WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP THE ALFA ROMEO RACING TEAM AT OSCHERSLEBEN (GERMANY) THE EUROPEAN ALFA CHALLENGE ALSO TAKES TO THE TRACK

The Alfa Romeo Racing Team returns to the race track after the Summer break, for the seventh event in the World Touring Car Championship, Sunday August 28 in Oschersleben (Germany). There will be four official Alfa 156s at the start, driven by Fabrizio Giovanardi and Gabriele Tarquini of Italy, James Thompson of Britain, and the young Brazilian Augusto Farfus. After the race held on the Belgian circuit of Spa-Francorchamps on July 31, where Alfa Romeo drivers Augusto Farfus and Fabrizio Giovanardi put on a good show (with pole and victory in race 2 respectively), the title race is still wide open. Alfa Romeo is runner-up in the Manufacturers’ race, just four points behind BMW, and Giovanardi trails D. Muller in the Drivers’ contest by the same distance. This result is the combined outcome of 5 wins, by Giovanardi (Imola, Puebla and Spa), Tarquini (Silverstone) and Thompson (Monza), plus 3 second places and 5 third places.

At Oschersleben, where Farfus claimed pole in last year’s race, all the Alfa drivers will start with a weight handicap because of their standings and their results at Spa. Giovanardi will be carrying 60 kg ballast, Thompson 25 kg, Tarquini 20 kg and Farfus 15 kg.


The Alfa 147 GTA Cup will also be performing in the European Alfa Challenge. This is the fifth race in the season, after Monza, Magny-Cours, Imola and Spa-Francorchamps, with 14 drivers at the start in a championship that produces entertainment and excitement in every race. The young Irishman Eoin Murray leads the field, from Italian Maurizio Campani and Spaniard Antonio Chacon (the winner at Spa).


The programme for the Oschersleben weekend opens on Friday August 26, with a practice session and qualification for the European Alfa Challenge (from 2-2.30 and 6-6.30 pm); on Saturday 27, practice (9-9.30 am and 12.30-1 pm) and qualification for the World Touring Car Championship, and the second qualifying session (10-45-11.15 am) and race 1 (4.05 pm) in the European Alfa Challenge; on Sunday August 28, races 1 and 2 of the World Touring Car Championship (3.15 and 4.20 pm), and race 2 of the European Alfa Challenge (10.05 am).

Turin, August 25, 2005

World Touring Car Championship standings (after six races)

Drivers:
1. D. Muller (BMW) 61; 2. Giovanardi (Alfa Romeo) 57; 3. Priaulx (BMW) 50; 4. Tarquini (Alfa Romeo) and Garcia (BMW) 43; 6. Thompson (Alfa Romeo) 38; 7. Farfus (Alfa Romeo) 34; 8. Rydell (Seat) and J. Muller (BMW) 33.

Manufacturers:
1. BMW 159; 2. Alfa Romeo 155; 3. Seat 113; 4. Chevrolet 39; 5. Ford 2.

European Alfa Challenge standings (after four races)

Overall:
1. Murray, 241; 2. M. Campani, 204; 3. Chacon, 186; 4. Bonacini, 180; 5. Heino, 164; 6. Jirik, 144; 7. Villamil, 141; 8. Magalhaes, 140; 9. O'Brien, 128; 10. Francucci, 122.

Under 25:
1. Murray, 241; 2. Bonacini, 180; 3. Heino, 164; 4. O'Brien, 128; 5. Fantini, 115.

Rookies:
1. O'Brien, 128; 2. Nalio, 70; 3. Vogel, 62.

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