Our BMW M Motorsport News allows us to give you a regular overview of the race action in various championships around the world and any success enjoyed by the BMW M Motorsport teams.
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“A fantastic race weekend for the BMW M Motorsport teams in Italy and Spain! Congratulations to Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport, Michael Schrey, and Gabriele Piana on winning the title in the GT4 European Series, as well as to Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport for a very strong season with the BMW M4 GT4. Securing the title and achieving race wins in arguably the best-staffed GT4 racing series in the world is a truly remarkable feat. I was also delighted with the successes of Team BMW Italia Ceccato Racing with the BMW M4 GT3. The team led by Team Principal Roberto Ravaglia handles our GT3 car exceptionally well and is regularly rewarded with strong results. Additionally, the triumphs of our Sim racing works team BS+Competition underscore how seriously we continue to take this aspect of our racing programme. Congratulations!”
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GT4 European Series: Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport celebrates championship victory.
There was great jubilation for Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport and drivers Michael Schrey (GER) and Gabriele Piana (ITA) last weekend at Barcelona (ESP). With a victory in the final race of the GT4 European Series, they secured the titles in the team and driver standings of the Silver Cup in the #2 BMW M4 GT4. With 171 points each and three season wins, Schrey and Piana finished the year with a 26-point lead in the driver standings. In the team standings, the gap to second place was an even greater 28 points. Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, with Tom Edgar (GBR) and Berkay Besler (TUR) at the wheel of the #12 BMW M4 GT4, finished third in both the teams' and drivers' standings at the end of the season. The duo celebrated one win and three more podium finishes but only managed to score four points at the season finale in Barcelona, leaving them with no chance of winning the title.
The Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup season concluded with the 3-hour race at Barcelona (ESP). While the BMW M Motorsport teams didn't achieve strong results in the season finale, the ROWE Racing team looks back on an impressive season.
Barcelona. The Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup season concluded with the 3-hour race at Barcelona (ESP). While the BMW M Motorsport teams didn't achieve strong results in the season finale, the ROWE Racing team looks back on an impressive season. Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (GER) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) celebrated fantastic victories at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) and the Monza (ITA) season opener. The driver trio and the team both finish the season second in the overall standings of the Endurance Cup for drivers and teams.
Although there was still a mathematical chance of the title before the race, the pace of the #98 BMW M4 GT3 was not sufficient to attack the top spot, as had been the case at the Nürburgring (GER) recently. Eng, Wittmann and Yelloly finished in tenth place in the season finale. The BMW Junior Team with BMW M works drivers Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER) and Neil Verhagen (USA) secured twelfth place. At Monza, the trio celebrated their first podium finish in the series, coming in second. Overall, ROWE Racing achieved two victories (Monza, Spa-Francorchamps), one second place (Monza) and one third place (Le Castellet) in the Endurance Cup in 2023.
The BMW M Team WRT couldn't replicate the strong results they regularly achieve in the Sprint Cup during their first year with the BMW M4 GT3 in the endurance races. At Barcelona, Dries Vanthoor, Charles Weerts (both BEL) and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) managed to secure eleventh place despite a damaged rear on their #32 BMW M4 GT3. Valentino Rossi (ITA), Maxime Martin (BEL) and Augusto Farfus (BRA) retired early in the #46 BMW M4 GT3. The #30 BMW M4 GT3 from the WRT team finished fourth in the Gold Cup. In the Bronze Cup, the WRT team #31 BMW M4 GT3 with BMW M works driver Jesse Krohn (FIN) and the #35 BMW M4 GT3 from Walkenhorst Motorsport finished in seventh and eighth positions.
The Sprint Cup season of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS with the BMW M Team WRT will conclude on 14th/15th October at Zandvoort (NED).
Munich. Two wins in three races is the record with which BMW M Motorsport travels to round four of this season’s Intercontinental GT Challenge at Indianapolis (USA), where it will be looking to back up the strong results achieved so far. BMW M Team WRT will compete at the Indianapolis 8 Hour on 7th October with two BMW M4 GT3s and six BMW M works drivers. BMW leads the manufacturer standings after the previous races at Bathurst (AUS), Kyalami (RSA) and Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). In the Drivers’ Championship, 24h Spa winner Philipp Eng (AUT) is the best-placed BMW M Motorsport driver in second place.
Eng has 43 points to his name, thanks largely to his victory at Spa-Francorchamps and second place at Kyalami in February, and trails the leader by 15 points. At Indianapolis, he will share the cockpit with Dries Vanthoor (BEL) and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), who are currently sixth in the driver standings. Maxime Martin, Charles Weerts (both BEL) and Augusto Farfus (BRA) will be in action in the second BMW M4 GT3. These three drivers are also well-placed in the Drivers’ Championship. BMW tops the manufacturer standings with 100 points, courtesy of the one-two for BMW M Team WRT at Kyalami and ROWE Racing’s triumph at the 24h Spa.
BMW M Motorsport News allows us to give you a regular overview of the race action in various championships around the world and any success enjoyed by the BMW M Motorsport teams.
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“Autumn has started with fantastic success for our BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers. With the BMW M4 GT3, we not only enjoyed a one-two in Sunday’s DTM race at the Red Bull Ring, but also a one-two in the ADAC GT Masters at the same venue, courtesy of FK Performance and Schubert Motorsport. Walkenhorst Motorsport continued its winning run on the Nordschleife. Plus, we had the dominant success for BMW Ceccato Racing in the Italian GT Endurance Championship. In the GT Cup Championship too, victory went to the BMW M4 GT3. Furthermore, our BMW M4 GT4 and the BMW M2 CS Racing also celebrated more great successes in Europe and the USA. At this point, I would like to congratulate our two champions who won titles at the weekend: Colin Garrett in TC America and Leyton Fourie in the BMW M2 Cup. All this success makes us hungry for the conclusion to the season in the many championships around the world.”
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Top topics in this newsletter:
- NLS: Walkenhorst Motorsport makes it three wins in a row.
- ADAC GT Masters: One-two for the BMW M4 GT3 at the Red Bull Ring.
- Italian GT Endurance Championship: Dominant win for BMW Ceccato Racing at Monza.
- TC America: Colin Garrett is crowned champion with races to come.
- BMW M2 Cup: Leyton Fourie is the 2023 champion.
At the penultimate race weekend of the DTM season at the Red Bull Ring (AUT), the BMW M4 GT3 returned to the winner's circle. René Rast (GER) celebrated his first victory as a BMW M works driver with a first-place finish in Sunday's race. Prior to that, he broke Bernd Schneider's (GER) DTM record with his second pole position of the season. With a total of 26 poles, Rast is now the sole leader in the all-time best list.
Spielberg. At the penultimate race weekend of the DTM season at the Red Bull Ring (AUT), the BMW M4 GT3 returned to the winner's circle. René Rast (GER) celebrated his first victory as a BMW M works driver with a first-place finish in Sunday's race. Prior to that, he broke Bernd Schneider's (GER) DTM record with his second pole position of the season. With a total of 26 poles, Rast is now the sole leader in the all-time best list. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) secured second place on Sunday, contributing to a 1-2 for Team Schubert Motorsport. Marco Wittmann (GER) matched his best season result as he finished fourth on Sunday, narrowly missing out on his first podium with the Project 1 Team.
After a mixed Saturday race at Spielberg, where Rast narrowly missed the podium in fourth place and Wittmann and van der Linde finished eighth and 13th, the three BMW M works drivers bounced back on Sunday. Rast secured pole position with a lead of 0.111 seconds over his teammate van der Linde, while Wittmann started from fifth. In the race, the Schubert duo defended the first two positions to the finish line, while Wittmann battled for third place but ultimately settled for fourth. He had achieved the same result at Zandvoort (NED). Sandro Holzem (GER) finished 24th in the second Project 1 BMW M4 GT3 on Saturday and retired on Sunday.
Heading into the season finale in October at Hockenheim (GER), van der Linde and Rast are currently in fourth and fifth place in the driver's standings. In the team standings, Schubert Motorsport is in fourth place.
On the penultimate race weekend of the season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) at Indianapolis (USA), there was plenty of reason to celebrate for the BMW M Motorsport teams. Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) secured a spot on the podium by finishing third in the 2-hour and 40-minute race in the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 of BMW M Team RLL.
Indianapolis. On the penultimate race weekend of the season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) at Indianapolis (USA), there was plenty of reason to celebrate for the BMW M Motorsport teams. Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) secured a spot on the podium by finishing third in the 2-hour and 40-minute race in the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 of BMW M Team RLL. It marked the duo’s fifth podium finish in the debut season of the GTP class. In the GTD category, Paul Miller Racing drivers Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers (both USA) clinched the GTD title prematurely with a third-place finish in the #1 BMW M4 GT3, simultaneously defending the Sprint Cup championship they had won in 2022 .
While De Phillippi and Yelloly fought their way to the podium from the seventh starting position during the course of 113 laps on the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway, their teammates in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 had a stroke of bad luck. After just nine laps, Philipp Eng (AUT) had to pit due to technical issues. It wasn't until two further stops that the electric problems of the LMDh car could be solved, allowing Eng and Augusto Farfus (BRA) to continue the race with a significant deficit. They were ultimately classified as tenth in the GTP class. In the overall standings of the IMSA series, De Phillippi and Yelloly are currently in fourth place with 2422 points each, just 38 points behind the leaders, ahead of the season finale on 14th October in Road Atlanta (USA).
In the GTD category, Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers secured the title win one race before the end of the season. The third-place finish on the Indianapolis podium was enough for the Paul Miller Racing drivers to become champions in both the GTD overall standings and the Sprint Cup, which they had won in 2022. On their way to the title, Snow and Sellers celebrated five class victories in the #1 BMW M4 GT3, more than any other team in the GTD class before. At Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans in October, they now have the chance to win the Endurance Cup title as well. At Indianapolis, the two BMW M4 GT3s from Turner Motorsport finished fifth and seventh in the GTD category.
Reactions after the race:
Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (both BEL) celebrated their first season victory in the Sprint Cup during Sunday's race of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC) at Valencia (ESP). After 36 laps on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, they crossed the finish line first in a race marked by safety car periods.
Valencia. Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (both BEL) celebrated their first season victory in the Sprint Cup during Sunday's race of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC) at Valencia (ESP). After 36 laps on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, they crossed the finish line first in a race marked by safety car periods. The duo had started from 13th place in the fourth round of the Sprint Cup. Skillful driving and an excellent race strategy from the BMW M Team WRT were the decisive factors for their victory. In the Saturday race, Vanthoor and Weerts were already the highest-placed BMW drivers. Starting from 15th place, they narrowly missed the podium, finishing in fifth position.
It was a weekend of ups and downs at Valencia. Like the entire BMW M Team WRT, Valentino Rossi (ITA) and Maxime Martin (BEL) in the #46 BMW M4 GT3 faced issues in Saturday's qualifying. However, in the race, they displayed great determination. After a spirited comeback, they gained 14 positions and secured a spot in the top ten, finishing in eighth place. In Sunday's qualifying, Martin showcased his skills in the rain. The Belgian driver coped well with the challenging conditions on the slippery but drying track and secured third position. Unfortunately, he was forced onto the grass at the start, resulting in an overheating engine of the #46 BMW M4 GT3 due to blocked coolers, which led to an early retirement.
Niklas Krütten (GER) and Calan Williams (AUS) had a disappointing weekend with a retirement of the #30 BMW M4 GT3 on Saturday and an 18th-place finish on Sunday. Thomas Neubauer and Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (both FRA) finished 16th and 29th, respectively, in their #31 BMW M4 GT3 in both Valencia races.
Reactions after the races:
The penultimate round of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) leads BMW M Team RLL to an iconic race track: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA), also known as ‘The Brickyard’ hosts this coming weekend’s event (15th to 17th September). BMW M Team RLL aims to return to the IMSA GTP podium with the new BMW M Hybrid V8 at Indianapolis.
Munich. The penultimate round of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) leads BMW M Team RLL to an iconic race track: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA), also known as ‘The Brickyard’ hosts this coming weekend’s event (15th to 17th September). BMW M Team RLL aims to return to the IMSA GTP podium with the new BMW M Hybrid V8 at Indianapolis. The #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, victorious this season at Watkins Glen (USA) and on the podium at Sebring, Long Beach (both USA) and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CAN), will again be driven by Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR). Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Philipp Eng (AUT) share duties in the #24 car.
Recently the team participated in a two-day test at the Speedway with drivers De Phillippi, Colton Herta (USA), and Jesse Krohn (FIN). The second day of the test ended with the #25 and #24 BMW M Hybrid V8s at the top of the timing sheets. Eng, Farfus, and Yelloly completed ‘Driver In Loop’ tests for Indianapolis to continue the development of the team’s race performance.
BMW Team RLL team members do have history at ‘The Brickyard’. Team Principal Bobby Rahal (USA) won the 1986 Indy 500. De Phillippi and Farfus won the 8 Hour Intercontinental GT Challenge race at Indy in 2020, driving a Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 along with Nick Catsburg (NED). Yelloly finished second in the team’s sister BMW, co-driving with David Pittard (GBR) and Marco Wittmann (GER).
In the GT Daytona class, three BMW M4 GT3s will compete. With five victories in this season so far, Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow (both USA) continue to lead the GTD class points with the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3. Turner Motorsport brings two BMW M4 GT3s for Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (both USA) and for Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull (both USA).
The two-hour-and-forty-minute race at Indianapolis gets underway on Sunday, 17th September at 12:10 local time (19:10 CEST).
Quotes ahead of the Road America race.
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“The BMW M4 GT3 sparkled in the hands of our customer teams this past weekend. With victory in the British GT Championship and the double win in the NLS, our teams Century Motorsport and Walkenhorst Motorsport have positioned themselves well for the end-of-season race. The BMW M4 GT4 also brought home more successes in the NLS, ADAC GT4 Germany, and the GT4 European Series. Not forgetting the many other entrants in the NLS, who brought home an incredible 15 class wins overall. Congratulations to all the teams and drivers, I look forward to the many thrilling battles for titles in the coming weeks.”
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Top topics in this newsletter:
- NLS: Perfect weekend for Walkenhorst Motorsport.
- British GT Championship: Dan Harper and Darren Leung triumph at Brands Hatch.
- ADAC GT4 Germany: BMW M Motorsport teams with trio of podiums.
- BMW M2 Cup: Leyton Fourie takes an important step in the battle for the title.
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NLS: Perfect weekend for Walkenhorst Motorsport.
There were two six-hour races on two days at the highlight of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) season last weekend. The big winner of the “12h Nürburgring” (GER) was the Walkenhorst Motorsport team. Christian Krognes (NOR) and Jakub Giermaziak (POL) in the #34 BMW M4 GT3 won both races in impressive style. In the first race on Saturday, the duo fought their way up the field from the final starting position in their group to P1. Krognes and Giermaziak started Sunday’s race from sixth on the grid, but it wasn’t long before they took the lead and enjoyed a commanding win, finishing almost three minutes ahead of their team-mates Niklas Krütten (GER) and Dylan Pereira (LUX) in the #35 BMW M4 GT3. The crew of car number 34 are at the top of the team standings in both the highest class, SP9 Pro, and in the NLS Speed Trophy, with two races to go before the end of the season. In Walkenhorst Motorsport’s Pro-Am car, BMW M works driver Charles Weerts (BEL) made his GT3 debut at the Nordschleife. However, the #36 BMW M4 GT3 retired from both races.
The BMW M Motorsport teams celebrated a total of 15 class wins in the two races with separate classifications at the weekend. In addition to Walkenhorst Motorsport’s successes in the SP9 Pro category, it was the two SP10 successes for the #187 BMW M4 GT4 of FK Performance Motorsport that stood out in particular. With their two wins in the VT2-R+4WD class, Philipp Leisen, Oskar Sandberg, and Daniel Zils (all GER) of Adrenalin Motorsport Team Motec in the #1 BMW 330i defended their lead in the NLS overall standings. The BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers claimed further wins in the classes BMW M240i, BMW M2 CS, V4, SP4, SP6 and H4. Samantha Tan (CAN) was one of the drivers at the wheel of Schnitzelalm Racing’s BMW M240i Racing, to get her permit. She and her crew won the race on Saturday and finished third on Sunday.
The sixth DTM race weekend of the season at the Sachsenring (GER) demanded determination from the BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers. The track layout didn’t play to the strengths of the BMW M4 GT3, and the car's classification also didn't help in reaching the podium. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) achieved the best result for BMW M Motorsport with a sixth-place finish on Saturday.
Sachsenring. The sixth DTM race weekend of the season at the Sachsenring (GER) demanded determination from the BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers. The track layout didn’t play to the strengths of the BMW M4 GT3, and the car's classification also didn't help in reaching the podium. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) achieved the best result for BMW M Motorsport with a sixth-place finish on Saturday. His Schubert Motorsport teammate, René Rast (GER), secured eighth place in both races. Marco Wittmann (GER) made his race debut at the Sachsenring, finishing twelfth and earning points on Sunday.
The main issue was the BMW M4 GT3's lack of one-lap speed in qualifying. Starting from midfield or even backfield positions, the fight for podium places became challenging, even though the BMW M Motorsport drivers made strong comebacks in the races. Rast moved from 18th place on Saturday and 15th place on Sunday to finish eighth in both races. Wittmann improved from 22nd to twelfth on Sunday and from 24th to 18th on Saturday. Van der Linde secured his sixth place from eleventh on the starting grid on Saturday. However, he retired on Sunday after a collision on the first lap. Sandro Holzem (GER) in the #56 BMW M4 GT3 from Team Project 1 finished 20th and 16th.
In the driver standings, defending champion van der Linde is currently fourth with 113 points, with four races left in the season. In the team standings, Schubert Motorsport is also in fourth place with 192 points.
Reactions to the DTM weekend at the Sachsenring:
A spectacular motor racing show awaits tens of thousands of fans this Saturday, in the form of Red Bull Formula Nürburgring. The event, which forms part of the 12-hour race weekend in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS), attracts big stars and legendary cars from all motorsport classes to the Eifel region of Germany. BMW M, BMW M Motorsport and BMW Group Classic will play big roles.
Munich. A spectacular motor racing show awaits tens of thousands of fans this Saturday, in the form of Red Bull Formula Nürburgring. The event, which forms part of the 12-hour race weekend in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS), attracts big stars and legendary cars from all motorsport classes to the Eifel region of Germany. BMW M, BMW M Motorsport and BMW Group Classic will play big roles. Spectators will be able to marvel at vintage BMW race cars and BMW M safety cars on the track – including the Nordschleife. Among those taking their place behind the wheel will be BMW M works drivers Philipp Eng (AUT) and Jens Klingmann (GER).
The Müllenbachschleife at the Nürburgring (GER) will be the venue for 30,000 spectators watching Red Bull Formula Nürburgring – a show of superlative motor racing, combining big stars and show runs from iconic cars.
Historic BMW race cars will form an instrumental part of the event. Not only will they be in action on the Grand Prix circuit, but most of them also on the Nordschleife. The BMW V12 LMR, which won the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) in 1999, will be driven by Markus Flasch, Senior Vice President Product Lines Rolls-Royce, BMW Luxury Class and BMW Midsize Class. HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria will be at the wheel of the BMW M1 Procar, Jens Klingmann the BMW M3 E30 and Philipp Eng the BMW Z4 GT3 with the Michel Vaillant livery, which competed in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) in 2015. Ralf Schumacher (GER) will thrill fans with a drive in the BMW Williams FW25, with which he fought for the Formula 1 World Championship in 2003.
BMW M GmbH will present a number of cars from its spectacular fleet of MotoGP™ Safety Cars. BMW M is in its 25th season as “Official Car of MotoGP™” in 2023, and is taking BMW M4 Safety Cars from various generations, a BMW M3 Safety Car, a BMW M6 Safety Car and a BMW M8 Safety Car to the Nürburgring. The Red Bull Driftbrothers will also be part of the show with their BMW M4 cars, which have been specially set up for drifting.
Red Bull Formula Nürburgring is also bringing a host of Formula 1 legends to the Nürburgring – both cars and drivers. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel (GER) will be there, together with world championship runner-up David Coulthard (GBR) and current Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda (JPN).
- GT World Challenge Europe: BMW M Team WRT secures a podium finish at Hockenheim in the Sprint Cup.
- BMW M Team WRT is testing the BMW M Hybrid V8 at Spa-Francorchamps – BMW M4 GT3 EVO is set to arrive in 2025.
- BMW M Motorsport News, 28th August 2023
- BMW M Motorsport News, 21st August 2023
- DTM: BMW M Motorsport teams in the points at the Lausitzring – 100th DTM race for René Rast.
- BMW M Motorsport News, 8th August 2023
- IMSA: Both BMW M Hybrid V8 cars retire at Road America – Paul Miller Racing celebrates class win with BMW M4 GT3.
- DTM: BMW M Motorsport Teams out of luck in changeable weather conditions at the Nürburgring.
- The Le Mans Classic 2023. BMW Group Classic enters a BMW M1 Group 4 in legendary “Wirtshaus” livery.
- IMSA at Road America: BMW M Team RLL aiming for third consecutive GTP podium with the new BMW M Hybrid V8.
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