Sports award gives Alex Zanardi added incentive for Imola.
Imola (Italy), 23rd May 2005. This weekend the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) will be stopping off in Imola for races seven and eight. As with Formula One, San Marino will be hosting the event at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. BMW will again be competing as the leader of the Constructors' Championship. After the races at Silverstone, BMW tops the rankings with 81 points, ahead of Alfa Romeo (75) and SEAT (60). As was the case in the British races, the FIA will once more be granting a weight reduction of 20 kilograms to all front-wheel-drive cars, which again means a disadvantage for the rear-wheel-drive BMW models.

 

In the Drivers' Championship, things could hardly be much tighter after race six out of 20. A mere five World Championship points separate the first four drivers. Dirk Müller (GER) of BMW Team Deutschland leads with 32 points ahead of Alfa Romeo's Gabriele Tarquini, who has a tally of 30. Dirk Müller's team-mate Jörg Müller (GER) is level-pegging with Andy Priaulx (GBR) of BMW Team UK: they share third place in the Drivers' rankings with 27 points each.

 

BMW Team Italy-Spain driver Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) also has a lead to defend - in the Italian Superturismo Championship. As previously in Monza and Magny-Cours, the focus of the WTCC races in Imola will be on picking up points for this series. Local hero Zanardi already made a star appearance last Monday when he was presented with the Laureus World Sports Award for the Comeback of the Year 2004 at Estoril. In addition to the 38-year-old racing driver, honours also went to tennis player Roger Federer (Sportsman of the Year), athlete Kelly Holmes (Sportswoman of the Year) and the Greek national football team, among others.

"I am very proud to have received this award," says Zanardi. "It's like standing at the top of the podium after winning a race. But I already experienced similar moments of happiness during my rehabilitation when I gradually made more and more progress. I have always kept my optimism and my positive approach to life. But I wouldn't describe that as a special achievement - it's in the genes. With this award in my hands, I go to Imola with an even greater incentive."

 

Priaulx also made a guest appearance at a special event prior to the Imola races: the first BMW Power Festival in Rockingham. Last weekend, apart from steering his BMW 320i WTCC, he also drove a BMW WilliamsF1 Team Formula One car, as well as the BMW V12 LMR with which BMW won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1999.

 

The reigning European Touring Car Champion is one of eleven drivers who will have to contest the races at Imola with extra weight in their car: Priaulx has 40 kilograms of ballast on board. Dirk Müller (35 kg), Jörg Müller (30 kg) and Antonio Garcia (ESP) of BMW Team Italy-Spain with 15 kilograms will also be lining up with a weight handicap.

 

Schedule:

 

Saturday, 28th May 2005

 

09.00 - 09.30 hrs 1st free practice
12.30 - 13.00 hrs 2nd free practice
15.15 - 15.45 hrs Qualifying

 

Sunday, 29th May 2005

 

09.20 - 09.35 hrs Warm-up
15.10 - 15.35 hrs 1st race - 11 laps (54.23 km)
16.15 - 16.40 hrs 2nd race - 11 laps (54.23 km)

 

Racing calendar FIA WTCC 2005
Date: Race

 

10th April: Monza, Italy
1st May: Magny-Cours, France
15th May: Silverstone, England
29th May: Imola, Italy
26th June: Puebla, Mexico
30th July: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
28th August: Oschersleben, Germany
18th September: Istanbul, Turkey
2nd October: Valencia, Spain
20th November: Macau, China