FIA GT: fourth round in Hockenheim

The next race of the 2004 FIA GT championship will be held at Hockenheim in Germany, on May 15-16. The circuit, which also hosts Germany's Formula 1 Grand Prix, used to be known for its flat-out straights in the midst of beautiful woodland. But now the track has been radically modified in order to satisfy new safety requirements. The total distance is down to 4.5 km and much of the lap is run through the famous "Motodrom" complex, guaranteeing a stadium-like view to every spectator. After the stunning success of the Pirelli-shod Konrad Motorsport Saleen in Magny Cours, it will be interesting how the competition reacts. Current championship leaders, the Scuderia Italia Ferrari 550 squad which dominated in 2003, lost nearly a minute to the Saleen equipped with the new compound of PZero tyres in France. Given that the Konrad Motorsport team will be on home territory in Germany, and that their new Pirelli PZero tyres will be once again used in Hockenheim, the scene is set for a thrilling race. For the GPC team, with their Pirelli-equipped Ferrari 575 GTC, the German race represents a new possibility to demonstrate previously untapped potential. On the NGT front everybody expects a good result from the Ferrari 360 - Pirelli of De Simone and Pescatori, a winning  team which now represents the only true opposition to the dominant Porsche squad that monopolised the podium in France.