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Formula One: Austrian GP race: BMW Williams F1

17 July 2000

Austrian Grand Prix -- RACE 
Spielberg, 16th July 2000

Weather: Overcast. Average air temperature 17 C. Av. air temperature
23 C.

A mixed result for the BMW WilliamsF1 team with Jenson Button
finishing fifth -- having started 18th -- and Ralf Schumacher retiring
after having struggled for the whole race with brake problems.

Jenson Button 
    Position: 5th
Chassis:
         FW22 04
Best Time:
         1:12.964 on lap 46 (7th)
"It was a very hard race. The first corner was pretty tough to find a
way through. I not quite sure how I came out of it at the end. It was
good to follow the Sauber of Mika Salo and also the Jaguar of Johnny
Herbert to see what the differences were. The team did a good job
with my pit stop, we pitted a bit later than some of the others but
unfortunately, Jacques Villeneuve was able to just pop out of the pits
in front of me. My second set of tyres seemed to be a bit more loose
on the rear giving me some oversteer which caused my little
excursion which was a mistake on my part as well.  I am happy to get
two more points for the team and roll on the next race."

Ralf Schumacher 
    Position: DNF
Chassis:
         FW22 02
Best Time:
         1:12.811 on lap 42 (5th)
          
"I had a good start but I was blocked, being on the outer side of the
fracas at the first corner.  Bad luck. The race was pretty much over for
me there and then. After changing the nose I experienced a problem
with the left front brake, where probably something had got loose.
The rest of the laps were practically a test session. Today wasn't my
day."

Frank Williams
"Clearly everyone -- except Ralf -- is delighted. We collected two
points when we maybe shouldn't have done so. We now need to
continually improve. Jenson really excelled himself again driving in
difficult circumstances at the end of the race and under a lot of
pressure. Another useful finish for BMW and our own little
championship race."

Gerhard Berger (BMW Motorsport Director)
"This is a great result for us, with these two points we are third again
in the Constructors' championship. This race is a good example that
you should never give in and never lose your hope, but always give
the maximum, even when the starting position looks hopeless.  Ralf
had no luck today. Apart from one  mistake Jenson drove an
outstanding race, the first corner melee at the start was obviously to
our advantage."

TEST: The BMW WilliamsF1 Team will be testing in Silverstone from
Tuesday 18th to Thursday 20th (half day) July. Ralf Schumacher will
be on duty for the first day and Jenson Button will take over for the
second and the third days.