08 August 2004 (buw)
Press Release Circuit Park Zandvoort
Alexandre premat wins 2004 Marlboro masters

Zandvoort, 8 August 2004 – Alexandre Premat (21) has won the fourteenth edition of the Marlboro Masters. Starting from pole, initially he had to accept second position, behind teammate and fellow Frenchman Eric Salignon. After the spin of Salignon, Premat took the lead which he kept until the finish. Eric Salignon finished second and Adam Carroll (GB) third.

Another highlight of the Marlboro Masters was the impressive run of four Ferrari F1 cars driven by Jacky Ickx, Rene Arnoux, Jan Lammers and John Bosch

It was not the pole sitter who took the lead after the start, at the hot Circuit Park Zandvoort, but Eric Salignon who started from second position. Premat admitted: ‘I had a bad start’

In the first lap Ferdinand Kool (NL) crashed in the Gerlach corner which caused a Safety Car situation. Fortunately, Kool escaped unscathed.

After the restart, Eric Salignon looked all set to drive victory home, with a gap of one and a half second between Salignon and the rest of the pack. Premat explained: ‘I made two slight mistakes in the Arie Luyendijk corner. I had a lot of oversteer’

Salignon consolidated his lead to two seconds. But in the 21st of 25 laps Salignon suddenly spun and Premat overtook him. A very disapointed Salignon: ‘My rear tyres became very hot and as a consequence I spun.’ Alexander Premat consequently drove to win the Marlboro Masters. Salignon managed the second position. Third position was for Briton Adam Carroll who drove a very strong race. He started from fifth position, moved up to fourth during start and later overtook James Rossiter who was in third position. Carroll reflected: ‘Rossiter drove wide in the Tarzan corner which allowed me to assault’

Alexander Premat was handed the Trophy by Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende, who was a very interested spectator. After Jonathan Cochet (2000), Premat is the second French winner of the Masters. The win of Premat was the second title for the ASM Formula 3 team, in 1998 David Saelens won the first title. The win of Premat was also the second win in a row for the Mercedes-Benz engine. Premat has a four year contract with Mercedes-Benz, what are his future plans? ‘I am very interested to drive DTM next year, another option is the GP2 series’. The proud winner dreams of a contract as a Formula 1 test driver. Whatever happens, today’s victory has brought him a few steps closer in realising his dreams.

Eric Salignon was clearly frustrated: ‘I have lost as a result of a driver error, this is the worst moment in my life’ ‘The Masters is one of the major race events in the world today,’ said Adam Carroll. ‘I am not sure about my plans for next year. I am aspiring an F1 test contract.’