Ahead of the opening race of the World Touring Car Championship,
BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen answers questions on the year ahead.
Q:
Last year the WTCC celebrated an impressive debut. Will the championship continue along this positive route?
Mario Theissen:
There’s a clear interest among other manufacturers to become involved in the WTCC. The 2006 season will see an already substantial field expand even further, while the quality of racing on offer should also go up. I’m convinced that the WTCC will establish itself as the premier touring car series worldwide. Last season the world championship delivered exciting races all the way to the final. Twelve drivers made it into the list of winners, which shows how balanced the championship is.
Q:
What expectations do you have for the new season?
MT:
I’m hoping for more exciting races and I’m sure that’s what we’re going to see. In 2005 there was a lot of very close competition and the drivers provided plenty of mirror-to-mirror duels on the track. That’s just what the spectators want to see: exhilarating and fair car-to-car duels. Naturally it is our aim, like last year, to succeed and get BMW onto the podium as often as possible. We are firmly focused on defending our title.
Q:
With the BMW 320si you are placing your confidence in a completely new car for 2006...
MT:
Yes, we’re very much looking forward to the first race with the BMW 320si. Based on the new BMW 320si production model, we’re sending a race car onto the grid which, in my view, will play a key role in touring car racing in the years to come. In fact, this model will probably still be out on the world’s race tracks in 20 years time. That was the case with the BMW 3 Series models of recent generations.
Q:
How does the BMW 320si distinguish itself from its forerunner, the BMW 320i world championship car?
MT:
First off, I think the new car looks more attractive. It is the new BMW 3 Series, after all. Also it is better equipped for use out on the track, especially in terms of its chassis. After the first tests the drivers were enthusing that the car feels more like a Formula racer, i.e. it is much more precise. Already it is clear that the BMW 320si is an excellent basis for the future.
Q:
When did you start development on the BMW 320si?
MT:
The decision to build the BMW 320si production model was made in 2004. We then set to work early in 2005 to develop a race version of the car. That presented us with the challenge of rapidly completing development of the 320si for race use to enable us to deliver the cars to our national teams as early as December. We achieved that ambitious goal in a matter of nine months.
