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  • BMW also secures the ALMS manufacturers’ title at Petit Le Mans
    Created: Sunday, October 02, 2011 Author: Jeff
    BMW has written another chapter in motorsport history in the USA at the finale of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), the 1000-mile Petit Le Mans, at Road Atlanta, in Braselton, Georgia. BMW Team RLL won a second consecutive manufacturers’ championship in the GT class to complete a 2011 hat-trick of titles. The drivers’ and team championships had already been secured two weeks ago with one race still to go. The last time BMW achieved this feat was in 2001 with the BMW M3 GTR. BMW only returned to the ALMS with the BMW M3 GT in 2009. After a thrilling race, Dirk Werner (DE), Bill Auberlen (US) and Augusto Farfus (BR) ultimately achieved a third place finish, completing 367 laps around the 2.54-mile circuit. After an incident with a slower car in the closing stages of the race caused two pit stops to repair the damage, their teammates Dirk Müller (DE), Joey Hand (US) and Andy Priaulx (GB) finished the race in ninth place.  At least one BMW M3 GT finished on the podium in every sing...
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  • Dirk Müller and Joey Hand win first ALMS GT drivers’ title for BMW since 2001 – BMW Team RLL successfully defends team title.
    Created: Sunday, September 18, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Dirk Müller (DE), Joey Hand (US) and BMW Team RLL have done it: Second place in the eighth race of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at the “Laguna Seca Raceway” (US) was enough to secure the title in the GT Drivers’ Championship with a race to spare. Müller and Hand have taken their points tally to 145, and are now an unassailable 33 points ahead of the second-placed pairing, Corvette’s Jan Magnussen (DK) and Oliver Gavin (GB). As there are a maximum of 30 points up for grabs at the season finale in Road Atlanta (US) on 1st October, the two BMW drivers have already been crowned GT champions.The title race has also been decided in the Team competition: Müller, Hand, and team-mates Dirk Werner (DE) and Bill Auberlen (US) scored a total 154 points for BMW Team RLL with the two BMW M3 GT cars this season, repeating last year’s success. In the Drivers’ Championship, on the other hand, it is BMW’s first overall ALMS victory since 2001 when current BMW works driver Jörg M...
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  • Difficult ILMC race for BMW Motorsport at Silverstone.
    Created: Sunday, September 11, 2011 Author: Jeff
    The fifth round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) at Silverstone (GB) did not run according to plan for BMW Motorsport. After six hours, Andy Priaulx (GB) and Uwe Alzen (DE) finished fourth in the GTE class, driving the no. 56 BMW M3 GT. The no. 55 car, driven by Augusto Farfus (BR) and Jörg Müller (DE), crossed the line in sixth. The race was won by Ferrari’s Giancarlo Fisichella (IT) and Gianmaria Bruni (IT).Both BMW M3 GT cars started from the first row of the grid, but lost time in the early stages of the race. The starting drivers Priaulx and Farfus reported a lack of grip and dropped back in the classification. On top of that, Farfus experienced bad luck after approximately 50 minutes, as during a safety-car phase the second safety-car joined the track directly in front of him, cutting the Brazilian off from the leading group of the GTE class. Priaulx had to pit for an unscheduled stop, which also resulted in a bigger gap to the front-runners.As the six-hour r...
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  • BMW Team RLL finishes second and fifth at Baltimore Grand Prix.
    Created: Sunday, September 04, 2011 Author: Jeff
    The no. 56 BMW M3 GT of Joey Hand (US) and Dirk Müller (DE) finished second at the inaugural American Le Mans Series Baltimore Grand Prix to extend BMW Team RLL’s lead in Manufacturer, Driver and Team GT class championships. Starting from third, the duo completed 70 laps in the two-hour race at the temporary circuit running though the streets of Baltimore’s Inner Harbour.The race ended in heartbreak for the pole-sitting no. 55 BMW M3 GT of Bill Auberlen (US) and Dirk Werner (DE) after an overzealous passing attempt by a competitor spun Auberlen from the lead 22 minutes into the second hour of the contest. Up to that point the car had never been further back than second, with Werner leading the first 18 laps of the race. A well-timed pit stop just before the race’s first caution period put Auberlen in the perfect position for their first win of the season, but it was not to be. The BMW ace battled back from eighth, ultimately finishing fifth, to remain third in the drivers’ poi...
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  • Double podium finish for BMW Team RLL at Road America.
    Created: Sunday, August 21, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Although a third consecutive GT victory at Road America (US) was not to be, BMW Team RLL ended round six of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with a double podium finish.In what was a very exciting race both BMW M3 GT cars took their turn leading the four-hour contest. At the end, the no. 55 of Dirk Werner (DE) and Bill Auberlen (US) finished second for the duo’s third consecutive podium finish. The no. 56 of Dirk Mϋller (DE) and Joey Hand (US) came home third to extend their lead at the top of the GT driver points. BMW Team RLL maintains its lead in the team points and BMW stays at the front of the manufacturers’ standings.The race was slowed and ultimately determined by four caution periods that brought both good luck and a bit of bad luck to all four BMW Team RLL drivers. Under the final yellow flag the balance of the field pitted while Werner stayed out and went to the front. Mϋller pitted on lap 81 and re-joined the race in fifth. Werner was passed for the lead with 30 minu...
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  • BMW Team RLL finishes third and fourth at wet Mid-Ohio
    Created: Sunday, August 07, 2011 Author: Jeff
    BMW Team RLL celebrates another podium in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). The team finished third and fourth in the GT class at the “Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge” (US). A torrential downpour stopped the two hour 45 minute contest with just 13 minutes remaining with Dirk Werner (DE) and Bill Auberlen (US) finishing third in the No. 55 M3 GT. Teammates, Dirk Müller (DE) and Joey Hand (US), came home fourth in the No. 56 M3 GT for a second consecutive race. The result keeps BMW on top in the GT manufacturer points standings, BMW Team RLL in the lead in the team battle and Mϋller and Hand at the top of the drivers’ standings.The team elected to start Mϋller in the No. 56 M3 GT after Hand qualified the car on the pole, and he led the GT field across the line on the opening lap. Werner started the No. 55 M3 GT from the second spot, but was slowed by an LMPC car in the first turn and dropped to fifth. Mϋller dropped to third on lap two, but the two BMW works drivers quickly rec...
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  • BMW Team RLL finishes third and fourth at Mosport.
    Created: Monday, July 25, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Despite a stop-and-go penalty for contact served by each BMW M3 GT cars run by BMW Team RLL during the American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Mosport the team still finished the third and fourth in the 14-car GT class to retain the lead in manufacturer, driver and team championship standings.Starting from the class pole for a third consecutive time the no. 56 BMW M3 GT of Joey Hand (US) led the first 30 laps of the race with the no. 55 car of Bill Auberlen (US) running third, less than three seconds behind. The races only caution period brought both BMW M3 GTs to the pits on lap 31 for fuel and tyres, but a slow stop for the no. 56 crew put Hand out behind Auberlen and then a touch with a competitor exiting the pits brought Hand back to serve a stop-and-go penalty for “avoidable contact”. As Auberlen moved up to second, Hand fell back to eighth.Auberlen held second through the fuel load and Hand moved up to seventh before both drivers pitted one hour later. Dirk Werner (DE) took ove...
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  • BMW Team RLL claims third consecutive ALMS GT win: Müller and Hand on top of the podium in Lime Rock.
    Created: Sunday, July 10, 2011 Author: Jeff
    BMW Team RLL’s Dirk Müller (DE) and Joey Hand (US) consolidated BMW’s lead in the American Le Mans Series GT class manufacturer, team and driver championship with their third consecutive win this season in the Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park (US).The no. 56 BMW M3 GT started from the pole and led every lap in the 2:45-hour race at BMW of North America’s home track. The duo completed 176 laps of the 1.474-mile circuit in the run to the chequered flag, finishing 20.387 seconds ahead of the second place Porsche.The BMW M3 GT with car number 55 of Dirk Werner (DE) and Bill Auberlen (US) fell victim of circumstance as Werner was hit by a competitor on lap 23, only 20 minutes into his opening stint. The duo soldiered on after extensive repairs, ultimately finishing eighth, 13 laps down to their team-mates.BMW Team RLL returns to action on 24th July at Mosport International Raceway for Round 4 of the American Le Mans Series.Bobby Rahal (Team Principal):“It’s another great da...
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  • Priaulx and Alzen score podium result for BMW in Spa-Francorchamps.
    Created: Tuesday, July 05, 2011 Author: Jeff
    The second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) again saw a BMW M3 GT finishing in the top three of the GTE Pro class on Saturday. Andy Priaulx (GB) and Uwe Alzen (DE) claimed third for BMW Team Schnitzer in Spa-Francorchamps (BE). After six hours and 144 laps, final-stint driver Alzen crossed the line just 13.114 seconds behind the winning Ferrari. The no. 55 BMW M3 GT, driven by Augusto Farfus (BR) and Jörg Müller (DE), finished fourth in this hard-fought category.The 1,000-kilometre race at the “Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps” was a turbulent affair, entertaining over 30,000 fans with numerous overtaking manoeuvres and incidents. Thanks to the strong team result, BMW successfully defended the lead in the GTE Manufacturer classification of the ILMC and now has 49 points to its tally. BMW Motorsport ranks second in the team standings with 26 points, just one point behind AF Corse. BMW Team RLL had kicked off the season in style, scoring a one-two at the season opener i...
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  • BMW Team Schnitzer claims third in the GTE Pro class in Imola.
    Created: Sunday, July 03, 2011 Author: Jeff
    BMW Team Schnitzer scored another podium in the GTE Pro class of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) on Sunday: Although the six-hour race in Imola (IT) didn’t go according to plan, Augusto Farfus (BR) and Jörg Müller (DE) drove their no. 55 BMW M3 GT home in third. The second number 56 car and drivers Dirk Werner (DE) and Pedro Lamy (PT) crossed the line in eighth, following a technical problem and a long stop for repairs. Ferrari’s Jaime Melo (BR) and Toni Vilander (FI) secured victory at the “Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari”.Over majority of the race the BMW drivers were in full control. With sunshine and temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, starting stint drivers Müller and Werner successfully defended first and second, which BMW Team Schnitzer had achieved in qualifying, in the opening stages of the endurance race. However, then bad luck struck in various ways. Car number 56 was knocked back by a problem with the air conditioning. This device is responsible for keepi...
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  • Strong qualifying in Imola: BMW Team Schnitzer locks out GTE front row.
    Created: Saturday, July 02, 2011 Author: Jeff
    BMW Team Schnitzer secured the perfect starting positions for Sunday’s six-hour race in Imola (IT): Jörg Müller (DE) set a best time of 1:44.468 minutes at the wheel of the no. 55 BMW M3 GT, meaning pole position in the GTE class for round four of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC). Dirk Werner (DE) was just 0.215 seconds slower than his team-mate in car number 56, rounding off BMW Team Schnitzer’s strongest ILMC qualifying result to date.With sunny and warm conditions, both BMW drivers waited a few minutes before joining the qualifying action at the “Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari”. Müller just needed one outing and two flying laps, before he had a firm hold on pole position. On Sunday he will share the wheel of the BMW M3 GT with Augusto Farfus (BR). Werner, who will be alternating with Pedro Lamy (PT), completed a total of five laps and managed to improve consistently. His fifth and final lap was his quickest. The race at the 4.909-kilometre circuit will get underway ...
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  • Norbert Michelisz continues WTCC season in the Czech Republic
    Created: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Budapest, Hungary Czech Republic is about to host the fifth race weekend of the 2011 FIA World Touring Car Championship featuring Zengo Dension Team’s Norbert Michelisz with a BMW 320 TC. Two weeks ago the Hungarian driver claimed a second place at the Hungaroring and will line up on the grid with good chances in Brno as well. Automotodrom Brno – Masaryk Circuit is located only 350 kilometers away from Budapest. Both the qualification and the races will be broadcasted live by Eurosport; the qualification will take place on Eurosport 2 from Saturday 14:00 and the races will be aired on Eurosport International at 12:45.   Beside Chevrolet, the Volvo and SR Customer Racing’s cars will be equipped with the new 1.6 turbo engine therefore will get the maximum, 40 kilos of compensation weight just like the BMW 320 TC that is driven by Norbert Michelisz. There are only two drivers among the entries who will not use the 2011 specification engines. Based on the results of the past races,...
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  • BMW Motorsport claims GTE pole position and third on the grid in Le Mans – Priaulx walks away from heavy accident
    Created: Friday, June 10, 2011 Author: Jeff
    BMW Motorsport secured excellent grid positions for the 24-hour race in Le Mans (FR). In the third qualifying session, Augusto Farfus (BR) set the fastest time in the LM GTE class, recording a 3:57.592 minutes lap in the no. 55 BMW M3 GT. This meant pole position for the 27-year-old and his fellow BMW drivers, Jörg Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE). The second BMW M3 GT (number 56) will tackle the 79th running of the endurance classic from third on the grid. Andy Priaulx (GB) had posted this car’s  best lap with a time of 3:58.426 minutes during Wednesday’s first qualifying session.   However, the triple world touring car champion and his team-mates, Dirk Müller (DE) and Joey Hand (US) were forced to sit out the third two-hour qualifying session on Thursday night. In the final stages of session two, Priaulx turned into a passenger in the Ford chicane, after another car had gone off and spread loads of gravel on the track. He lost control of his BMW M3 GT and hit the tyre barr...
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  • Qualifying in Spa: BMW starts from fifth and seventh on the GTE Pro grid.
    Created: Sunday, June 05, 2011 Author: Jeff
    In qualifying for round two of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) in Spa-Francorchamps (BE), BMW Team Schnitzer secured solid grid positions. Augusto Farfus (BR) clocked a personal best time of 2:21.460 minutes at the wheel of BMW M3 GT number 55, finishing fifth in the GTE Pro category.Andy Priaulx (GB) was on duty in the second BMW M3 GT (no. 56), setting a lap time of 2:22.219 minutes. This put the triple world touring car champion in seventh on the timesheets. Ferrari’s Jaime Melo (BR) claimed pole position, after lapping the “Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps” in 2:20.743 minutes.The 1,000-kilometre race at the 7.004-kilometre track sees BMW Team Schnitzer make its maiden ILMC appearance this year. At the season opener in Sebring (US), BMW Team RLL flew the flag for BMW and scored an impressive one-two in the GT class. The second round of the ILMC will get underway on Saturday at 14:05hrs local time (13:05hrs BST). Then Farfus will alternate with Jörg Müller (DE) at the wh...
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  • BMW Motorsport scores podium finish in second VLN race
    Created: Saturday, April 30, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Following the one-two achieved in the season opener of the VLN Endurance Championship, BMW Motorsport also finished on the podium in the second race at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). Dirk Müller (DE), Dirk Werner (DE) and Dirk Adorf (DE) came third in the no. 43 BMW M3 GT after 28 laps. Augusto Farfus (BR), Jörg Müller (DE) and Pedro Lamy (PT) finished fifth with the number 42 car. Victory in the 36th DMV 4-hour race went to Mercedes’ Chris Mamerow (DE) and Armin Hahne (DE). Starting from 14th (no. 42) and 16th (no. 43) respectively on the grid, the opening stint drivers, Lamy and Werner, managed to gain a considerable amount of ground in the first phase of the race. Then Farfus and Dirk Müller, as well as Jörg Müller and Adorf, consolidated the BMW M3 GT cars’ positions in the leading group, along the way being involved in some exciting duels with the eventual winners and the second-placed Porsche of the Manthey team. Final stint driver Lamyeventually brought the no. 4...
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  • Back in Le Mans: BMW Motorsport completes productive test for the classic 24-hour race held in June.
    Created: Sunday, April 24, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Seven weeks ahead of this year’s 24-hour race in Le Mans (FR), BMW Motorsport made an important step forward in its intense preparation programme for this classic endurance race. Together with 52 other cars, the two BMW M3 GTs with car numbers 55 and 56 took to the “Circuit de la Sarthe” on Sunday, completing a total of 147 laps.The team made full use of the only testing opportunity at the 13.629-kilometre track and collected a vast amount of valuable data that will be used in preparation before returning to Le Mans for the big race held on 11th/12th June 2011.The no. 55 BMW M3 GT, with Augusto Farfus (BR), Jörg Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE) at the wheel, came third in the GTE Pro class after two four-hour test sessions with a lap time of 4:01.631 minutes. Andy Priaulx (GB), Dirk Müller (DE) and Joey Hand (US) shared driving duties in the second BMW M3 GT, finishing seventh after clocking a time of 4:03.856 minutes.“This test ahead of the 24-hour race definitely was an im...
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  • BMW Team RLL Wins at Long Beach
    Created: Saturday, April 16, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Joey Hand and Dirk Müller drove BMW Team RLL to the top of the GT class podium for a second consecutive time this season at today’s American Le Mans Series at Long Beach. The No. 56 M3 GT will be credited with the most laps led in the two hour contest, but not until the final minutes of the race were slowed by a caution flag was the outcome decided. Hand started the race from the class pole and led for the opening laps, but lost the lead some twenty minutes into the race after an almost surreal set of circumstances. A few positions behind Hand, teammate Bill Auberlen, in the No. 55 M3 GT, was struck by a competitor and spun around 180 degrees in the tight confines of turn two. When he finally was able to get turned in the right direction Hand was back around and lost two positions as he avoided the accelerating Auberlen. Hand gave chase and with a slick double pass in turn six regained the lead at the 40 minute mark. A second battle ensued with Patrick Long’s Porsche and Hand lo...
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  • BMW Team RLL is ready to defend its GT class lead at the ALMS at Long Beach Race.
    Created: Monday, April 11, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Woodcliff Lake , N.J. – April 11, 2011… The contrast of racing the 12 Hours of Sebring to racing in the streets of Long Beach, California could not be greater, but BMW Team RLL is looking for a similar outcome – a 1-2 BMW finish in the American Le Mans Series GT class.   In the four weeks since the success at Sebring, the team has been preparing for a race only two hours long with increased attention to maximizing the application of the M3 GT’s V8 power to the rear Dunlop tires. Quick acceleration out of the tight temporary street circuit corners is critical to fast lap times at Long Beach – especially exiting the hairpin turn that leads onto the longest straight.  Both cars will be aerodynamically trimmed to maximize downforce.   Last season the race at Long Beach produced a third consecutive podium finish for the team. With the 1-2 finish at Sebring, BMW Team RLL enters Long Beach in the lead of every ALMS GT championship category.   "We could not have asked for a...
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  • Fantastic start of the season at the Nordschleife for Yannick Fübrich
    Created: Thursday, April 07, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Klaus Landgraf and his team mate Yannick Fübrich had a successful start of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft season 2011 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The duo finished the first race of the current season on 2nd April 2011 into second position with their BMW 325i.“With this result, we exceeded our expectations by much”, said the two drivers happily on Saturday after the race.And indeed: Straightaway, there was a great harmony in the team and the car of “Schmickler Performance” was very well prepared. The BMW with start number 455 was already very quick on the wet track during qualifying early Saturday morning and achieved fourth position on the grid. “We did however not want to take too big risks”, informed Yannick Fübrich. And Klaus Landgraf added: “The grid position in an endurance race is definitely not as decisive as it is for a sprint race.”Just after 12 o’clock, the starting signal for the 4 Hour Race was given and the 165 race cars started their race on t...
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  • First victory for BMW in 2011: Team Schubert wins with works driver Augusto Farfus in Dubai.
    Created: Wednesday, April 06, 2011 Author: Jeff
    Dubai, 15th January 2011. BMW picked up its first victory in the very first big race of the new motor racing season. Need for Speed Team Schubert triumphed with the no. 76 BMW Z4 GT3 and drivers Claudia Hürtgen (DE), Augusto Farfus (BR), Edward Sandström (SE) and Tommy Milner (US) at the 24-hour race in Dubai (AE). The sister car, number 77, with Bill Auberlen, Matt Plumb, Boris Said (all US) and Paul Dalla Lana (CA) at the wheel, completed the excellent team result with fifth place overall at the sixth staging of the desert marathon. After 24 hours, the victorious BMW Z4 GT3 crossed the finish line with Hürtgen at the wheel and a three-lap lead over the second-placed Ferrari F430 GT2 of Team AF Corse. Third place went to the Black Falcon Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3. The JR Motorsport team also made it into the top 20, finishing 16th with a BMW M3 GTR. “Everyone in the team gave everything – and we were rewarded with the win today,” commented Farfus. “This race is completely...
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