BMW Team PTG: Mosport ALMS Practice

BMW Team PTG/BMW of North America
Notes and Quotes
GT3 Grand Prix of Mosport
Mosport International Raceway
August 17, 2001

Friday Test Session:
Today's one and one-half hour test session for the American Le Mans GT3 Grand Prix of Mosport ended with the top-six GT class cars separated by less than one second and the four BMW M3 GTRs first, third, fourth and fifth in class.  Fredrik Ekblom and Dirk Müller in the No. 43 BMW Motorsport M3 GTR led the BMW's at one minute 19.690 seconds around the 2.45-mile Mosport International Raceway. Third was the No. 42 M3 GTR of BMW Motorsport teammates JJ Lehto and Jörg Müller (1:20.004). Fourth was the No. 10 Team PTG M3 GTR of Bill Auberlen and Niclas Jönsson (1:20.155) and fifth was the No. 6 Team PTG M3 GTR of Hans Stuck (1:20.497).  Boris Said is at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin preparing for tomorrow's Trans-Am race.

Bill Auberlen, driver No. 10 PTG M3 GTR
"When I started the session the car did not feel its best, but we ran through a number of changes and it got better.  The sun was coming in and out of the clouds the entire time.  Nic ran his stint and I got back in the car at the end of the session - on the same tires - and the car was unbelievable.  Whether the fuel load was right or the track came in - the grip was there and at the end of the session I went my quickest."
Last year you drove the V12 LMR.  How different is the M3 GTR to drive at Mosport?
"It is not that the two cars require a different line.  It is that the turns are so fast here - turns 1,2,3 and 4 especially - that driving the V12 LMR here last year you had to be completely committed to the corner before you turned in.  The M3 GTR moves a bit more and you can make a correction.  That is the biggest difference."

Niclas Jönsson, driver No. 10 PTG M3 GTR
"This is my first time at Mosport and it is an awesome circuit.  The track has a number of similarities to Sears Point, but obviously it is much faster.  There are a number of blind corners and you are flat out in fourth and fifth gear where at Sears you would be in first and second in the same type of corner.  It will take a bit of time to work up to the track."

Hans Stuck, driver No. 6 PTG M3 GTR
"I would be happier if Boris was here today, but I really enjoyed the session by myself.  Usually in a test session it is in and out of the car.  Today there was less time pressure and I could try a number of changes and a few different lines. I am happy with what we accomplished and I think my car is pretty sharp."
"Mosport is a one-of-a-kind track and the recent improvements to the circuit have made it even better.  I really appreciate the investment in the track."

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