ALMS: Double podium finish for BMW prototypes
7 August 2000
Munich/Bowmanville. BMW works drivers JJ Lehto (FIN) and Jorg Muller (D) made up a 66-second deficit to finish 0.148 seconds behind the winning Audi in the American Le Mans Series globemegawheels.com Grand Prix at Mosport. Lehto started the No. 42 BMW V12 LMR from fifth on the grid and moved up to third in increasingly difficult rain conditions. Muller took over after 85 minutes of the two-hour 45-minute race and pressed to the photo- finish on the 2.459-mile Mosport International Raceway road course. Teammates Bill Auberlen (USA) and Jean-Marc Gounon (F) started seventh and finished third, their first podium finish this season, with Auberlen driving the first stint and Gounon the second. BMW Team PTG drivers Hans-J. Stuck (D) and Boris Said (USA) were second in the GT class. BMW Motorsport team manager Charly Lamm: "I'm happy because for the first time this year, both the BMW V12s are on the podium and I'm delighted to finish so close to the race-winner. But if the race had just been one lap longer, we could have done it! Still overall, it's a fantastic result for us. A big compliment to all the drivers for keeping both BMW V12 LMRs on the road under very difficult weather conditions, and a big compliment to the race team which had a tough time in the pits with all the changing conditions. This was the first time the BMW V12 LMR has raced in Canada, and we've shown what a fantastic car this is." JJ Lehto #42: "It was really difficult in the beginning of the race because the weather started to change and it got wet. It was like driving on ice -- it was impossible. I just tried to keep it on the track and go as fast as I could, but every time I came out of the corner and tried to get the power, I was almost spinning. But I'm happy because we scored a lot of points and extended our lead in the championship." Jorg Muller #42: "There should have been one more lap! I couldn't see the Audi, and I never thought that we could catch him. Charly was on the radio -- push, push -- and I pushed quite hard, but I got held up in some traffic. It would have been good for us to get a third victory, but we again extended the championship lead." Bill Auberlen #43: "The conditions at the beginning were so bad, the car was scary to drive. Today it was important to not make any mistakes, and I'm glad we were able to do that to get our first podium. We're happy to be there." Jean-Marc Gounon #43: "We are very pleased to finally be on the podium. Since the beginning of the year we could have been there, but we needed just a little bit of luck in the race. The team did a very good job, the car condition was not too bad and I'm very pleased to have this first podium with BMW and Schnitzer." Hans-J. Stuck, #7, GT class: "I had a little mishap in the race, but I don't think it cost us the win. It shows that we have to work hard, but I think second place is great. It proved our win at Sears Point a little bit."