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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BMW2002" data-source="post: 76186" data-attributes="member: 603">This is what actually happened.  <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" />A sharp downpour just before the start of round 6 of the ATCC set the scene for a thrilling battle.On a still wet but drying track the two Team Engstler BMW’s decided to run wet tyres whereas most of the field, except the Honda DC2 of Gary Sham, decided to gamble on a fast drying track and ventured out on slicks.It was clear on the grid that this was going to be one of those races where the correct tyre decision would decide the outcome. It was a tough call but veteran Danny Stacy Chau in his Ao’s Racing Honda EK9 summed up the decision of the slick runners “There is no standing water, so maybe it is an advantage to have more rubber on the road.” There was a lot of nervous tension, but Team Petronas commented “We have something up our sleeves.” That something was a hope that although the BMW’s would be fast starting and good in the early laps, the track would dry fast enough in the heat and humidity of Beijing for the slick tyres to come up to temperature quickly and give faster lap times towards the latter part of the race.At the start the two BMW’s quickly went to the front, but with such a short run to the first corner, a hard charging Hairuman did not want to lose out to a fast starting Prutirat in the second BMW and they came together resulting in Prutirat spinning and thus allowing Buang to pass him in the second Proton. Prutirat rejoined with his now damaged car and would eventually fall further down the field with steering alignment problems. “Just before turn 1, Hairuman hit me and I spun, I was hit again by another Honda Civic and I had trouble controlling my car with all the drivers coming in and with bent steering” commented a desperately unhappy Prutirat.Back at the front Engstler was not finding the grip advantage that he had expected from his wet tyres and Hairuman was all over the back of him. Engstler could not hold on and Hairuman dived past to take the lead, two laps later Buang repeated the move of his team leader to make it a dream one –two for the Petronas drivers. For the first time this season there would not be a BMW on the top step of the podium.</blockquote>

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