PRESS RELEASE

BIREL AND GIANLUCA BEGGIO BREAK OFF THEIR COLLABORATION

Birel and Gianluca Beggio jointly announce the breaking off of their collaboration relationship starting from December 31st, 2005. This is the end of an over 10-year-long partnership between the Brianza-based firm and the 5-time champion, in the course of which Beggio has been both an official driver of Birel Motorsport, and Team Manager of the same racing division. Actually, after having quit the races at the end of 2002, it seemed natural to Beggio to put his experience in the racing sector to good use and take up a managerial role. In addition to his function as Team Manager within Birel’s organisation, he also dealt with some initiatives regarding the customer service. Despite his full satisfaction for the position occupied and the excellent relationship the former driver has always had with the management of the Lissone-based company, Beggio decided to consider and accept a professional offer from another manufacturer. Despite being smaller in size than Birel, the latter will ensure him also responsibilities at an executive level. Birel expresses its regret for the loss of a long-term collaborator, who has always proved to be an excellent professional and contributed in a significant way to the prize record of the company in the racing field. The relationship between the parties has always been marked by the greatest mutual appreciation and will remain unvaried in the future, too. Beggio was fascinated by the possibility of a new professional challenge. Being a person used to competitions, he is attracted by the opportunity of pitting his skill against a new and different context. The Birel management wishes him great success in this new professional experience, and announces at the same time the plan to expand the responsibilities of the Technical On-Track Manager, Simone Fumagalli, also to the racing sector. These are Gianluca Beggio’s comments on his decision: “my relationship with Birel was built up in time through important successes, which contributed to making me feel an integral part of this company. Moreover, Birel is with no doubt the best-organised business in our sport and provided with considerable technical and financial means. However, the offer I received gives me the opportunity to deal also with other aspects than those purely linked to the racing field, and this fact excites my curiosity. Probably, I would never have quit Birel for another big manufacturer, or to take on a similar position to my current one, whereas facing different problems within a context still to be developed is a challenge I deemed extremely attractive.”