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Formula One: French GP qualifying: BMW Williams F1

2 July 2000

French Grand Prix -- QUALIFYING
1st July 2000

Weather: Sunny. Average air temperature 28°C. Av. track temperature 39°C.

It was a positive qualifying session for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team,
whose drivers Ralf Schumacher and Jenson Button will start from 5th
and 10th places respectively for the 2000 French Grand Prix. Ralf
today equalled his best qualifying position for the fourth time this
season. After Silverstone, the team starts with both cars in the top 10.

Ralf Schumacher 
Position:       5th
Chassis:        FW22 02
T-car:          FW22 03 
Fastest Lap:    1:16.291
          
"I am very happy with today's qualifying result. To be honest I must
say that I'm a little bit surprised to have finished fifth. After the test 
last
week, I expected a position between seventh and 10th.  The BMW
WilliamsF1 Team sorted out all the problems and they were very well
prepared for this qualifying session. I must also say that I like this
track and I'm looking forward to tomorrow's race." 

Jenson Button 
Position:       10th
Chassis:        FW22 04
Fastest Lap:    1.16.905
          
"I am very happy, mostly because I had a couple of poor qualifying
sessions previous to this one. 10th on the grid is definitely a good
position to start my first race here. When I came back in the garage in
10th position I thought it was great but then I saw Ralf who was going
much faster than me and I was a little disappointed but I am happy for
him. I like this track, especially the chicanes which are very fast and
technical and demand a quick reaction -- it takes a bit of time to get
used to them." 

Patrick Head (Technical Director)
"Quite a good qualifying for us, after the fairly difficult test we had here
last week. I think the engineers and the team as a whole has done a
very good job to improve the car. Our interest now is to try to ensure
we have a good race car for tomorrow. We are very impressed with
both drivers.  Ralf did a good lap on his first run and the second too
was close but not an improvement. Then Irvine improved further still
and Ralf was debating about whether to save his tyres or to do a run.
We said we thought he could do it and he just went out and did it.
Jenson, for his first time in a F1 car here, 10th on the grid in this
company and in the car we gave him is a very good job."

Gerhard Berger (BMW Motorsport Director)
"This is one of our best results so far, with Ralf being just 6.59 tenths
off pole. In the last three races we had lost rhythm due to crazy
weather conditions and some accidents. It looks like we have found it
again and this is a positive stroke for the whole team. I find it very
impressive that in his last lap Ralf beat Irvine. Also Jenson's 10th
position is one from which he can finish in the points. So far we didn't
have any technical problems."

Actual high resolution photographs may be downloaded from the
BMW Press Club at www.press.bmwclub.com (registration at any
time).