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WTCC driver column - Priaulx back on top

Release date: 12 April 2007
Triple world champion Andy Priaulx

The first event of the year is under our belts and it was a cracker for BMW, with a one-two-three in both races leaving Jorg Muller, Augusto Farfus and me drawn at the top of the drivers' championship.

We were always going to be quick at Curitiba, it’s the ideal circuit for the car. Lots of medium to high-speed corners, quite bumpy with hot temperatures and low kerbs. For that sort of environment, the BMW is perfect and it was very strong there last year, so we knew we had a solid base to work from when we went back.

It’s important to build a foundation to the championship at the beginning, but it takes a full year to win it. For me, it’s always about getting the best out of the car and me as a driver every weekend, and when I drive out of a circuit on a Sunday night having done that I’m a happy man. The championship comes second as long as I’m working well with the car and team and we’re moving forward.

We’re all aiming for the title, but wanting more doesn’t make your drive easier. Very often you’re only as good as your weakest link, so you have to bring your performance, the team’s performance and the car together.

"If you stand still in motor racing, it’s like going backwards at 100mph."
The car development never stops – if you stand still in motor racing, it’s like going backwards at 100mph. You have to progress and develop and improve your package or else you will go backwards. We’ve been focusing on damping, suspension, tyre pressures – you don’t just focus on one thing, you look at everything.

That's one of the good things about this long break we have ahead of the next race which is at the start of May. It gives us time to develop the car and it gives us time to improve the performance, which we have done.

Welcome break
It’s also good for the drivers. I felt like I needed a break. Last season finished Nov 21 and already at the beginning of March we’re racing again with only a short time to test and prepare in Jan and Feb. Two and a half of those three months have been taken up with testing and post- and pre-championship promotions. It feels like you’re straight out of one year and into the next. The break has given me a chance to take a week off and now I feel really motivated for the next race.
Andy Priaulx leads Augusto Farfus in Brazil
Now I've had that time off the next two months is going to be taken up by testing, testing and more testing, with some promotion thrown in and a lot of travel. I’ll be doing all sorts of bits for BMW and BMW Motorsport, including some work for Formula BMW. I did a race last weekend at the Nurburgring for BMW in the Z4 and a week’s fitness camp in Zurich – it just goes on and on.

I just want to get on with the racing now. There has been a lot of preseason hype about the pressure on me as defending champion and a lot said about the guys who are out to take my title but I don’t focus on any of that because I can’t change it anyway.

I only focus on myself. So long as I continue develop as a driver, get faster, get more professional, then I’m happy. If the opposition is faster, then that motivates me to go quicker and to do a better job. A championship is great and I’m aiming for that, but I’m most of all aiming at becoming a better driver – not necessarily faster, but more complete.

I’ve proved that I’ve been the most complete driver for the last three years and I’ve got to just keep raising my game as everyone is aiming at me.

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Column 1 - Andy Priaulx

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