One of the world's most traditional endurance races is fast approaching again. This coming weekend, 230 entrants will be pitting their skills against one another in the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race. For the last time BMW will be dispatching two BMW M3 GTRs into the "Green Hell". These GT sports cars with an output of 500 bhp helped Team BMW Motorsport to secure a one-two win on the legendary Nordschleife last year. It was BMW's 17th overall victory in the marathon event.
In 2005 BMW is once more placing its trust in the seasoned racing team of Schnitzer Motorsport, run by team manager Charly Lamm (Freilassing), and BMW's own engineers. Due to a modified race course and the resulting increase in lap distance to 25.378 kilometres, strategist Lamm will be implementing a new battle plan.

 

"In 2004 we drivers along with the team delivered a fault-free performance," says Hans-Joachim Stuck (Ellmau), who will be contesting a 24-hour race for the 55th time. "But we also had that extra bit of luck that you need to be successful in a race of this kind. Everything just worked out perfectly, which will make it difficult for us to repeat a one-two win. But we will certainly be pulling out all the stops."

Last year's winners Stuck, Dirk Müller (Burbach) and Jörg Müller (Hückelhoven) are also lining up on the grid this year in car number 1. Alternating at the wheel of car number 2 will be Pedro Lamy (PRT), Boris Said (USA) and Duncan Huisman (NLD), who finished second in 2004. Also joining the team is reigning European Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx (GBR), who draws on experience with the BMW M3 GTR in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. As an official partner of Team BMW Motorsport, Germany's leading petrol station chain, ARAL, will also be present at the Nordschleife in 2005.

 

The seven-man squad of Team BMW Motorsport will be facing robust competition. Seasoned Nordschleife aces such as Uwe and Jürgen Alzen, Klaus Ludwig and Peter Zakowski are itching to dethrone BMW in 2005. Course architect Hermann Tilke will also be behind the wheel this weekend to contest his 20th 24-hour race. Many of today's state-of-the-art Formula One circuits hail from the drawing board of the Aachen-based designer. Yet, as Stuck firmly believes, the Nordschleife still outclasses the new tracks by far. "Hermann will forgive me, but nowhere in the world will there ever again be such a beautiful and challenging race track as the Nordschleife," states the 54-year-old driver.

 

In all, 63 BMW cars will be entering the 33rd edition of the endurance classic. That makes BMW the most heavily represented brand at the event once again. While the two BMW M3 GTRs will be gunning for overall victory, other entrants are out to fulfil a dream simply by taking part. There's "Projekt 24h", for example, a group of students from the College of Technology and Economics of the Saarland and the Kaiserslautern Technical College, who are competing in a BMW 120d which they have rendered raceworthy as part of an assignment.

 

Among others, the television channel DSF will be broadcasting around ten hours of the 24-hour race, which starts on Saturday, 7th May 2005, at 15.00 hrs.

 

Schedule:
Friday, 6th May 2005
10.00 - 12.00 hrs 1st timed practice
19.00 - 23.00 hrs 2nd timed practice
Saturday, 7th May 2005
12.30 - 14.30 hrs Grid line-up
15.00 hrs Start of 24 Hour Race
Sunday, 8th May 2005
15.00 hrs Finish of 24 Hour Race