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.
VLN: Victories and podium finishes for BMW teams in several classes.
Many private BMW drivers and teams had plenty to celebrate again
at the end of the fourth race weekend of the VLN Endurance
Championship Nürburgring. Rudi Adams, Andreas Ziegler (both GER) and
David Pittard (GBR) finished third in the SP9-PRE class in the
Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW M6 GT3. This put them in eighth place
overall. Four BMW M4 GT4s raced in the fiercely-competitive SP10
class. After taking class victory last time out in the VLN, Heiko
Eichenberg (GER) and Yannick Mettler (SUI) finished second this time
in the Securtal Sorg Rennsport run #828 BMW M4 GT4. The Wuppertal team
celebrated a one-two finish in the V4 class. After four hours of
racing, Kevin Totz, Cedrik Totz (both GER) and Torsten Kratz (AUT)
came home first in the #479 BMW 325i, followed by team-mates Oliver
Frisse (GER), Sindre Setsaas (NOR) and Emir Asari (TUR) in the #475
car. Third place went to the #482 Hofor Racing BMW 325i, with Kevin
Küpper and Stefan Meier (both GER) at the wheel. The result of the
fourth VLN race remains provisional pending investigation into several
possible breaches of the ban on overtaking under yellow flags which
occurred during an unclear situation shortly before the mid-point of
the race. Race five of the season will take place on 18th August.
BMW M235i Racing Cup: Victory for Schrey and Ehret.
Michael Schrey and Marc Ehret (both GER) from the Hofor Racing
powered by Bonk Motorsport team continued their winning run. Having
taken their first win of the season a fortnight ago in the BMW M235i
Racing Cup, which is held as part of the VLN Endurance Championship
Nürburgring (GER), the duo in the #1 BMW M235i Racing continued their
success by taking the top step on the podium again. They were followed
home by Tristan Viidas from Estonia in the #694 Securtal Sorg
Rennsport car in second place, while Juha Hannonen (FIN) and Patrick
Hinte (GER) finished third in the #679 BMW M235i Racing. The Gentleman
class was won by Guido Wirtz (GER) in the #677 FK Performance car. In
total, 15 cars took part in the BMW M235i Racing Cup this weekend.
CTSCC: BimmerWorld Racing takes ST class victory.
The BimmerWorld Racing team also had cause for celebration this
weekend at the “Canadian Tire Motorsport Park” (CAN), which hosted
round five of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSCC).
Nick Galante and Devin Jones (both USA) led from start to finish to
claim a dominant victory in the #81 BMW 328i. The win also propelled
the duo to the top of the Driver and Team standings. In the
Manufacturers’ competition, BMW is currently second, just three points
off the lead. Spectators and fans were treated to an impressive
fightback in the GS class. Having started from 13th and 15th on the
grid, BimmerWorld Racing pairings of Tyler Cooke and James Clay (both
USA) and Greg Liefooghe and Ari Balogh (both USA, Stephen Cameron
Racing) fought their way through the field in their BMW M4 GT4s,
eventually finishing eighth and ninth after two hours of racing. Round
six of the season will take place on 21st July at Lime Rock Park (USA).
IMSA series: BMW Team RLL starts from sixth and seventh.
Just one week after the race at Watkins Glen (USA), the IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returned to action this weekend at
the “Canadian Tire Motorsport Park” (CAN). BMW Team RLL will start the
two-hour race from sixth and seventh place in the GTLM class. Jesse
Krohn (FIN) and Alexander Sims (GBR) contested the qualifying session
in the #24 and #25 BMW M8 GTEs. In the GTD class, the #96 Turner
Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 starts from seventh place. Robby Foley will
alternate at the wheel with BMW works driver and BMW North America
Ambassador, Bill Auberlen (both USA). The race begins on Sunday at
20:05 German time (14:05 local time).
International GT Open: Two top-ten finishes for BMW Team Teo Martín.
BMW Team Teo Martín was at the Hungaroring (HUN) this weekend
for races seven and eighth of the season. Victory last time out at
Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) meant that Fran Rueda (ESP) and Andrés
Saravia (GUA) travelled to Budapest with plenty of confidence.
However, they had to settle for 15th place on the grid for race one.
Despite that, the duo still managed a positive result in the #47 BMW
M6 GT3, climbing seven places to finish eighth and score valuable
championship points. Rueda and Saravia went even better in Sunday’s
race, crossing the finish line in sixth place. The two BMW drivers lie
second in the overall standings with 62 points. In contrast, their
team-mates Lourenço Beirão da Veiga (POR) and Juan Cruz Álvarez (ESP),
and Marcio Basso (BRA) and Thiago Marques (BRA), left empty-handed
after failing to finish either race. The next opportunity for Teo
Martín’s team comes on 1st/2nd September at Silverstone, where the
fifth race weekend of the season will take place.
24h Portimão: Five BMWs in action.
This weekend’s 24 Hours of Portimão (POR) was the next stop in
the 24H GT SERIES. Three BMW M235i Racings competed in the Cup1 class.
In the end, the #131 car, run by the Hofor Racing powered by Bonk
Motorsport team, came out on top and took class victory. Martin Kroll
(SUI), Michael Schrey (GER), Michael Fischer (AUT), Bernd Küpper (GER)
and Gustav Engljähringer (AUT) shared driving duties. The team
finished 23rd overall. Second and third places went to the Securtal
Sorg Rennsport team. Keijo Kaasik (EST), Jesko Herrmann, Dirk Bierbaum
(both GER), José Pires and Paulo Macedo (both POR) came home second in
the #152 BMW M235i Racing. They were followed over the finish line in
third place by the #151 – driven by Chris Wadle, Chris Lewis, David
Richardson, Alexander W. Wetzlich and Seth Thomas (all USA). Two BMW
teams also conquered the 24-hour challenge in the SP3 class. Dave Cox,
Jason Cox, Michael Cox, Guy Povey and George Heynes (all GBR) drove
the WEC Motorsport Team’s BMW M3. The quintet finished third and was
followed in fourth place by Cor Euser (NED), Einar Thorsen (NOR) and
Jim Briody (USA) in the Cor Euser BMW M3.
Italian GT Championship: Krohn starts for BMW Padova Team at Mugello.
It is a busy period for Jesse Krohn (FIN): after two race
weekends in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Watkins
Glen (USA) and the “Canadian Tire Motorsport Park”, the BMW works
driver now heads straight back to Europe where he will drive in races
seven and eight of the Italian GT Championship at Mugello (ITA) this
coming weekend (13th to 15th July). Krohn will be supporting team
principal Roberto Ravaglia’s (ITA) BMW Padova Team. The Finn will then
return to the USA for the next round of the IMSA.