutschland celebrate a start-to-finish win. Second and third places were taken by Alfa Romeo drivers Gabriele Tarquini and Augusto Farfus jr.

In the second race, all BMW drivers managed to pick up world championship points. James Thompson (Alfa Romeo) won the race and was joined on the podium by runner-up Dirk Müller and BMW Team Italy-Spain driver Antonio Garcia (ESP) in third place. Rounding off BMW's encouraging overall results were Jörg Müller (GER) of BMW Team Deutschland in fourth place, European champion Andy Priaulx (GBR) of BMW Team UK in fifth, and local hero Alessandro Zanardi (ITA, BMW Team Italy-Spain) in seventh.

It puts Dirk Müller at the top of the Drivers' rankings with 18 points in the first World Touring Car Championship to be held since 1987. Behind him are Thompson (12) and Garcia (10). In the Manufacturers' championship, BMW has amassed 29 points to take the lead ahead of Alfa Romeo (25) and SEAT (4).

Reactions:

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen: "It was a great start to the season for the new World Touring Car Championship with some nice successes for the BMW teams. Dirk Müller heads the Drivers' championship with one win and a second-placed finish. Jörg managed to improve his position from 29th to fourth, and Andy Priaulx, Antonio Garcia and Alessandro Zanardi also collected points. Despite almost permanent close contact, the races were fair virtually throughout, which also says something about the new standard of this series."

Dirk Müller (BMW Team Deutschland): "For me it was a perfect weekend from the first practice session. In the first race I managed to open up my lead quickly and take control of the field. In the second race we all delivered a good show. Actually, I just wanted to pick up a few points. But then I got away very well at the start and in the course of the race I benefited from the slipstream of the drivers ahead. I'm over the moon."

Antonio Garcia (BMW Team Italy-Spain): "It was a tough day for me. In the warm-up I had a problem with the brakes followed by an accident. But my team managed to get the car repaired. Then things went very well for me in both races. It's great to be standing on the podium right at the start of the season."

Charly Lamm (Team Manager BMW Team Deutschland): "For our team it was a great reward for the tough preparations ahead of the season. The WTCC could not have wished for a better season opener. But that applies equally to us. After his win in Race 1, Dirk also managed to work his way up from eighth place onto the podium in the second race. Jörg can be proud of having improved his position from 29th to fourth."

Roberto Ravaglia (Team Principal BMW Team Italy-Spain): "I'm very satisfied with this result. Alessandro won his Italian Superturismo Championship class, which he is competing in at the same time. And Antonio brought us our first podium finish for a long time. Both of them have achieved sterling work for themselves, the team and BMW Motorsport."

Alessandro Zanardi (BMW Team Italy-Spain): "It was great to be back up on the podium at last and to be tasting champagne - although it was only the presentation ceremony for the Italian Superturismo Championship. But my goal is also to join the front-runners in the WTCC. At least I managed to pick up some points. Antonio gave an impressive show of our car's potential."

Race 1

Weather Cloudy, 12° Celsius.
Start Dirk Müller defends first place, Garcia remains in second, Priaulx loses one position to Rickard Rydell (SEAT), but reclaims it. Zanardi moves up into tenth place. Jörg Müller advances seven places from 18th.
Lap 1 Jörg Müller leaves the track and rejoins the race in 22nd place. His subsequent pit stop places him at the back of the field.
Lap 3 Farfus attacks Garcia, who takes to the grass during the passing manoeuvre but manages to regain control of his car. He is now in fifth.
Lap 5 Garcia initially forfeits a place to Fabrizio Giovanardi (Alfa Romeo), but immediately regains it.
Lap 7 Priaulx gradually closes the gap to Farfus and launches his attack on the Brazilian. The 30-year-old Brit repeatedly tries to get past him right up to the end of the race, but fails.
Finish Dirk Müller, who has been in command from the start, wins the first race of the 2005 World Touring Car Championship.

Race 2

Weather Cloudy, 13° Celsius.
Start Jörg Müller gets off to a good start and works his way forward from 29th to 18th place. Dirk Müller also gains ground to come out of the first turn in fourth position. Garcia is in third place, Zanardi in ninth and Priaulx in sixth.
Lap 2 Both Garcia and Dirk Müller manage to get past Rydell.
Lap 5 Dirk Müller passes Garcia to move into second place.
Lap 7 Jörg Müller continues to carve his way through the field, now driving in fourth place behind Garcia. Priaulx fights an exciting duel with Jordi Gene (SEAT), which sees the 2004 ETCC champion slip into fifth place.
Finish Dirk Müller attacks Thompson, who is heading the field, but ultimately settles for second place. Garcia finishes third, and Jörg Müller's catching-up exercise earns him a fourth-placed finish. Priaulx in fifth and Zanardi in seventh place also manage to claim world championship points.

Results

BMW Team Deutschland - Schnitzer Motorsport
No. 42 - Jörg Müller (GER) Grid: 18th - Races: 29th and 4th
No. 43 - Dirk Müller (GER) Grid: 1st - Races: 1st and 2nd

BMW Team UK - RBM
No. 1 - Andy Priaulx (GBR) Grid: 5th - Races: 4th and 5th

BMW Team Italy-Spain - ROAL Motorsport
No. 4 - Alex Zanardi (ITA) Grid: 11th - Races: 10th and 7th
No. 5 - Antonio Garcia (ESP) Grid: 2nd - Races: 5th and 3rd

BMW private teams
Crawford Racing - No. 28 - Carl Rosenblad (SWE) Did not race
Proteam Motorsport - No. 30 - Stefano d'Aste (ITA) Races: 16th and 22nd
- No. 31 - Giuseppe Ciro (ITA) Races: DNF and 18th
Wiechers-Sport - No. 32 - Marc Hennerici (GER) Races: 13th and 10th
Zerocinque Motorsp - No. 54 - Stefano Valli (RSM) Races: 27th and 19th
No. 53 - Gianluca De Lorenzi Races: 23rd and DNF

Results Race 1: 1. Dirk Müller (GER/BMW 320i) 18:03.203 minutes, 2. Gabriele Tarquini (ITA/Alfa Romeo) +2.465 seconds, 3. Augusto Farfus jr. (BRA/Alfa Romeo) +3.854, 4. Andy Priaulx (GBR/BMW 320i) +3.977, 5. Antonio Garcia (ESP/BMW 320i) +8.088, 6. Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA/Alfa Romeo) +8.248, 7. James Thompson (GBR/Alfa Romeo) +8.910, 8. Rickard Rydell (SWE/SEAT) +9.192, ? 10. Alessandro Zanardi (ITA/BMW 320i) +14.843, ? 29. Jörg Müller (GER/BMW 320i) +1 lap

Results Race 2: 1. James Thompson (GBR/Alfa Romeo) 18:13.906 minutes, 2. Dirk Müller (GER/BMW 320i) +0.503 seconds, 3. Antonio Garcia (ESP/BMW 320i) +0.765, 4. Jörg Müller (GER/BMW 320i) +1.248, 5. Andy Priaulx (GBR/BMW 320i) +1.467, 6. Jordi Gene (ESP/SEAT), +2.470, 7. Alessandro Zanardi (ITA/BMW 320i) +5.976, 8. Fabrizio Giovanardi (ITA, Alfa Romeo) +6.767

Drivers' standings after two out of 20 races: 1. Dirk Müller 18 points, 2. James Thompson 12, 3. Antonio Garcia 10, 4. Andy Priaulx 9, 5. Gabriele Tarquini 8, 6. Augusto Farfus jr. 6, 7. Jörg Müller 5, 8. Fabrizio Giovanardi 4, 9. Jordi Gene 3, 10. Alessandro Zanardi 2, 11. Rickard Rydell 1
Manufacturers' standings after two out of 20 races: 1. BMW 29, 2. Alfa Romeo 25, 3. SEAT 4
Next race: Magny-Cours, France (1st May 2005)

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