Jarama ELMS race preview - BMW Motorsport

media note:  the O in Jorg and U in Muller are spelled with an umlaut, which 
isn't visible with this text file

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ALMS makes second European guest appearance in Jarama, Spain, on 20 May 2001 

BMW prepares to do battle in Spain 

Munich. The heat is on: Team BMW Motorsport are heading for the next race in 
Jarama fired with determination. On May 20th, the circuit outside Spain's 
capital Madrid will see the two BMW M3 GTRs of JJ Lehto (FIN)/Jorg Muller (D) 
and Fredrik Ekblom (S)/Dirk Muller (D) fighting for points at the second 
European guest appearance of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

The race, which lasts 2 hours 45 minutes, is the Team's fourth appearance 
overall this season and the third for the V8-powered M3 GTR. At the last race 
in Donington both of the new, beefy sports cars had problems with stability. 
"Our preparations have been chiefly concentrating on the difficulties we 
experienced in Donington," explains team manager Charly Lamm. "If we can get 
both cars across the finishing line in Jarama, we're in with a chance of 
winning." 

The Spanish event, too, will mark the racing debut of another BMW. Since 
their appearance at Donington in mid-April, the Team have assembled the next 
BMW M3 GTR - Chassis 04 for Lehto/Muller, who were still driving the 
prototype in England. Ekblom/Muller were already piloting their new Chassis 
03. "We've now reached the stage one would ideally want to be at for the 
start of the season," admits Lamm. The delay, so unfamiliar to him and BMW, 
was the result of the relatively late decision to go ahead with this project 
which was made at the end of September.

Jorg Muller took the new Chassis 04 out for its functional test on BMW's 
proving grounds in Ismaning, while his namesake Dirk Muller carried out the 
reliability tests on the same track. A week before their departure for 
Jarama, the Team spent three days testing both cars on the circuit belonging 
to the Michelin Technology Centre Ladoux in Clermont Ferrand. Lehto and 
Ekblom were in the driving seats.

Challenging circuit with sentimental value

Jorg Muller describes the 3.850-kilometre (2.392-mile) former Grand Prix 
circuit as "a track with lots of tight corners that really put the traction 
and brakes to the test. Our M3 GTR is strong on both of these. From that 
point of view," he believes, "Jarama ought to be right up our street." On the 
circuit's single, not very long straight he anticipates a top speed of no 
more than 240 kph (150 mph). Muller hasn't yet run a race on the Spanish 
track but is familiar with it from test drives in the BMW V12 LMR, the 
winning car of the 1999 Le Mans. "It's a great car! We did the first test 
drive in Jarama," he recalls, adding a little wistfully: "and in January I 
drove the last few yards in the V12 LMR before it was put in the museum."

The BMW Team well can well recall not only testing the sports car on the 
Jarama circuit but also their last race appearance here - one which ended in 
a one-two victory. That was in 1987 on their way to the Touring Car World 
Championship. Roberto Ravaglia and Emanuele Pirro in a BMW M3 drove to 
victory ahead of their team-mates Ivan Capelli and Roland Ratzenberger, who 
was killed in Formula 1 in 1994.

The race in Jarama forms part of the European Le Mans Series in which BMW 
won't otherwise be appearing. However, these races are attractive due to the 
regulations which allow points earned in Jarama to count in lieu of a poor 
finish in the ALMS. 



The race takes place on Sunday, 20 May, from 1.00-3.45 pm local time. 

Live commentaries on the Internet are available at www.americanlemans.com.


Eurosport

Race summary: Sunday, 27 May, 8.00-9.00 pm CET

Programmes featuring ALMS reports: Wednesday, 23 May, 6.30-7.00 pm
(repeated Thursday, 24 May, 11.30 am-12 pm and Friday, 25 May, 10-10.30 am)

Sky Sports 3 (UK)

Live coverage of the event plus edited highlights.

Photos: www.press.bmwgroup.com. 

BMW Press: Guido Stalmann, Tel +49 (0) 89 382 23401, Fax +49 (0) 89 382 
27563, Mobile +49 (0) 170 5666 112, E-mail: Guido.Stalmann@bmw.de   

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Sylvia Proudfoot
spur07@cs.com
403 287 3945