BMW hoping for home advantage
The World Touring Car Championship resumes it’s on-track action next weekend as the series heads to Oschersleben in Germany. The factory BMW drivers will be looking for an effective home advantage, in their quest to oust SEAT at the top of the championship tables.
SEAT Sport drivers Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini currently lead the driver’s championship, with 82 and 77 points respectively. The nearest challenger is BMW’s August Farfus who lies a close third, with 76 points.
The manufacturer’s championship is equally close with SEAT sitting atop with 211 points, and BMW close behind on 201 points.
During the Porto race weekend BMW took the decision to throw their entire support behind Farfus’ title challenge, as he was the only BMW with a realistic chance of defeating the SEATs.
Since then Farfus has gone on to win races at both Porto and Brands Hatch, and BMW as a manufacturer have claimed victory in five of the past seven races.
Farfus’ eagerness to get back to racing after the summer break is abundantly apparent, “At last the break is over. I can’t wait to race again”, said the Brazilian.
“I won in Oschersleben in 2007 and 2008, and feel in top form for this event, so am intrigued by what the weekend will bring”, added Farfus.
Farfus’ team mate at Schnitzer BMW, Jörg Müller, is the only German driving a factory backed car at Oschersleben, and this is something he is proud of, “I always look forward to returning to Oschersleben. It is our only event in Germany, and is thus a special one for me. BMW is a German company, I carry the German flag – it couldn’t be more homely”, said Müller.
Müller acted as a perfect team mate to Farfus at Brands Hatch. Despite driving an obviously faster car, he held position behind Farfus right to the end. This allowed Farfus to claim a maximum haul of points, and also aided him by taking points away from his rivals.
Andy Priaulx is optimistic after the testing conducted during the break. I feel that I have the speed to start the rest of the season on a high, we have tested hard during the break and I want to pay back the team for all their hard work”, said the Guernseyman.
He also added that sentiment always runs high at Oschersleben, since he stood with Alessandro Zanardi on the podium after the Italian claimed his first victory since returning to motorsport, “My feelings of Oschersleben are always of standing on the podium with Alex Zanardi following his first win after his return to motorsport”, said Priaulx.
Zanardi himself is hoping for a return to fortune at Oschersleben after a lacklustre meeting there in 2008. “I have won there, but last year I experienced an extremely disappointing weekend. Hopefully this year the good moments will return”, he said.
Zanardi’s BMW Team Italy-Spain team-mate, Sergio Hernández, is looking forward to Oschersleben. “I enjoy Oschersleben. Last year I scored two points here by finishing seventh – in a privately-entered BMW”, said Hernández.
