British GT Championship: First win of the season for BMW M4
GT4.
Ben Tuck and Ben Green (both GBR) claimed their
first win of the season with the new BMW M4 GT4 at the third race
weekend of the British GT Championship at Snetterton (GBR). The two
Century Motorsport drivers won the second race on Sunday. The car
showed signs of its potential as early as qualifying at Snetterton
Circuit, when Tuck clocked the fastest time, securing pole position.
At first, everything went to plan in the opening race, until a safety
car period turned everything on its head and the Century Motorsport
pair were forced to settle for sixth place. Aleksander Schjerpen (NOR)
and Jack Mitchell (GBR), in the second Century BMW M4 GT4, were eighth
in race two, having finished down in 30th in race one. The
fourth race weekend of the British GT Championship takes place at
Silverstone (GBR) on 9th and 10th June.
Pirelli World Challenge: BMW M235i Racing dominates at Lime
Rock Park.
Double success overseas: The BMW M235i
Racing won the TC class twice at the sixth race weekend of the Pirelli
World Challenge at Lime Rock Park (USA). Karl Wittmer (CAN), in the
#91 BMW M235i Racing, set the fastest time in Friday’s qualifying to
secure pole position, before presenting the Classic BMW team with
victory in race one. He was followed over the finish line by team-mate
Matt Travis (USA) in the #26 BMW M235i Racing in second place. The BMW
M235i Racing was again the dominant force in race two. Rooster Hall
Racing team’s Johan Schwartz (USA) came home first after 42 laps of
the 2.41-kilometre track. Travis finished on the podium again, this
time in third place. Wittmer was fourth. The Canadian goes into the
next race weekend, from 13th to 15th July at the
Portland International Raceway (USA), as the championship leader. Also
in action at Lime Rock Park are six BMW M4 GT4s, which will do battle
in the GTS class on Monday 28th May.
DTM: Timo Glock visits the world’s biggest darts event in
Gelsenkirchen.
Between the DTM races at the Lausitzring
(GER) and Budapest (HUN), DTM championship leader Timo Glock (GER)
took time out to visit the “Arena auf Schalke”. The venue in
Gelsenkirchen (GER) hosted the “World Series of Darts – German Masters
2018” in front of a world-record 20,000 spectators on Friday. The
tournament saw the biggest international darts stars go head to head.
Glock has been a big darts fan for several years. In Gelsenkirchen he
met Scottish star Peter Wright, who gave him a few tips as they warmed
up together. Glock also took on the role of co-commentator for TV
station Pro7, which broadcast the spectacular event live. Pro7 is a
sister station to new DTM TV partner SAT.1. Glock demonstrated an
impressive knowledge of darts. “I simply admire the players, who stand
up there and, despite all the noise, put on a display of such
high-class sport. It may sound simple to throw three darts at a board,
but to consistently land them so accurately in the triple 20 and the
doubles is very impressive,” said Glock. “The atmosphere in
Gelsenkirchen was superb and it was great fun. It was also interesting
to chat to the guys, to check out the way they prepare, and to see how
differently the individual players approach it.” Peter ‘Snakebite’
Wright attested to Glock’s talent on the oche: “When Timo brings his
racing career to an end, he should consider giving darts a go.”
DTM: Fans and drivers warm up for the
Norisring.
The fourth DTM race weekend of the year, at
the Norisring (GER), is already at the forefront of many people’s
minds. On Saturday, media representatives, fans and drivers met in the
centre of Nuremberg (GER) to look ahead to the highlight of the season
in a few weeks’ time. On site for BMW M Motorsport was Marco Wittmann
(GER), who, as a local lad, is always the focus of attention at the
unique race on the streets of Nuremberg. After a press conference in
Nuremberg’s Hauptmarkt square, fans were able to pose for selfies with
the DTM drivers, check out the three manufacturers’ cars up close and
personal, and grab an autograph or two – all against the impressive
backdrop of the nearby St. Lorenz church. “The atmosphere, the
location, the weather – absolutely everything was perfect today,” said
Wittmann. “I think everyone enjoyed today’s event – not just me, but
the fans too. The organisers come up with something new every year to
give the fans a little taste of what they can expect from the DTM
races at the Norisring. They did a good job again with the autograph
session and the cars. I am sure that I am not the only one who is now
looking forward to the races even more. Many fans must be feeling the
same way.” In four weeks’ time, from 22nd to
24th June, it will be time to get down to business, as the
Norisring hosts races seven and eight of the season. Before then, the
drivers and teams travel to Budapest (HUN) next week, where they will
contest the third race weekend of the 2018 season.
12h Imola: Two class wins for BMW.
Seven BMW
cars lined up in the 12-hour race at Imola, with two taking victory in
their respective classes. In the Cup1 class, the BMW M235i Racing run
by the Hofor Racing powered by Bonk Motorsport team was first across
the finish line. Martin Kroll (SUI), Michael Schrey, Bernd Küpper
(both GER), Michael Fischer and Gustav Engljähringer (both AUT) were
at the wheel of the #131 car. The Scangrip Racing/Securtal Sorg
Rennsport team won the SP3 class with the #786 BMW 335i. Niels Borum
(DEN) and Michael Eden (AUS) alternated in the cockpit over the course
of the twelve hours.
Blancpain GT: Blomqvist, Mostert and Yelloly bolster ROWE
Racing in Le Castellet.
ROWE Racing will contest next
weekend’s 1000-kilometre race at Le Castellet (FRA), which forms part
of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, with two BMW M6 GT3s and a
strong squad of drivers. As well as regular drivers Ricky Collard
(GBR), Jens Klingmann (GER) and Jesse Krohn (FIN), the team from St.
Ingbert (GER) can also call on the services of Tom Blomqvist, Nick
Yelloly (both GBR) and Chaz Mostert (AUS) at the Circuit Paul Ricard.
Blomqvist drove a ROWE Racing BMW M6 GT3 at the Nürburgring 24 Hours,
while Mostert also gained experience in the GT3 car, when he drove for
BMW Team Schnitzer at the 12-hour race at Bathurst (AUS) and
impressively secured pole position. Yelloly made his debut at the
3-hour race at Silverstone last week.