BMW Racing News - BMWsport.net - BMW Racing News, Tech Articles and Race Photos

Hockenheim (GER), 9-10 April 2024. DTM, ADAC Motorsport, Schubert Motorsport, #33 BMW M4 GT3, René Rast, RoboMarkets.

DTM tests: Three Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3s on the racetrack for the first time in new designs.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 ADAC GT Masters Friday April 12, 2024

Schubert Motorsport took advantage of the official DTM test drives at Hockenheim (GER) on Tuesday and Wednesday to intensively prepare its three BMW M4 GT3s for the season start at the end of April. The BMW M works drivers René Rast (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Marco Wittmann (GER) hit the track for the first time in the new car designs of the BMW M Motorsport Partners RoboMarkets, Shell, and Schaeffler.

Hockenheim. Schubert Motorsport took advantage of the official DTM test drives at Hockenheim (GER) on Tuesday and Wednesday to intensively prepare its three BMW M4 GT3s for the season start at the end of April. The BMW M works drivers René Rast (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Marco Wittmann (GER) hit the track for the first time in the new car designs of the BMW M Motorsport Partners RoboMarkets, Shell, and Schaeffler. At the end of the four test sessions, the drivers drew a positive conclusion .

In addition to the DTM, the ADAC GT Masters also conducted test sessions at Hockenheim. The FK Performance Motorsport team participated with two BMW M4 GT3s.

On the sidelines of the testing, ADAC announced the continuation of the BMW M2 Cup. In the 2024 season, the cars will no longer be centrally deployed and managed but will be run by several teams. Along with this change, the portfolio of models eligible for the Cup has expanded. Three car categories are eligible to start, including the BMW M2 CS Racing in the 450 HP and 365 HP versions, as well as the 340 HP BMW M240i Racing. The BMW M2 Cup events are compact and take place over two days. Practice, qualifying, and races are held exclusively on Saturday and Sunday. The junior series will compete at a total of five DTM events and will hold two races lasting 25 minutes each weekend. The season starts from 24^th to 26^th May at the Lausitzring (GER).

Comments on the DTM test:

Hockenheim (GER), 18-20 October 2024. DTM, ADAC Motorsport, Schubert Motorsport, #31 BMW M4 GT3, Sheldon van der Linde, Shell.

DTM Hockenheim: Schubert Motorsport is Team Champion!

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday October 20, 2024

Title celebrations for Schubert Motorsport after the 2024 DTM season finale at For the second time since 2022, the team, led by team principal Torsten Schubert, has been crowned champion in the team standings. To conclude the year, René Rast (GER) drove the #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3 to a third-place finish on the podium.

Laura Claesgens
BMW Group

Hockenheim. Title celebrations for Schubert Motorsport after the 2024 DTM season finale at Hockenheim (GER). For the second time since 2022, the team, led by team principal Torsten Schubert, has been crowned champion in the team standings. To conclude the year, René Rast (GER) drove the #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3 to a third-place finish on the podium. Throughout the season, Rast, Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Marco Wittmann (GER) achieved a total of four victories and three additional podium finishes .

After 16 races, Schubert Motorsport has 361 points in the team standings, 35 more than the runner-up. In the driver standings, Rast finished the season in fourth place with two wins, one second place, one third place, and 172 points. Van der Linde, who finished ninth in the last race in his #31 Shell BMW M4 GT3, ended the season sixth in the driver standings, while Wittmann finished twelfth after crossing the line seventh in the #11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3 on Sunday at Hockenheim.

The final weekend was a reflection of a season with highs and lows. Once again, the qualifying issues that had accompanied Schubert Motorsport and the three BMW M works drivers throughout the year were evident. However, in the race, all three drivers made spectacular comebacks. Rast improved from eleventh on the grid to third place on Sunday, Wittmann drove from 19^th to seventh, and van der Linde from 17^th to ninth. Already on Saturday, Rast had gained nine places to finish seventh. Wittmann and van der Linde finished in ninth and eleventh places, respectively.

Spielberg (AUT), 27-29 September 2024. DTM, ADAC Motorsport, Schubert Motorsport, #33 BMW M4 GT3, René Rast, RoboMarkets.

DTM: René Rast triumphs at the Red Bull Ring – Schubert Motorsport leads the team standings.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday September 29, 2024

The recent BMW M Motorsport success streak continued at the penultimate DTM race weekend of the season at the Red Bull Ring (AUT). René Rast (GER) triumphed in the Sunday race with the #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3, celebrating his second and the fourth season victory for Schubert Motorsport.

Laura Claesgens
BMW Group

Spielberg. The recent BMW M Motorsport success streak continued at the penultimate DTM race weekend of the season at the Red Bull Ring (AUT). René Rast (GER) triumphed in the Sunday race with the #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3, celebrating his second and the fourth season victory for Schubert Motorsport. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER) finished in sixth and eleventh places respectively on Sunday. After a challenging Saturday race, Team Schubert made a strong comeback with Rast's win the following day and extended their lead in the team standings before the season finale. With 320 points, the team from Oschersleben (GER) has a 39-point cushion in the title fight .

DTM Sachsenring: Hard-fought top-ten results for Schubert Motorsport.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday September 8, 2024

Schubert Motorsport experienced a rollercoaster ride at the sixth DTM race weekend of the season at the Sachsenring (GER). In the qualifying sessions, all three BMW M4 GT3s struggled, but impressive comebacks followed in the races.

Laura Claesgens
BMW Group

Sachsenring. Schubert Motorsport experienced a rollercoaster ride at the sixth DTM race weekend of the season at the Sachsenring (GER). In the qualifying sessions, all three BMW M4 GT3s struggled, but impressive comebacks followed in the races. René Rast (GER) gained 13 positions in Saturday's race to finish seventh. On Sunday, he improved by eleven places to finish ninth. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) also made it into the top ten in both races. Marco Wittmann (GER) was very unlucky.

Nürburgring (GER), 16-18 August 2024. DTM, ADAC Motorsport, Schubert Motorsport, #11 BMW M4 GT3, Marco Wittmann, Schaeffler, #33 BMW M4 GT3, René Rast, RoboMarkets.

DTM Nürburgring: Third victory of the season for Schubert Motorsport – Sheldon van der Linde triumphs.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday August 18, 2024

Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) celebrated his first win of the season on the fifth DTM race weekend at the Nürburgring (GER). In the #31 Shell BMW M4 GT3, the 2022 DTM Champion crossed the finish line first for the first time since the Norisring 2023. His teammate Marco Wittmann (GER) also reached the podium, finishing third in the #11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3.

Laura Claesgens
BMW Group

Nürburgring. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) celebrated his first win of the season on the fifth DTM race weekend at the Nürburgring (GER). In the #31 Shell BMW M4 GT3, the 2022 DTM Champion crossed the finish line first for the first time since the Norisring 2023. His teammate Marco Wittmann (GER) also reached the podium, finishing third in the #11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3. Thanks to the two podium finishes, the team led by Torsten Schubert reclaimed first place in the team standings .

Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) experienced a significant relief after his triumph, especially since he had not advanced beyond 13th position on Saturday. Starting from eighth place, the South African quickly moved up to third during the early stages, then overtook Ricardo Feller (SUI, Audi) in the battle for second place, and later benefited from a spin by the then-leader Maro Engel (GER, Mercedes). Engel collided with van der Linde's teammate René Rast (GER). Rast, coming out of the pits with cold tyres, slid straight on while braking into turn one with his #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3 and hit the turning Mercedes. A broken rim and a penalty for the accident dropped Rast back to 17th place. He had finished 11th in Saturday's race.

Marco Wittmann had a strong weekend. On Saturday, he coped better with the rainy conditions than his teammates and finished sixth. In Sunday's race, he started third and maintained that position to the finish – his second podium of the year after winning at Zandvoort (NED). Wittmann's crew also completed the fastest pit stop on Sunday with a time of 6.351 seconds.

In the drivers' standings, van der Linde, Rast, and Wittmann are in fourth, fifth, and eighth places respectively after ten of the sixteen races. In the team standings, Schubert Motorsport is now leading with 242 points and a 19-point advantage.

ADAC GT4 Germany: Piana/Schrey win again.

In ADAC GT4 Germany, Gabriele Piana (ITA) and Michael Schrey (GER) continued their impressive run this season. On Sunday, the duo in the #2 BMW M4 GT4 of Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport celebrated their fifth win in the eighth race of the season, further extending their lead in the drivers' standings. On Saturday, Piana and Schrey finished fifth behind the highest-placed BMW M4 GT4, #46 from FK Performance Motorsport in fourth place. Overall, five BMW M4 GT4s finished in the top ten on Saturday, and three on Sunday.

BMW M Motorsport thanks Stefan Reinhold and BMW M Team RMG for 14 years of collaboration.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Thursday August 8, 2024

BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team RMG will part ways at the end of the current season. After 14 years together, the collaboration with Team Principal Stefan Reinhold concludes on a high note, a podium at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER) for Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER), and Charles Weerts (BEL) a few weeks ago.

Press Contact.

Andrea Schwab
BMW Group

Munich. BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team RMG will part ways at the end of the current season. After 14 years together, the collaboration with Team Principal Stefan Reinhold concludes on a high note, a podium at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER) for Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER), and Charles Weerts (BEL) a few weeks ago. The greatest joint successes for BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team RMG were two drivers' championships and one team title in the DTM.

Nuremberg (GER), 05-07 July 2024. DTM, ADAC, Norisring, Round 4, René Rast, #33 BMW M4 GT3, Schubert Motorsport, RoboMarkets, DTM

DTM Norisring: René Rast shines with victory on Saturday and sensational comeback on Sunday.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday July 7, 2024

The fourth DTM race event of the season at the Norisring (GER) was German René Rast’s weekend. In the Saturday race, he used his full experience in the rain gamble of Nürnberg (GER), made the right tyre choice, and celebrated his first season victory in the Schubert Motorsport #33 BMW M4 GT3.

Norisring. The fourth DTM race event of the season at the Norisring (GER) was German René Rast’s weekend. In the Saturday race, he used his full experience in the rain gamble of Nürnberg (GER), made the right tyre choice, and celebrated his first season victory in the Schubert Motorsport #33 BMW M4 GT3. His performance on Sunday was equally strong. Starting from 19th place and with 20 kilograms of success ballast, he stormed up to fifth position and collected valuable points in the DTM title race. At the halfway point of the season, Rast is third in the drivers' standings with 93 points, while Schubert Motorsport leads the team standings with 186 points. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER) also scored points .

Before full stands on the city circuit at the Dutzendteich, Rast drove from seventh on the grid to victory in the first race, because when the rain began, unlike nearly all the other drivers, he did not come in for a tyre change but instead weathered the brief shower on slicks. Thanks to the saved pit stop, he was unstoppable on his way to his 27th DTM win. After two third-places in 2022 and two second-places in 2023, it was the fifth consecutive podium for Rast at the Norisring. Although the series ended with a fifth place on Sunday, his comeback over 14 positions was such strong damage limitation that it felt like another podium. After eight of 16 season races, Rast is just eleven points behind the leader in the overall standings with his 93 points. Schubert Motorsport has a 16-point advantage over second place in the team standings.

For Rast’s teammates Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER), the weekend did not go optimally. Van der Linde had strong pace in the #31 BMW M4 GT3 and started the Saturday race from the front row. However, he fell back to seventh place in the rain gamble with victory in sight. On Sunday, the 2022 DTM champion was classified in 14th place after a penalty. Wittmann, celebrated by fans at his home game in Nürnberg, could not match his great victory at Zandvoort (NED) a few weeks ago. He finished in twelfth and eleventh places in the #11 BMW M4 GT3.

Zandvoort (NED), 7-9 June 2024. GT Masters, ADAC, Circuit Park Zandvoort, Round 2, #54 FK Performance Motorsport, BMW M4 GT3

DTM Zandvoort: Marco Wittmann wins after a dramatic comeback – René Rast on the podium.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday June 9, 2024

The spell is broken! Marco Wittmann (GER) celebrated his first victory since the season finale in 2022 at Hockenheim (GER) after a dramatic comeback in Sunday's DTM race at Zandvoort (NED). Wittmann fought his way from 14th on the grid to the front and defended his lead in spectacular fashion. It was also the first season win for Schubert Motorsport and the BMW M4 GT3.

Zandvoort. The spell is broken! Marco Wittmann (GER) celebrated his first victory since the season finale in 2022 at Hockenheim (GER) after a dramatic comeback in Sunday's DTM race at Zandvoort (NED). Wittmann fought his way from 14th on the grid to the front and defended his lead in spectacular fashion. It was also the first season win for Schubert Motorsport and the BMW M4 GT3. In Saturday's race, René Rast (GER) secured the team's first podium of the year with a second-place finish. Wittmann's victory marked the crowning conclusion of an extraordinary weekend for the BMW M Motorsport DTM drivers .

Zandvoort, Le Mans, Zandvoort. For Wittmann, Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), the race weekend was marked by two highlights: the DTM races in Zandvoort and the test for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). Immediately after the trio's return from France on Sunday, Wittmann clinched his 19th victory in the DTM. Rast stood on the podium for the 51st time in his DTM career on Saturday.

Wittmann started Sunday from position 14 but was able to use the strong performance of the BMW M4 GT3 to work his way forward. After his pit stop, he was in the lead, which he defended in a hard duel against Mirko Bortolotti (ITA, Lamborghini). His car’s left rear tyre was damaged and smoke developed. Fortunately, the tyre held up until the end of the race, and Wittmann was able to celebrate on the podium. In Saturday's race, the two-time DTM champion had driven from 17th on the grid to seventh.

Rast fought his way up from seventh position to second place on the podium on Saturday. A day later, he finished seventh from the last starting position. Van der Linde finished both races in sixth and eighth places. On Sunday, he made up nine places in his #31 BMW M4 GT3.

In the ADAC GT Masters, the FK Performance Motorsport duo of Maxime Oosten (NED) and Leon Köhler (GER) in the #54 BMW M4 GT3 celebrated their second season victory. On Sunday, they drove from fifth on the grid to the front and reduced their deficit in the overall standings to just eight points. In the first race on Saturday, Oosten and Köhler had fought their way forward from the last starting position to fifth after problems in qualifying. In the sister #10 car, Gregory de Sybourg (SUI) and Eduardo Coseteng (PHI) finished twelfth and ninth.

Comments after the races:

Lausitzring (GER), 24-26 May 2024. DTM, ADAC, Schubert Motorsport, #31 BMW M4 GT3, Sheldon van der Linde, Shell.

DTM Lausitzring: Schubert Motorsport collects further important points with top-ten results.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday May 26, 2024

Fighting spirit was required from the three Schubert Motorsport drivers at the second race weekend of the DTM at the Lausitzring (GER). Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), René Rast (GER), and Marco Wittmann (GER) collected important points in both races despite problems in the qualifying sessions. Sixth place for van der Linde on Saturday and Rast on Sunday was the maximum achievable under the circumstances.

Lausitzring. Fighting spirit was required from the three Schubert Motorsport drivers at the second race weekend of the DTM at the Lausitzring (GER). Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), René Rast (GER), and Marco Wittmann (GER) collected important points in both races despite problems in the qualifying sessions. Sixth place for van der Linde on Saturday and Rast on Sunday was the maximum achievable under the circumstances. In ADAC GT4 Germany, Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport triumphed with the BMW M4 GT4 .

The DTM race on Saturday was turbulent. Thunderstorms and heavy rain caused interruptions and shuffled the race results. Van der Linde coped best with the extremely difficult conditions and improved from twelfth on the grid to sixth place. Wittmann finished 13th, while Rast retired due to technical issues. On Sunday, the Schubert Motorsport drivers again performed much better in the race than in qualifying. Rast improved from 13th position to sixth place, and van der Linde even moved up from 18th on the grid to eighth place. Wittmann, who had fared best in qualifying with ninth place, also finished ninth in the race. In the drivers' standings, van der Linde is the highest-placed BMW driver after four races with 41 points.

In ADAC GT4 Germany, Gabriele Piana (ITA) and Michael Schrey (GER) in the #2 BMW M4 GT4 from Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport celebrated their third victory in the third race of the season on Saturday. Second place went to the FK Performance Motorsport duo of Leyton Fourie (RSA) and Max Rosam (GER). On Sunday, Piana and Schrey were once again the highest-placed BMW M Motorsport crew, finishing fourth. Four more BMW M4 GT4s finished the race in the top-ten.

DTM, 1. Lauf, Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Deutschland, 26.- 28. April 2024, #2 Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport, BMW M4 GT4.

DTM Opener in Oschersleben: Schubert Motorsport experiences rollercoaster of emotions at home round.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday April 28, 2024

Schubert Motorsport kicked off the 2024 DTM with their home round at Oschersleben and experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. Sheldon van der Linde finished the two races in fourth and sixth positions, respectively. René Rast also scored points with two seventh-place finishes. Marco Wittmann led the Saturday race in the closing stages, but retired due to fuel pressure issues. On Sunday, Wittmann secured points with a tenth-place finish.

Oschersleben. Schubert Motorsport kicked off the 2024 DTM season with their home round at Oschersleben (GER) and experienced a rollercoaster of emotions just outside their headquarters. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) finished the two eventful races on Saturday and Sunday in fourth and sixth positions, respectively. René Rast (GER) also scored points with two seventh-place finishes in both races. Marco Wittmann (GER) led the Saturday race in the closing stages, but retired just before the finish due to fuel pressure issues. On Sunday, Wittmann secured points with a tenth-place finish.

The first race on Saturday already provided fans at Oschersleben with plenty of excitement. With a tactical masterpiece, Schubert Motorsport brought Wittmann in the #11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3, starting from 19th, into the lead. However, just before the end, with victory in sight, Wittmann rolled to a stop on the start-finish straight due to fuel pressure issues. Van der Linde fought in the #31 Shell BMW M4 GT3 until the finish line for a podium finish, ultimately finishing fourth with a narrow gap. Rast secured points in seventh place in the #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3.

After a challenging qualifying session on Sunday, all three BMW M works drivers staged a comeback in the second race, moving up from the back of the field. However, van der Linde suffered an early setback when he couldn’t avoid a collision ahead of him at the start. The South African resumed the race in last place and worked his way up position by position. Eventually, he finished sixth, followed directly by Rast, who again was seventh. Wittmann completed the points positions in tenth place.

In the support programme, the ADAC GT Masters and the ADAC GT4 Germany also kicked off the 2024 season – with successes for the BMW M4 GT3 and the BMW M4 GT4. In the ADAC GT Masters, Maxime Oosten (NED) secured pole position for FK Performance Motorsport in Saturday’s qualifying. In the first race, he celebrated victory together with teammate Leon Köhler (GER) in the #54 BMW M4 GT3. In the ADAC GT4 Germany, Gabriele Piana (ITA) and Michael Schrey (GER) in the Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport #2 BMW M4 GT4 secured pole position and victory in race one on Saturday. Their teammates, Leon Wassertheurer and Tim Reiter (both GER), secured third place on the podium in the #3 BMW M4 GT4. In Sunday’s qualifying, Reiter claimed pole position. Piana and Schrey celebrated their second win of the weekend in Sunday’s race.

Comments after the DTM season opener:

Hockenheim (GER), 9-10 April 2024. DTM, ADAC Motorsport, Schubert Motorsport, BMW M4 GT3, René Rast, Sheldon van der Linde, Marco Wittmann, RoboMarkets, Shell, Schaeffler.

DTM season opener: Schubert Motorsport competes with three BMW M4 GT3s at the home race in Oschersleben.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Thursday April 25, 2024

The 2024 DTM season, in which the racing series celebrates its 40th anniversary, starts for Schubert Motorsport with a real highlight: the home event at the gates of the company's headquarters in Oschersleben (GER).

Munich. The 2024 DTM season, in which the racing series celebrates its 40th anniversary, starts for Schubert Motorsport with a real highlight: the home event at the gates of the company's headquarters in Oschersleben (GER). The team has intensively prepared for the season in the past weeks with testing in Hockenheim (GER) and Oschersleben, where it will field three BMW M4 GT3s for the first time. DTM champions René Rast (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Marco Wittmann (GER) will compete in the colours of BMW M Motorsport partners RoboMarkets, Shell, and Schaeffler, aiming for podium finishes and victories .

The track record of the driver trio in DTM is impressive. Rast has three titles and 26 wins in 106 races, Wittmann two titles and 18 wins in 178 races. Van der Linde has one title and five wins in 84 races. Schubert Motorsport is entering its third DTM season. Following the win of the driver and team titles at its debut in 2022, the team finished fourth in the team standings last season. In just two years, Team Principal Torsten Schubert and his crew have achieved five wins and nine additional podium finishes.

At the official testing in Hockenheim, the BMW M4 GT3s made a strong impression, and the team collected much valuable data. Last week, the cars completed their laps in the Motorsport Arena, where the first two races of the year will be held on Saturday and Sunday each at 13:30 CEST. The supporting programme also includes the season starts of the ADAC GT Masters and ADAC GT4 Germany, where FK Performance Motorsport will compete with a large contingent in the BMW M4 GT3 and BMW M4 GT4. Other GT4 teams representing the colours of BMW M Motorsport are Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport and ME Motorsport, each fielding two BMW M4 GT4s in the ADAC GT4 Germany.