BMW Motorsport boss surprised by exclusion from Japan

BMW were thrown out of the results in Japan after a protest from Chevrolet, meaning that they have lost the chance to challenge Yvan Muller for the title. BMW Motorsport boss Mario Theissen says the decision came as a surprise.
“The ruling of the FIA International Court of Appeal was not what we expected,” said Theissen.

Chevrolet protested against the gearbox switch BMW made for the races in Japan. Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus had sequential gearboxes fitted, meaning that they got a substantial weight break as the weights for that version of the BMW was calculated on the much slower independent driver Andrei Romanov.

“The stewards in Okayama had allowed the use of the BMW 320si GBS with sequential gearbox, thus confirming our interpretation of the rules. The fact that this decision has now been revised retrospectively, and we therefore lose the points we won in Japan, was more than a surprise for us,” said Theissen.

The exclusion of the BMWs in Japan means that BMW are for the first time are unable to fight for the title in the final race of the year at Macau.

“It is disappointing that, for the first time, no BMW driver is traveling to the finale of the World Touring Car Championship with a chance of winning the title. I am absolutely certain the fans would have experienced a thrilling climax. Instead, our objective at the Guia Circuit is to finish the season with good individual results,” said Theissen.

While the WTCC 2010 title was decided in the court controversially, BMW congratulates Chevrolet and Muller.

“However, we accept the decision of the FIA and congratulate Chevrolet and Yvan Muller on their titles,” said Theissen.