09 WTCC rds 3 & 4 Puebla, Mexico

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2009 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC)

Races 3 & 4 � 21st/22nd March 2009 - preview

^{BMW continues WTCC campaign on difficult territory.}

^{Munich, 17th March 2009. Even at the start of the season, there is no let up in the FIA World Touring Car Championship: Just a fortnight after the first two races in Curitiba (BR), this weekend sees the second WTCC event of the year at Puebla (MX). Due to its many slow corners, the "Aut�dromo Miguel E. Abed" traditionally favours BMW�s competitors with front-wheel drive. Added to this, naturally-aspirated petrol engines suffer a greater loss of performance at an altitude of 2,200 metres than turbo diesel engines, which are used by the SEAT team.}

^{After BMW�s disappointing races in Brazil, fifth-placed Augusto Farfus (BR), from BMW Team Germany, is the BMW national teams� highest-ranked driver with seven points in the overall standings. Team-mate J�rg M�ller (DE) lies in sixth, thanks to an impressive charge through the field in the rain-drenched second race at Curitiba. BMW Team UK�s Andy Priaulx (GB) and Sergio Hern�ndez (ES) from BMW Team Italy-Spain were also able to pick up points in the opener. Alessandro Zanardi (IT) will be looking to collect his first points of the year in Puebla.}

^{Andy Priaulx (BMW Team UK): 
"I�m under no illusions: we are definitely not the favourites to finish top in Puebla this year. My goal is to score some points. To achieve that I need to finish in the top ten in qualifying and come through the two races without any incident."}

^{J�rg M�ller (BMW Team Germany):
"I am personally quite happy with my start to the season in Brazil. I feel in great shape and was able to show that in the second race. I am concerned though that the SEATs will again be in a league of their own in Puebla. No matter what, I will give it my best shot once more. In the end, every WTCC point can prove decisive."}

^{Augusto Farfus (BMW Team Germany):
"From a BMW perspective, Puebla is not exactly the ideal place to go for the WTCC. That�s not to say I don�t like the place. I always enjoy being in the Americas � even if Puebla is very different to Curitiba."Alessandro Zanardi (BMW Team Italy-Spain):
"The two races in Puebla don�t necessarily come very high on my list of favourites. But that doesn�t change the fact that I want to forget about my poor start in Curitiba. The circuit doesn�t suit our cars, and the same goes for the height of the place. But if the opportunity arises to get a good result then I�ll grab it."}

^{Sergio Hern�ndez (BMW Team Italy-Spain):
"The start in Brazil went quite well for me. If possible I want to make it into the second qualifying segment in Puebla, so I can be in a good position to pick up points in the races."}

^{History and Background: 
Following 2005, 2006 and 2008, the World Touring Car Championship this year stages its fourth event in Mexico. Augusto Farfus is the only current BMW driver who has tasted victory in Puebla. As an Alfa Romeo driver he was second in race one and won race two back in 2006. Last year only Andy Priaulx was able to pick up a point with eighth in race two.}

^{Puebla, the capital city of the state with the same name, has a population of approximately 1.5 million. The defining event in the town's history was the "Battle of Puebla", during which a French expedition corps attempted to invade the town on 5th May 1862. After local farmers were able to drive back the French army, 5th May became a Mexican national holiday. Because of its impressive colonial architecture, Puebla was named an official UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.}

^{From the city of Puebla it is possible to see the two Central American twin volcanoes, Popocat�petl and Iztacc�huatl. With a height of 5,462 meters, Popocat�petl, which is also called "El Popo", towers over its majestic neighbour by 176 metres. Located 15 kilometres outside Puebla are the city of Cholula and the Tepanapa pyramid. Based on its volume, it is the largest building of its kind in the world.}

^{Constructed in 2005, the "Aut�dromo Miguel E. Abed" is an anti-clockwise track with a total of 18 corners. It is the slowest track on the calendar, and its extreme altitude reduces the performance of every engine in the field. An angular infield enhances the original oval-shaped race track, and its tight winding sections are comparable to a go-karting track.}

^{Critical to success is good traction in the unfailingly slow corners on this "low grip" track. The drivers have to accelerate early and aggressively without spinning the wheels. That explains why the rear axle is set up soft.}

^{The new Formula BMW Americas season gets underway on the support programme of the World Touring Car Championship in Puebla. Last year, 17-year-old Alexander Rossi (US) won the title in this young talent series before claiming the opportunity of a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team by winning the Formula BMW World Final in Mexico. The Formula BMW Americas drivers began their preparations for the start of the season at the beginning of March with a test at the "Carolina Motorsports Park" in southern California (US). The quickest driver was Gabby Chaves from Colombia.}

^{The two WTCC races will each be 16 laps. This is a total distance of 51.84 kilometres. The first race starts on Sunday at 12:20 local time (18:20 GMT). Race two starts at 15.50 (21:50 GMT). Both races will be televised on Eurosport International.}

Edited by Melvyn Pettit - 21 Mar 2009 at 2:20pm

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Melvyn Pettit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Club Member Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Location: Isle of Wight Status: Offline Points: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote Melvyn Pettit Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: 09 WTCC rds 3 & 4 Puebla, Mexico Posted: 21 Mar 2009 at 2:19pm
	2009 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) Races 3 & 4 � 21st/22nd March 2009 - preview ^{BMW continues WTCC campaign on difficult territory.} ^{Munich, 17th March 2009. Even at the start of the season, there is no let up in the FIA World Touring Car Championship: Just a fortnight after the first two races in Curitiba (BR), this weekend sees the second WTCC event of the year at Puebla (MX). Due to its many slow corners, the "Aut�dromo Miguel E. Abed" traditionally favours BMW�s competitors with front-wheel drive. Added to this, naturally-aspirated petrol engines suffer a greater loss of performance at an altitude of 2,200 metres than turbo diesel engines, which are used by the SEAT team.} ^{After BMW�s disappointing races in Brazil, fifth-placed Augusto Farfus (BR), from BMW Team Germany, is the BMW national teams� highest-ranked driver with seven points in the overall standings. Team-mate J�rg M�ller (DE) lies in sixth, thanks to an impressive charge through the field in the rain-drenched second race at Curitiba. BMW Team UK�s Andy Priaulx (GB) and Sergio Hern�ndez (ES) from BMW Team Italy-Spain were also able to pick up points in the opener. Alessandro Zanardi (IT) will be looking to collect his first points of the year in Puebla.} ^{Andy Priaulx (BMW Team UK): "I�m under no illusions: we are definitely not the favourites to finish top in Puebla this year. My goal is to score some points. To achieve that I need to finish in the top ten in qualifying and come through the two races without any incident."} ^{J�rg M�ller (BMW Team Germany): "I am personally quite happy with my start to the season in Brazil. I feel in great shape and was able to show that in the second race. I am concerned though that the SEATs will again be in a league of their own in Puebla. No matter what, I will give it my best shot once more. In the end, every WTCC point can prove decisive."} ^{Augusto Farfus (BMW Team Germany): "From a BMW perspective, Puebla is not exactly the ideal place to go for the WTCC. That�s not to say I don�t like the place. I always enjoy being in the Americas � even if Puebla is very different to Curitiba."Alessandro Zanardi (BMW Team Italy-Spain): "The two races in Puebla don�t necessarily come very high on my list of favourites. But that doesn�t change the fact that I want to forget about my poor start in Curitiba. The circuit doesn�t suit our cars, and the same goes for the height of the place. But if the opportunity arises to get a good result then I�ll grab it."} ^{Sergio Hern�ndez (BMW Team Italy-Spain): "The start in Brazil went quite well for me. If possible I want to make it into the second qualifying segment in Puebla, so I can be in a good position to pick up points in the races."} ^{History and Background: Following 2005, 2006 and 2008, the World Touring Car Championship this year stages its fourth event in Mexico. Augusto Farfus is the only current BMW driver who has tasted victory in Puebla. As an Alfa Romeo driver he was second in race one and won race two back in 2006. Last year only Andy Priaulx was able to pick up a point with eighth in race two.} ^{Puebla, the capital city of the state with the same name, has a population of approximately 1.5 million. The defining event in the town's history was the "Battle of Puebla", during which a French expedition corps attempted to invade the town on 5th May 1862. After local farmers were able to drive back the French army, 5th May became a Mexican national holiday. Because of its impressive colonial architecture, Puebla was named an official UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.} ^{From the city of Puebla it is possible to see the two Central American twin volcanoes, Popocat�petl and Iztacc�huatl. With a height of 5,462 meters, Popocat�petl, which is also called "El Popo", towers over its majestic neighbour by 176 metres. Located 15 kilometres outside Puebla are the city of Cholula and the Tepanapa pyramid. Based on its volume, it is the largest building of its kind in the world.} ^{Constructed in 2005, the "Aut�dromo Miguel E. Abed" is an anti-clockwise track with a total of 18 corners. It is the slowest track on the calendar, and its extreme altitude reduces the performance of every engine in the field. An angular infield enhances the original oval-shaped race track, and its tight winding sections are comparable to a go-karting track.} ^{Critical to success is good traction in the unfailingly slow corners on this "low grip" track. The drivers have to accelerate early and aggressively without spinning the wheels. That explains why the rear axle is set up soft.} ^{The new Formula BMW Americas season gets underway on the support programme of the World Touring Car Championship in Puebla. Last year, 17-year-old Alexander Rossi (US) won the title in this young talent series before claiming the opportunity of a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team by winning the Formula BMW World Final in Mexico. The Formula BMW Americas drivers began their preparations for the start of the season at the beginning of March with a test at the "Carolina Motorsports Park" in southern California (US). The quickest driver was Gabby Chaves from Colombia.} ^{The two WTCC races will each be 16 laps. This is a total distance of 51.84 kilometres. The first race starts on Sunday at 12:20 local time (18:20 GMT). Race two starts at 15.50 (21:50 GMT). Both races will be televised on Eurosport International.} Edited by Melvyn Pettit - 21 Mar 2009 at 2:20pm
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safe1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Club Member BMWCC Club President Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Status: Offline Points: 1426	Post Options Post Reply Quote safe1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Mar 2009 at 6:31pm
	Well done Melvyn as usual--the main issue is will WTCC allow REAL racers to race, or will the series be allowed to become the world demolition derby??????? Can we get a transfer of Alan Gow --BOSS of the BTCC series to bring some common sense to a world series--or just run a dodgem getogether.Answers to FIM-Paris.
	Gofastsafe

Melvyn Pettit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Club Member Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Location: Isle of Wight Status: Offline Points: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote Melvyn Pettit Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 Mar 2009 at 9:12am
	Puebla - Qualifying Farfus claims pole position for BMW in Puebla � Priaulx comes second. ^{Thanks to an excellent team result, BMW successfully fought back after a difficult start to the 2009 FIA World Touring Car Championship. At the "Aut�dromo Miguel E. Abed" in Puebla (MX), BMW Team Germany�s Augusto Farfus (BR) set a best time of 1:37.682 minutes in the second part of qualifying, and secured pole position for the third race of the season. BMW Team UK driver Andy Priaulx (GB) was just 0.045 seconds slower than his fellow BMW driver, claiming second and making it an all BMW front row in Puebla. Five BMW drivers made it into the top-ten at the 3.240-kilometre track. Farfus� team-mate, J�rg M�ller (DE) came seventh. BMW privateer F�lix Porteiro (ES) finished eighth for Proteam Motorsport. BMW Team Italy-Spain�s Sergio Hern�ndez (ES) managed to make it into "Q2" for the first time this year, finishing tenth, while only his team-mate, Alessandro Zanardi (IT)l failed to make the cut and had to make do with 12th on tomorrow�s grid. "Following the difficult races in Brazil we couldn�t expect this result," Farfus commented after claiming the seventh pole position of his WTCC career. "But we worked hard and were absolutely determined to score some points here in Puebla. This mission will hopefully be easier now I am starting from pole. Of course I will also try to keep the lead throughout the race, although this won�t be easy. It�s great to have another BMW driver in Andy Priaulx beside me on the front row. A big thank you to the whole team." As early as in the first part of qualifying Farfus proved just how talented he was. One run was enough for him to set a 1:37.981-minute lap � the fastest time of the weekend up to then � and to take the lead. Along with Priaulx, M�ller, Hern�ndez and Porteiro advanced easily into the second qualifying session. All the BMW drivers apart from Hern�ndez were able to improve on their lap times in "Q2". While Farfus completed his pole position lap at the start of the session, Priaulx went out halfway through the 10-minutes, only missing out on beating Farfus� lap time by fractions of a second. "We needed this result," said Priaulx. "The season opener in Curitiba was a big disappointment for us. Therefore it�s great to start from the front row here. The grip level is much higher than in previous years, which suits our cars. In fact, we were more than three seconds faster than in last year�s qualifying." Now the BMW national teams are in a promising position to improve on their previous results in Puebla. Last year Priaulx was the only BMW driver who managed to score a championship point on the slowest circuit on the calendar. The third race of the FIA World Touring Car Championship will start on 12:20hrs local time (18:20hrs GMT) on Sunday, race two will get underway at 15:50hrs (21:50hrs GMT).} Edited by Melvyn Pettit - 22 Mar 2009 at 9:30am
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Melvyn Pettit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Club Member Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Location: Isle of Wight Status: Offline Points: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote Melvyn Pettit Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 Mar 2009 at 9:35am
	John What a surprise to have two racers on the front row of the grid for race one At least it was not a Seat "Lets put all drivers in hat" and pull out two, to take advantage of the five car train
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Melvyn Pettit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Club Member Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Location: Isle of Wight Status: Offline Points: 1502	Post Options Post Reply Quote Melvyn Pettit Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 Mar 2009 at 7:20am
	BMW drivers Priaulx and Farfus claim podium finishes in Puebla. Puebla, 22^{nd March 2009.} BMW looks back on its most successful FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) weekend to date on Mexican soil: At the "Aut�dromo Miguel E. Abed" in Puebla (MX), BMW Team Germany�s Augusto Farfus took second in the third race of the season, after claiming pole position on Saturday. While SEAT driver Rickard Rydell (SE) won, Andy Priaulx (GB) of BMW Team UK finished third, celebrating his maiden podium finish of the season � and his first in Puebla. In race two, it was Priaulx who finished second behind SEAT�s Yvan Muller (FR), while Farfus came fourth. The two BMW Team Italy-Spain drivers, Sergio Hern�ndez (ES) and Alessandro Zanardi (IT), managed to score points in race two by finishing fifth and sixth respectively. Farfus� team-mate J�rg M�ller (DE), who collected four points in the first race, rounded off the strong overall result. In the Drivers� Championship, Farfus has now 20 points under his belt, thus improving to third in the standings. Having 30 points to his name, Muller tops the classification. BMW increased its points tally in the Manufacturers� Championship to 49, still holding second place behind SEAT. In the first race Farfus got off to a good start and successfully defended the lead. However, on the opening lap he had to let Rydell pass, who had overtaken Priaulx before. SEAT�s Gabriele Tarquini (IT) and Muller also passed Priaulx. M�ller improved to fifth at the start, Hern�ndez moved up to eighth. A turbulent third lap changed this order: First, M�ller got on the grass during a fight with Tiago Monteiro (PT, SEAT) and dropped back to eighth. Then Hern�ndez spun off, rejoining in 12th. Zanardi benefited from the incidents and climbed to ninth. As the race developed, the balance of power moved in BMW�s direction. At the top of the field, Farfus started to put Rydell under pressure. Behind the leading duo Priaulx first overtook Muller and then passed Tarquini on lap nine. M�ller gained ground as well, eventually crossing the line in fifth. While Zanardi lost several positions due to technical problems, which saw him finish 13th, Hern�ndez worked his way up to ninth again. However, it was too late for the Spaniard to launch an attack for P8 and pole position for race two against Chevrolet�s Nicola Larini (IT). Two laps before the end of the race, Priaulx set the fastest lap of 1:38.076 minutes, and closed in on Rydell and Farfus. But Rydell defended his lead from the two BMW drivers, with Farfus coming second, just 1.508 seconds behind the Swede, and Priaulx taking the chequered flag in third. M�ller managed to improve from fourth to second at the start of race two. First he passed Larini, then he also overtook Tarquini. Priaulx remained in sixth, while Farfus dropped from seventh to ninth. Hern�ndez and Zanardi also gained several positions. M�ller�s hopes for a strong result, however, ended on lap six, following a collision with Tarquini. He went off and lost many places. The SEAT driver received a 30-second penalty for this incident after race. His team appealed against this decision. M�ller finished 13th � and clocked the fastest lap time in 1:38.287 minutes. The other BMW drivers continued their chase up the field. On lap eight, Priaulx took second place away from SEAT�s Jordi Gen� (ES), now running directly behind race leader Muller. He stayed until the end of the race and crossed the line 0.459 seconds after the reigning champion. Farfus passed Gen� for fourth on lap 11. Hern�ndez and Zanardi eventually finished fifth and sixth after delivering strong performances. Reactions: Andy Priaulx (BMW Team UK): "This result is not only good for us, but also for the championship. The competition was close in both races, and the fans got to see many exciting fights. Towards the end of race one, the balance of my car was just fantastic. No wonder I set the fastest lap time. Second place in race two feels like a victory. There was just no chance to pass Yvan Muller. Our strong result here must not hide the fact that we still have to find speed, if we want to win such a race in future." J�rg M�ller (BMW Team Germany): "Compared to my previous Mexico weekends it went not too bad for me this year. Before today I had always failed to score points at this track. Fifth place in the first race was an excellent starting point for race two. I knew that I would have a chance to win, if only I could make a good start. In fact, I improved to second early, but then Gabriele Tarquini took me out of the race. That�s really disappointing, as this incident ruined my chances." Augusto Farfus (BMW Team Germany): "Of course you want to win, when you are starting from pole position. But my disappointment is limited. Before the start of the weekend we had never expected to be that competitive and to make it to the podium. That�s why I�m really happy about my 13 points today. In race two my start was not perfect. But I quickly found my rhythm again and managed to move up." Sergio Hern�ndez (BMW Team Italy-Spain): "I�m really happy with the outcome of this weekend. We didn�t start particularly well ion Friday, but improved step by step. I spent a lot of time studying the data with my engineers, which helped me a lot to fine-tune my driving style on this track. The work was worth it. I did a big mistake in race one. But race two could hardly have run any better for me." Alessandro Zanardi (BMW Team Italy-Spain): "Once more my team did something magic for me today. After race one my car was heavily damaged. But within 15 minutes my boys changed the alternator, the exhaust, the bumper, and many, many more parts. They only forgot to adjust my mirrors. To bring them this type of result after what they did is one of the best things of my racing career. Despite my 30-kilo handicap for the sequential gearbox, I was able to compete on a similar level as the other BMWs. This gives us an amazing boost for Marrakech." Standings: Drivers: ^{1st Muller (30 points), 2nd Rydell (30), 3rd Farfus (20), 4th Tarquini (19), 5th Gen� (18), 6th Priaulx (16), 7th M�ller (8), 8th Hern�ndez (7), 9th Zanardi (3), 10th Porteiro (3).} Manufacturers: 1st SEAT (67 points), 2nd BMW (49), 3rd Chevrolet (20), 4th LADA (18). Edited by Melvyn Pettit - 23 Mar 2009 at 7:32am
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