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BMW SIGNS AUGUSTO FARFUS FOR THE 2007 WTCC SEASON |
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Written by Jeff Seabrook
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Thursday, 30 November 2006 |
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2006 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC)
Munich, 01st December 2006. BMW has signed Augusto Farfus (BRA) as a works driver for the FIA World Touring Car Championship. The 23-year-old is going to contest the 2007 season at the wheel of a Schnitzer Motorsport BMW 320si WTCC and will team up with Jörg Müller (GER). In the past two years Farfus also raced in the World Championship and succeeded in impressing with his remarkable achievements.
"I'm delighted that the up-and-coming touring car ace Augusto Farfus will line up for us in 2007," said BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. "Since having made his debut in the 2004 European Touring Car Championship he has learned a lot and displayed a steep upward trend. In the 2006 WTCC season he was among the title contenders up to the very last round. To be able to stand up to the extremely competitive field in this hard-fought championship demonstrates his extraordinary skills."
Farfus made the following comment regarding his signing: "I'm really happy to become a BMW works driver. It's an honour when a company like BMW gives me the chance to compete for it. BMW won the 2006 World Touring Car Championship. Therefore, I'm confident to be in a competitive car for the first race of the season. It's my goal to become World Champion with BMW. The 2007 season opener will be held in my home town of Curitiba. This gives me additional motivation. As Andy Priaulx was able to win a race in Curitiba this year, I'm convinced that I can be successful from the word go."
Within the ranks of the BMW drivers, Farfus is going to replace Dirk Müller (GER), who was a BMW works driver from 2002 to 2006. In his three ETCC years, Dirk Müller won eight rounds, and from 2005 he claimed four WTCC victories. Additionally, he won the 2004 Nürburgring 24-Hour Race with his team-mates Hans-Joachim Stuck (GER) and Jörg Müller at the wheel of a BMW M3 GTR.
In the past season, Farfus made his successful breakthrough in the World Touring Car Championship. The racing driver from Curitiba (BRA) started the season with limited expectations, but succeeded in causing a stir several times. At the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 156 he secured three wins - at Monza, Puebla and Valencia - and two pole positions. Prior to the final round of the season, Farfus was the only driver, apart from reigning World Champion Andy Priaulx (GBR, BMW Team UK) and the latter's fellow BMW driver, Jörg Müller (BMW Team Germany), who still had a chance of winning the title. However, following an accident in the final race, the young gun had to settle for third in the championship. In 2005 Farfus succeeded in clinching his maiden World Championship win at Macau's challenging street circuit.
Following first successes as a motocross driver and in karting, Farfus soon made the move to Europe. In 2000 he debuted in the European Formula Renault championship and secured the title in the following season. In the European F3000 Championship he again clinched the title in his second season in 2003, and in 2004 he successfully moved to touring car racing.
Biography Augusto Farfus.
Date/Place of birth: 03rd September 1983/Curitiba (BRA)
Residence: Pontremoli (ITA)
Marital status: Single
Website: www.farfus.comOnly registered users can write comments.
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