06.10.2003 THE CARE SUPPORTED PRODRIVE BUILT BMS ITALIA RUN FERRARIS TAKE THE DRIVER'S AND TEAM'S TITLES IN ESTORIL

BMS drivers, Thomas Biagi and Matteo Bobbi, driving a Care Racing supported, Prodrive-built Ferrari 550 Maranello, took the FIA GT Drivers’ Championship title at the penultimate round of the series in Estoril, Portugal. The pair, taking part in their first season of endurance racing, have won six times this year, and third position today was enough to take the title with only the final round, at the historic Monza circuit, to go.

Fabrizio Gollin and Luca Cappellari finished second overall in the nr. 22 BMS Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 Maranello, chasing the winning Ferrari 575 of Philipp Peter and Fabio Babini over the line.  Their points, together with the fact that the Lister Racing cars failed to make it to the end of the race, mean that BMS Scuderia Italia is now assured of the Teams' Championship, regardless of the ongoing appeal concerning Oschersleben.

The Care Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello of Enzo Calderari, Lilian Bryner and Stefano Livio, car nr.21, unfortunately retired in the final hour with a gearbox problem.

"This result is fantastic," said Care Racing’s Frederic Dor, when news was confirmed of the Championship titles. "BMS has made a very good job of running the cars at the highest level all season. We are very happy with our relationship, and are looking forward to continuing it next year. We are very pleased for BMS and Prodrive, and we are looking forward to the competition from N-Technology next year."

BMS Scuderia Italia team manager Tiziano Minuti was delighted with the result, which saw his two cars on the podium. "The real winner today was Fabrizio Gollin," said Minuti. "Our strategy was to have Fabrizio to drive the maximum amount and to chase the JMB 575. The race of Biagi and Bobbi was perfect, with no risks. They were concentrating only at the championship. It has been a perfect season for us, and we can now go to Monza with free heads, and in this way our performance will be higher. We are hoping for a win in Monza."

Gollin chased the Ferrari 575 to the end of the race, and was unlucky to be able to catch it or pass it. "We are very happy with second here, it is very difficult to drive this car around this track without power steering," he said. "We are drivers, not bodybuilders!"

Matteo Bobbi said: "This has been a great year for us, winning the championship. The last stint I tried to push hard for five or six laps, but Fabio caught me and I was only thinking of the championship. I want to congratulate BMS, Prodrive and Michelin on the championship, and Fabio and Philipp for the race win."

Biagi has confirmed that he wants to stay in the championship next year and defend his title. "It was a good race for us, even with the 50kg of ballast," he said. "We are two rookie drivers so for us it is amazing to win the championship in our first year.  I would like to stay in this championship because I like working with BMS, Prodrive and with Michelin. This was the first race for the 575, but they have put in a lot of tests – I think they were very impressive and any competition between us in the future will be very challenging and intense."