April 10, 2003

BOSCH LOOKING FOR MORE SUCCESS AT PHILLIP ISLAND

Bosch's commitment to Australian motorsport will continue this weekend at the famous Phillip Island circuit in Victoria.

The Bosch logo will again be blazoned across the front of the Stone Brothers Racing Falcons of Marcos Ambrose and Russell Ingall as they compete in the second round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

The Bosch Formula Ford will also make its 2003 championship debut with Tim Macrow at the wheel.

The new-look open wheeler will carry Bosch Battery signage on one side and Bosch Brake Pad signage on the other - in a similar "zipper" style to the BAR cars in Formula One a couple of seasons ago.

The Formula Ford will also carry Caltex Havoline signage this year, in what is seen as another relationship-building process between the two companies - Caltex Havoline obviously being the naming rights sponsor on Ingall's Falcon.

Macrow will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his brother Adam who won the Formula Ford title in 1998.

He will be driving the 09 Spectrum which Mark Winterbottom drove to second place and a "rookie of the year" title in 2003.

Ironically, Winterbottom has joined Stone Brothers Racing in the V8 Supercar ranks this season and has won the opening two rounds of the Konica V8 Supercar series in his Milligans Food Group Falcon, which also carries sponsorship from Bosch and Caltex Havoline.

Bosch's National Automotive Aftermarket Business Development Manager, Michael Clarke, said he was delighted with "The opening weekend of the V8 Supercar championship in Adelaide three weeks ago was a terrific experience," said Clarke. "Having young Mark Winterbottom win on Friday night and then Marcos Ambrose win the opening 250km leg on Saturday was a terrific thrill for everyone involved. "This weekend we will have both Stone Brothers Racing Fords out on track as well as the Bosch Formula Ford driven by Tim Macrow. "We are also expecting to see the CAMS officials displaying the Bosch Motorsport logo on their uniforms as part of our support for CAMS' 50th anniversary celebrations."

Ambrose won the opening race at Adelaide three weeks ago and goes to Phillip Island with plenty of confidence after taking pole and winning a race at Phillip Island last year. "We now have all new 2003 specification parts on the BA Falcon," said Ambrose. "In Adelaide we still had a couple of carry-over items from the AU Falcon from last year, but now it's all new and improved hardware. " Phillip Island is one of my favorites tracks anywhere in the world. "It's fast and demanding, and with a 300 kilometer race for the first time it will be a true challenge".

Ingall has mixed results at Phillip Island over the years, but does know how to win on one of the world's most picturesque and challenging race tracks.

"Even though I have done a lot of laps around there I have had mixed results," said Ingall, who will be behind the wheel of the number nine Caltex Havoline Ford this weekend. "It is one of the circuits where if the car is not right you are in for the biggest weekend of your life. It is certainly a place with big potential for a major accident if you get it wrong. "I think Jason Bargwanna holds the record for one of the most spectacular accident there after last year."

THE WEEKEND SCHEDULE

V8 SUPERCARS

Saturday 9.50am-10.25 - Practice
11.45am-12.20pm - Practice
2.20pm-2.40pm - Qualifying (Lower 50%)
2.45pm-3.05pm - Qualifying (Upper 50%)

Sunday 9.25am-9.45am - Warm-up
11.50pm-12.20pm - Top 10 Shootout
2pm- Race (300km - 67 Laps)

TV TELECAST - NETWORK TENSunday - April 13 1.30pm-2.30pm - RPM
2.30pm-5pm - Phillip Island Race coverage

FORMULA FORD

Sunday 11.20am - Race 1 (9 Laps)
4.05pm - Race 2 (9 Laps)