CALLING all budding Ralph Schumachers and Juan Pablo Montoyas!

An original BMW-Williams Formula One racing car will be the star exhibit at the Preston-based BMW dealership' Bowker's 'Formula One Weekend' this coming weekend.

The car - along with a 'sit in' formula one racing car computer simulator and giant Scalextric circuit - will take pride of place in a transformed showroom on Riversway on the Docks in Preston.

The car is one of only 8 BMW Williams Formula One cars used during the 2000 season driven by Ralph Schumacher and Jenson Button. The car was the first built by the new BMW Williams partnership featuring the exclusive BMW V10 3-litre engine. It has a maximum speed of 336 kph and can accelerate from 0-192 kph in 3 seconds.

For Bowker, John Nichol - who is co-ordinating the weekend event - explains: "Everyone's looking forward to seeing the Formula One car close up. When you see the cars flying round circuits throughout the world at more than 200 miles per hour - it's difficult to appreciate what driving one must be like.

"But, we'll have the genuine article in the showroom and a 'sit in' computer simulator.

"It'll be the closest you can get to driving a formula one car for real."