Whether in the DTM, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar
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. The
“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.
Asian Le Mans Series: Perfect start to the season for the BMW
M6 GT3.
The FIST-Team AAI BMW M6 GT3 had a perfect start to the Asian Le Mans
Series 2017/18 season. At the opener in Zhuhai (CHN), Jesse Krohn
(FIN), Jun San Chen (TPE) and Chaz Mostert (AUS) in the number 91 car
crossed the finish line as winners of the GT class after four hours.
The trio laid the foundation for their success in qualifying with an
outstanding second place on the grid. Before the second round of the
Asian Le Mans Series takes place on 3rd December in Fuji (JPN), AAI
Motorsports will head to Macau (CHN) in mid-November for the FIA GT
World Cup. Mostert will once again be at the wheel of one of the two
BMW M6 GT3s. Marco Wittmann (GER) will take to the track in the second car.
International GT Open: Podium success at season finale.
BMW Team Teo Martín ended the International GT Open season with a
podium finish. BMW works driver António Félix da Costa and Lourenço
Beirão da Veiga (both POR) started the final race from pole position
in the number 51 BMW M6 GT3, and were second to see the chequered flag
after a fiercely contested race at the Circuit de Catalunya (ESP).
They finished in fifth place in the first race of the weekend. Like
last year, the drivers’ and team championships were not decided until
the finale in Barcelona (ESP). BMW Team Teo Martín, Victor Bouveng
(SWE) and Fran Rueda (ESP) were in with a chance of winning the two
available titles right down to the wire. After finishing fourth and
sixth in the final two races of the season, the Bouveng/Rueda Rang duo
claimed second place in the drivers’ championship. In the team
standings, Teo Martín Motorsport also finished in second place after
14 races. Senkyr Motorsport made a guest appearance in the BMW M6 GT3
at the series finale, with the drivers Jakob Knoll (CZE) and Richard
Gonda (SVK) behind the wheel.
FIA GT World Cup: BMW Team Schnitzer returns to the Guia Circuit.
Eight years after their last win in Macau (CHN) BMW Team Schnitzer
will return to the scene of legendary successes for the FIA GT World
Cup. The Freilassing (GER) team will compete at the Guia Circuit on
18th and 19th November in the 18th BMW Art Car – designed by
Chinese artist Cao Fei. Augusto Farfus (BRA) will be at the wheel of
the number 18 car. The DTM driver has already celebrated two
victories on the streets of Macau. In 2005, he crossed the finish
line as the winner of the first race in the World Touring Car
Championship (WTCC) final. Farfus also claimed the most recent
success for BMW Team Schnitzer in the former Portuguese colony, when
the Brazilian won in a BMW 320si WTCC in 2009. With 13 wins, the
Charly Lamm (GER) owned team is the record holder in Macau. The
first victory was back in 1980. Then, it was Hans-Joachim Stuck
(GER) in the BMW 320 who was the first to cross the line. Between
1980 and 1998 alone, the team won the Macau Guia Race for BMW a
total of nine times. “Returning to Macau will be a very emotional
experience for our team,” said Lamm. “This street race is unique in
motorsport and is unlike any other event. We have already celebrated
many memorable wins at the Guia Circuit which is why we are really
looking forward to being back in Macau, and being allowed to race in
the BMW Art Car is a great honour for us. The BMW Art Cars are
moving works of art and have a great tradition which we are keen to
continue with a good result on the track.”
BMW M Festival: BMW M4 DTM delights fans in South Africa.
Just under 20,000 fans attended the first BMW M Festival in South
Africa, hosted at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Gauteng (RSA),
last weekend. Visitors were able to admire the new BMW X3 (fuel
consumption combined: 8.4-5.0 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined:
193-132 g/km), the new BMW M5 (consumption combined: 10.5 l/100 km;
CO2 emissions combined: 241 g/km) and the exclusive limited special
edition BMW M4 CS (consumption combined: 8.4 l/100 km; CO2 emissions
combined: 197 g/km) up close and personal. More than 2,000 fans seized
the opportunity to take a test drive on the Kyalami Circuit in one of
the numerous BMW models. BMW DTM driver Tom Blomqvist (GBR), perennial
BMW Superbike rider Lance Isaacs (RSA) and GTC BMW driver Gennaro
Bonafede (RSA) caused a stir as they staged drag races in the BMW M4
DTM, on the BMW S 1000 RR and in the BMW M4 CS. Blomqvist also took
some of the visitors for a quick spin around the 4.5-kilometre Kyalami
Circuit in his DTM race car. The inaugural BMW M Festival in South
Africa wasn’t just about luxury vehicles, international DJs also
ensured there was a great atmosphere.