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 Saturday July 05, 2008 |
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WTCC - ROUNDS 5 AND 6 - BRANDS HATCH - PREVIEW |
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Written by Jeff Seabrook
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Wednesday May 17, 2006 |
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2006 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC)
Round 5 and 6 - 20th/21st May 2006 - Preview
Priaulx looks forward to the WTCC debut at Brands Hatch.
Munich, 15th May 2006. This weekend, the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit will celebrate its debut as a World Touring Car Championship venue, with the series holding rounds five and six at the 4.22-kilometre track located in the South East of England. Andy Priaulx (GBR) is currently the championship leader with 21 points and naturally he will be trying to add further points to his tally during his home event at Brands Hatch. However, a difficult task lies ahead of the reigning world champion and BMW Team UK - RBM, headed by Bart Mampaey (BEL). Following race wins in Monza and in Magny-Cours, Priaulx is required to take 70kg of additional weight on board his BMW 320si WTCC.
His competitors from the other BMW national teams are keen on seizing the opportunity to challenge the local hero's lead in the overall championship standings. The BMW Team Germany drivers are, however, also forced to drive with handicap weight aboard their cars. Jörg Müller (GER), who leaped to third position in the standings by twice finishing runner-up in Magny-Cours, will start with 45kg of additional weight. His team-mate, Dirk Müller (GER), returns into the cockpit of the BMW 320si WTCC after his appearance as Formula One driver in the BMW Sauber F1 Team's Pit Lane Park in Spain, and will have to enter the two sprint races with 35kg of handicap weight. On the other hand, BMW Team Italy-Spain drivers Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) and Marcel Costa (ESP) can look forward to racing without any extra ballast. BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen will attend both races since Formula One is enjoying a free weekend.
Following the WTCC races, Priaulx is scheduled to take part in two more events in his native country: At the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, which takes place on 11th June, the 31-year-old will drive the car of the BMW Sauber F1 Team in the specially erected BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park. Less than a month later, from 7th to 9th July, Priaulx will make his debut appearance at the classic Goodwood Festival of Speed. At the wheel of the Formula One car he will thrill the crowd once more.
Andy Priaulx (BMW Team UK):
"I'm really looking forward to my home event at Brands Hatch. Last year, the fans at Silverstone showed me great support and I think it will be just the same at Brands Hatch. However, I wouldn't say that I will enjoy a home advantage. Many of the WTCC drivers have been competing in the BTCC in the past and know the circuit just as well as I do.
Furthermore, the additional kilos won't make things easier for me. Still, I'm highly motivated. As Formula BMW UK Championship instructor, I'm also going to support my protégés during the weekend, as the young talent series is going to hold two rounds at Brands Hatch as part of the accompanying programme of the WTCC event. And in the next few weeks, the British motor racing fans will have more opportunities to see me racing."
History and background:
The Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit is part of the WTCC calendar for the first time. In 2005, the two British WTCC rounds were held at Silverstone, and Andy Priaulx finished in 5th position as best-placed BMW driver. In the second round, however, he experienced some bad luck when a punctured tyre forced him to retire from the lead.
Brands Hatch has been a motor racing venue since 1926. At that time, motorcycle races were held on an anti-clockwise grass track. In the early 1950s, the track surface was asphalted and the driving direction was changed.
The Grand Prix circuit used for the WTCC was built in 1959 and one year later, it was used as venue for a car race for the first time. From 1964 to 1986, the demanding circuit hosted the British Grand Prix twelve times and twice the European Grand Prix. Having won three GPs at Brands Hatch, Niki Lauda (AUT) is the most successful Formula One driver here. Two-time winner Nigel Mansell (GBR) holds second place in the record books.
Brands Hatch belongs to the small borough of Fawkham, located close to Dartford in the British county of Kent. Dartford is the administrative centre of the district of the same name and has around 60,000 inhabitants.
Two citizens of Dartford have made it to worldwide fame: Rolling Stones superstars Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were born and started their musical career here.
In the support programme of the WTCC weekend, the Formula BMW UK Championship is going to run rounds seven and eight. In the four worldwide Formula BMW Championships, held in Germany, the UK, Asia and North America, young talents drive modern single-seater racing cars powered by 140bhp BMW engines, and gather their first racing experiences.
On Thursday, 18th May, many of the WTCC drivers including Andy Priaulx are going to present themselves to the fans in the Alex Reade Motorsport Store, 78 Regent Street in London. Two autograph sessions (12:00 to 13:00hrs and 15:00 to 16:00 hrs BST) are scheduled.
The two WTCC rounds are both 12-lap races, covering a total distance of 50.64 kilometres per race. The first round will start at 14:15hrs BST (15:15hrs CET), the second at 15:25hrs BST (16:25hrs CET). EUROSPORT provides live race coverage.
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