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Formula One: Belgian GP qualifying: BMW Williams F1

26 August 2000

Belgian Grand Prix QUALIFYING
26th August 2000

Weather: Sunny and dry.
Average air temperature 27°C. Average track temperature 32°C

The BMW WilliamsF1 Team achieved at Spa-Francorchamps its best
qualifying result of this season: Jenson Button will start from third
position for the 2000 Belgian Grand Prix and Ralf Schumacher from
sixth position.

Jenson Button 
    Position: 
    3rd 
Chassis:
         FW22 04 
    Fastest Lap:
         1.51.444
"I'm ecstatic, I really didn't expect to be that far towards the front.
Truthfully, I expected to be in the top six and the second row is
obviously a great result for me. We didn't change anything on the car
during qualifying because the session was just about me pushing to
the limit. I can't wait to race tomorrow hoping to collect some points.
This track is unique and has a lot of great corners, not just Eau Rouge.
I haven't taken it flat out as I am going to save that for next year. In one
hour I will wake up and realise that I'm just third -- a racer is never
happy until he's on pole."

Ralf Schumacher 
    Position: 
    6th   
Chassis:
         FW22 02 
    Fastest Lap:
         1:51.743
"All in all the BMW WilliamsF1 Team has performed better than I
expected here at Spa. My last fast lap could have been better, though,
unluckily I found a slower car in my way in the second sector. It's quite
unusual that both McLaren-Mercedes and the Ferraris are not at the
top here." 

 Patrick Head (Technical Director WilliamsF1)
"It's obviously a very, very good qualifying result for both the drivers,
but especially for Jenson. To have both cars in the top six is a good
position to start the race. The races here are always full of surprises.
Now we have to take care that we prepare thoroughly for it."

Dr Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director)
"This qualifying result is excellent, our best so far. We are going to
start our race for the second consecutive time from the second row,
which basically means that we are in the front of the battle. We are
particularly pleased that we have managed to achieve this in Spa, as it
is a true engine test circuit. We have prepared ourselves well for this
time. The latest engine specification that we ran today in both cars is
called 'Spa', as we prepared it specifically for this race. A version of
this engine was already used in Budapest but because of the natural
characteristics of that track the effect wasn't that significant.  This step
forward consists of several items that tend on one side to improve the
engine performance, on the other to reduce friction losses."