BMW WilliamsF1 Team - Dirk Muller test-drives the FW24

12 November 2002


Reward for Dirk Muller:
Formula One test in Barcelona


Munich. In recognition of his strong performance in the European Touring Car
Championship, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team is granting touring car works driver
Dirk Muller a Formula One test drive. The 26-year-old from North-Rhine
Westphalia (GER) will be getting behind the wheel of the WilliamsF1 BMW FW24
in Barcelona on 3 December.

"I can't wait for my test drive in Barcelona," said a delighted Muller.
"It's always been my dream to drive a Formula One car one day. It's fantastic that the
BMW
WilliamsF1 Team has given me this opportunity."

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen said: "Over the last two years Dirk
has achieved a great deal for BMW and really deserves this token of thanks."
Dirk
Muller's touring car teammate, Jorg Muller (GER), by contrast, already has
plenty of Formula One driving practice under his belt, having spent three years as
an F1 test driver.

Dirk Muller, who turns 27 on 18 November, launched his career in 1989 in
karting, moving on to various junior formula classes. In 1996, a highly promising
season with his first racing victory in the German Formula 3 Championship ended
with the bankruptcy of his main sponsor. Muller switched to touring car racing and
went on to win the 1998 Porsche Carrera Cup as a works driver as well as the GT
Class of
the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in 2000.

For the 2001 season he joined BMW's ALMS team and claimed victory at Jarama
(ESP) in the BMW M3 GTR. In the 2002 season just past, Dirk Muller manned a
BMW 320i as works driver for the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC),
in which he secured three racing victories and took fourth place in the
championship. His country of residence is Monaco and he has been married to
Daniela since 2001.

Dirk Muller will be test-driving on 3 December along with Nico Rosberg. The
17-year-old Finn, winner of the German Formula BMW ADAC Championship, was at
the WilliamsF1 headquarters in Grove last Monday for a seat fitting and
induction.