BMW Motorsport is sending four DTM drivers down under to support the
teams. Marco Wittmann (GER) is returning to Bathurst for the second
time, and will drive for BMW Team Schnitzer this year. He shares the
cockpit with his fellow BMW DTM driver Augusto Farfus (BRA), who will
fly to Australia straight from the 24-hour race in Daytona (USA) to
make his debut in Bathurst. Local favourite Chaz Mostert (AUS)
completes the trio in the #43 BMW M6 GT3.
Timo Glock (GER) is also set for his second appearance in
Bathurst, having raced there last year. He joins Team Principal Steve
Richards (NZL) in the #100 BMW M6 GT3 run by BMW Team SRM. The third
driver in this car is BMW DTM newcomer Philipp Eng (AUT) who, like
Farfus, is travelling straight from Daytona. This will be Eng’s first
time racing in Bathurst.
The new BMW M4 GT4 is also set for its Bathurst debut this year.
The newly-developed customer racing car for the GT4 category
successfully completed its first race outing in customer hands at the
Dubai 24 Hours (UAE) in mid-January and now takes its place on the
grid at this classic Australian endurance race. BMW customer teams
will run a total of four BMW M4 GT4s in Bathurst.
As well as the BMW M6 GT3, BMW Team SRM will also field the #44
BMW M4 GT4, with drivers Dean Grant, Xavier West and Cameron Hill (all
AUS) sharing driving duties. The cockpit of the #30 BMW M4 GT4, run by
the Boat Works Racing team, will be home to some well-known names:
Australian racing legend Tony Longhurst is team principal and driver.
He lines up alongside Matt Brabham (AUS), grandson of three-time
Formula 1 world champion Jack Brabham (AUS), and Aaaron Seton (AUS).
Daren Jorgensen, Cameron Lawrence, Brett Strom (all USA) and Kuno
Wittmer (CAN) will alternate at the wheel of the Marc GT #13 BMW M4
GT4. The #15 BMW M4 GT4 will be run by Baigent Motorsport and driven
by the New Zealand quartet of Kent Baigent, Neil Allport, Matt Spratt
and Ash Blewett.
The Mount Panorama Circuit is located about 200 kilometres west
of Sydney and is 6.213 kilometres long. The drivers must cope with 16
percent climbs in places. BMW currently has two overall victories to
its name – in 2007 and 2010. The 2018 race will get underway at 05:45
local time on Sunday 4th February.
Quotes ahead of the Bathurst 12 Hour:
Marco Wittmann (BMW Team Schnitzer, No. 43 BMW M6 GT3):
“I am really looking forward to race again at the Bathurst 12 Hour in
Australia. For me it will be my first race of 2018. Last year, it
definitely was one of the highlights of my season, a really cool
experience. I think that last year we have been pretty competitive and
the performance of the BMW M6 GT3 was very strong. We hope to be
strong again this year, to maybe have a little bit more luck and to
fight for a top result. I’m in a very optimistic mood and looking
forward to a great start to the new year.”
Augusto Farfus (BMW Team Schnitzer, No. 43 BMW M6 GT3):
“It is an honour for me to drive in Bathurst. It will be my first
participation in the Bathurst 12 Hour, and my second time in
Australia. As I heard from many drivers, Bathurst is one of the
coolest circuits in the world. So it will be a nice and big challenge
for me. With Marco and Chaz in the car we have a really strong line-up
and so I am really looking forward to it. I think that the track might
suit our car as last year the BMW M6 GT3 had a strong pace there.
Overall, I can’t wait to get there.”
Chaz Mostert (BMW Team Schnitzer, No. 43 BMW M6 GT3):
“I’m pumped to be heading back to the Bathurst 12 Hour and to be back
in a BMW M6 GT3. To be doing it with such an iconic team and with a
driver line-up that strong is incredible. It’s a real honour, because
I know that there are top level GT drivers all over the world doing
their best to get on the Bathurst grid. These endurance events aren’t
about being the quickest car out of the gate, it’s about us doing a
solid job as a team, having the car prepped as well as possible, and
settling on a set-up that will look after the tyres and brakes. We’re
looking forward to having an exciting race.”
Timo Glock (BMW Team SRM, No. 100 BMW M6 GT3):
“I am really looking forward to being back in Bathurst. I have been
there for the first time last year and I really enjoyed it. It was a
big experience. I just love the track and the race itself as an event
grew massively over the past years. It has a very good reputation so I
am really looking forward to it. It is also good to be back behind the
steering wheel and to shorten the break until DTM in Europe starts
again. I can’t wait to do the first laps again around the Mount
Panorama Circuit.”
Philipp Eng (BMW Team SRM, No. 100 BMW M6 GT3):
“It will not only be my debut at the Bathurst 12 Hour but in general
my first time ever in Australia. It has always been my wish to go
there and in addition I think that every race driver has to drive in
Bathurst at least once. I am more than happy that I will do so now
with BMW and with this line-up. I already did a billion laps on this
circuit in the simulator, just because it is so much fun. It is great
that I now can put a real tyre on the asphalt there. I think that with
the car, the team and my strong team-mates we have all the required
ingredients to be successful.”