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Formula One: German GP race report, BMW Williams

31 July 2000

German Grand Prix -- RACE 
              Hockenheim, 30th July 2000

Weather: Changeable with showers.
Average air temperature 19 C. Av. track temperature 20 C.

A good result for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team with Jenson Button
finishing fourth and Ralf Schumacher 7th, having started last and 14th
respectively.

Jenson Button 
    Position: 4th
Chassis:
         FW22 04
Best Time:
         1:47.073 on lap 23
"I am very happy, thinking how my race started, with my engine not
firing-up! The team made an excellent job calling me in at the right
time to switch to wet tyres. It was very difficult to drive at that
moment, because at the back of the circuit it was dry, yet in the pit
lane it was raining! A very exciting moment was also passing Mika
Salo, two laps before the end of the race."

Ralf Schumacher 
    Position: 7th 
Chassis:
         FW22 02
Best Time:
         1:46.685 on lap 24
          
"I had a good start, the car was okay even if very slow on the straight
and I couldn't overtake. What happened with Zonta was a shame, as it
damaged the rear diffuser of my car, forcing me to pit and to lose a
chance of finishing in the points. The race was over for me then."

Frank Williams
"This was really one of the better races I have watched. Of course I am
delighted because of the result."

Patrick Head (WilliamsF1 Technical Director)
"A fourth position is a brilliant result for Jenson. In spite of the
unfortunate grid positions, the guys on the pit wall made an excellent
strategy. Ralf was hit by Zonta and that damaged the diffuser on the
back of his car. Maybe without that we might have stayed out on dry
tyres. It's absolutely brilliant for BMW to finish at Hockenheim with
two cars in the top seven in their first year. It shows the remarkable
job they are doing. I would like to say well done for Rubens, he has
been at it for quite a long time now and it's not before time that he has
won his first Grand Prix."

Gerhard Berger (BMW Motorsport Director)
"We have got three more points and finished the race with two cars,
this shows the consistency of the team and the quality of our drivers.
It was a tremendously thrilling race, about which one will keep talking
for a long time."

TEST: The BMW WilliamsF1 Team will be testing in Valencia (Spain)
from Thursday 3rd to Saturday 5th August. Jenson Button will be on
duty for the first two days and Ralf Schumacher will take over for the
third and last day.