Whether in the DTM, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the ABB FIA Formula E
Championship, or countless other championships: Week after week BMW
teams and drivers around the world do battle for points, victories
and titles. Away from the track too, members of the large BMW
Motorsport family around the world are also creating headlines. The
“BMW Motorsport News” allows us to regularly summarise all the
action for you in a compact and informative manner. This way, you
are always up to speed.
W Series: Beitske Visser earns a seat in new race series.
Beitske Visser (NED) – part of the BMW Motorsport Junior
programme since 2017 and official test and reserve driver in the ABB
FIA Formula E Championship this season – has done it! The Dutch driver
has secured one of the 18 seats in the W Series, the first Formula
series exclusively for women. Visser impressed the jury again at the
crucial shootout at Almería (ESP). The W Series races feature on the
same bill as the DTM. As well as her outings in Formula E and the W
Series, Visser will also contest selected races at the wheel of the
BMW M6 GT3 in 2019.
Three questions for… Beitske Visser.
Beitske, you are one of the 18 drivers who have made it into
the W Series. How did you feel after the official announcement?
Beitske Visser: “I was absolutely delighted when the decision
was announced. On the morning of day four of the selection procedure,
we arrived at the track and were told that the first twelve drivers
who had made it would be announced that morning. The other candidates
would have another day at the circuit and would battle it out for the
six remaining places. I was one of the first twelve, which I was very
happy about. Although I would obviously have liked to have driven
again on the final day, it felt good to have made it straight through.”
What expectations do you have of yourself in the new series?
Visser: “I would obviously like to be in contention to win
races. That is certainly not going to be easy. The past few days in
Spain showed that it is going to be very close. We have a second test
at the Lausitzring in just under two weeks. I will work hard to
improve and ensure I am as well prepared as possible for the opening
race at Hockenheim but I really hope I can challenge for the win.”
Formula E, the W Series and GT racing: How do you manage to
switch between the different racing series?
Visser: “It is definitely going to be a busy year for me, with
Formula E, the W Series and my outings in GT races. My main job will
be to prepare very well for every race – no matter which – and to know
exactly what I need to do. If I can manage that, then it shouldn’t be
a problem switching between the individual cars. GT race cars are
obviously very different from single-seater cars, but that is actually
what makes it easier to switch between them.”
–
DTM: Philipp Eng to drive the ZF BMW M4 DTM in 2019.
BMW M Motorsport heads into the coming DTM season with a new
Premium Partner. At the opening round at Hockenheim (GER) on 4th May,
Philipp Eng’s (AUG) BMW M4 DTM will line up on the grid in the ZF
livery. BMW M Motorsport has enjoyed a long partnership with ZF
Friedrichshafen AG. To date, the technology group has been involved in
the DTM as ‘Official Partner of BMW M Motorsport’, providing
custom-made racing clutches and shock absorbers for the touring car
series, Formula E and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (GER). Now
comes the next step. “We are pleased to take the long-term
collaboration with ZF to the next level this season,” said BMW
Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “In doing so, we are not only
building on the success we have already enjoyed together, but also
underlining the mutual trust that exists between us. On this basis, we
are out to continue our success story together in 2019.” Eng, who made
his DTM debut last season and immediately achieved top results in his
rookie year, will drive the #25 car again in 2019. “I am delighted
that ZF is my Premium Partner in the DTM,” said Eng. “It is a huge
company with the most advanced products in nearly all areas of
mobility, and I am proud that I am able to represent the company with
BMW in the DTM. I obviously hope our car will be seen at the front of
the grid and top of the standings as often as possible. I am looking
forward to a successful season with ZF.”
Norbert Odendahl, Managing Director at ZF Race Engineering,
added: “The DTM is and will remain an important platform for us, on
which to repeatedly demonstrate the performance of our technology
under the toughest conditions. Philipp Eng showed in his first season
in the DTM that he is capable of racing at the very front of the
field. As such, we are all the more delighted to be able to expand our
involvement in the DTM together with BMW M Motorsport and Philipp.” As
is tradition, the 2019 DTM season kicks off with the opening races on
4th and 5th May at Hockenheim. The season comprises nine events and
ends in October, back at Hockenheim. Between the two events at the
Hockenheimring, the DTM will also visit Zolder (BEL), Misano (ITA),
the Norisring (GER), Assen (NED), Brands Hatch (GBR), the Lausitzring
and the Nürburgring (both GER) this year.
About
ZF:
ZF is a global leader in driveline and chassis technology as
well as active and passive safety technology. It has a global
workforce of around 146,000 with approximately 230 locations in some
40 countries. ZF and BMW enjoy a historic partnership at the highest
stage, because nowhere else can ZF demonstrate the capacity of its
components better than in motorsport. ZF collaborates with BMW in the
road car range, but also develops customised racing clutches and shock
absorbers for the DTM, Formula E, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar
Championship and the 24h race at the Nürburgring as Official Partner
BMW Motorsport. The experience gained in racing is readily used in
research and development work for the automotive industry, providing
many advantages for each and every BMW driver.
BMW Motorsport: Top results in the ‘MOTORSPORT AKTUELL’
readers’ choice awards.
BMW Motorsport models enjoyed success in several categories at
the annual specialist magazine ‘MOTORSPORT AKTUELL’ readers’ choice
awards. In the ‘(Upper) Middle Class’, the readers crowned the BMW M4
DTM/BMW 4 Series ‘Model of the Year’ with 21.6 percent of the vote. In
the ‘Compact Class’, the BMW M235i Racing/BMW 2 Series was top of the
class with 16.2 percent. The BMW M8 GTE/BMW 8 Series was second in the
‘Sports Car/Luxury Class’. In total, 71 different models of car were
up for selection in five individual categories. BMW works driver
Philipp Eng also had cause for celebration: he finished second in the
vote for ‘Sports Car Driver of the Year’.
12H MUGELLO: BMW teams celebrate six podium finishes.
The 12H MUGELLO, the first race of the 24H SERIES European
Championship, took place at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello
(ITA) this weekend. BMW teams celebrated a total of six podium
finishes. In the GT4 class, the Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport team
claimed the class victory by some distance. Martin Kroll (SUI),
Michael Schrey (GER), Michael Fischer, Gustav Engljaehringer and
Thomas Jäger (all AUT) had shared driving duties at the wheel of the
#50 BMW M4 GT4. Franjo Kovac (CRO), Thomas Tekaat (GER) and Tomas
Pekar (CZE) reached third place in the MRS GT-Racing #426 car. In the
A3 class, Dave Cox, Jason Cox, George Hayes and Guy Povey (all GBR)
secured second place in their #639 BMW M3 from WEC Motorsport. The
Munckhof Racing team crossed the line in the same position in the SP3
category, with Eric van den Munckhof and Marco Poland (both NED) at
the wheel of the #310 BMW M4 GTR. JR Motorsport rounded off the
successful Mugello weekend as they celebrated second and third places
in the SP2 class. Ted van Vliet and Ruud Olij (both NED) in the #202
BMW M3 finished ahead of their team-mates Ward Sluys (BEL), Michael
Verhagen and Max Weering (both NED) in the #203 BMW M4 Silhouette.
GT4 SprintX West: BMW M4 GT4 dominant at Laguna Seca.
This weekend, the BMW M4 GT4 was the car to beat in both Pirelli
GT4 SprintX West races at Laguna Seca (USA), which took place as part
of the California 8 Hours. In the first race on Friday morning, Greg
Liefhooghe and Sean Quinlan (both USA) claimed victory in the Stephen
Cameron Racing car after a thrilling battle with the second-placed
Ginetta. The second race took place in the afternoon and saw BMW
Customer Racing teams record a one-two result. Jon Miller and Harry
Gottsacker (both USA) from ST Racing Team emerged from a close-fought
duel ahead of Liefhooghe and Quinlan.