Whether in the DTM, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar
Championship, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, or countless other
championships: Week after week BMW teams and drivers around the
world do battle for points, victories and titles. Away from the
track too, members of the large BMW Motorsport family around the
world are also creating headlines. “BMW Motorsport News” allows us
to regularly summarise all the action for you in a compact and
informative manner. This way, you are always up to speed.
Formula E: Productive rookie test with Lucas Auer and Kyle Kirkwood.
One day after Maximilian Günther’s (GER) second place at the
Marrakesh E-Prix (MAR), the BMW i Andretti Motorsport Team was in
action once again. As part of the official rookie test for the ABB FIA
Formula E Championship, BMW DTM driver Lucas Auer (AUT) and Andretti
Autosport driver Kyle Kirkwood (USA) were given the opportunity to
gain their first experiences at the wheel of the BMW iFE.20. Auer
completed 86 laps in the #27 car and, with a personal best time of
1:17.327 minutes, finished in eighth place. Kirkwood completed 78 laps
in the #28 BMW iFE.20 and finished fifth with a time of 1:17.272
minutes. “The test day was cool. I felt right at home in the BMW
iFE.20,” said Auer. “Driving with a fully electric power unit feels
totally different to driving in the DTM, for example. But with a car
that is that well-tuned and with the right approach it’s no problem
getting used to it. Working with the BMW i Andretti Motorsport Team
went really well and we were able to work through our test programme
well. It was a lot of fun.” Kirkwood, who will contest the North
American Indy Lights series for Andretti Autosport in 2020, said: “I
am very pleased with our performance and think that it was a really
good test for the team. I used part of the morning to get used to the
BMW iFE.20. There are a few things you have to learn in an electric
car. Firstly, it’s strange hearing the airstream rather than the
engine, but when you have found your rhythm, you can enjoy a real
racing car that primarily impresses with the fact that you have the
full torque available immediately. That feels fantastic.”
BMW SIM 120 Cup: Rogers and deJong receive ticket for finale
in Munich.
In the second BMW SIM 120 Cup race, the VRS Coanda Simsport team
celebrated victory. After 62 laps on the ‘Sebring International
Raceway’, closing driver Mitchell deJong (USA) was the first to cross
the finish line at the wheel of the virtual BMW M8 GTE. His team-mate
Josh Rogers (AUS), who started from pole position, completed the first
stint of the race. Maximilian Wenig and Maximilian Benecke (both GER),
who won the season opener on the ‘Daytona International Speedway’,
claimed second place for the Redline team, followed by Patrik Holzmann
(GER) and Sebastian Job (GBR) of Red Bull Esports. The two BMW works
drivers Philipp Eng (AUT) and Bruno Spengler (CAN) made a guest start
for the Williams eSports team and finished in 21st and 22nd place with
their team-mates Moritz Löhner and André Böttcher (both GER).
Rogers and deJong each received a cash prize of 1,200 US dollars.
They will now also join Wenig and Benecke as competitors at the BMW
SIM Live Event in Munich (GER) in December. DeJong was at the first
edition of the BMW SIM Motorsport season finale last year – where he
won. The next round of the BMW SIM 120 Cup will be held on 10th May,
when the best sim racers in the world will compete in their BMW M8
GTEs at the Nürburgring.