BMW Motorsport News – Issue 19/16
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DTM: BMW wins both races in Spielberg.

The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (AT) proved to be an extremely
successful hunting ground for the BMW M4 DTM: BMW won in both races
that were held on the second weekend of the 2016 DTM season. A BMW
Team RMG driver was on the top step of the podium on both days: Marco
Wittmann (DE) won in the Red Bull BMW M4 DTM on Saturday, on Sunday it
was his team-mate Timo Glock (DE) in the DEUTSCHE POST BMW M4 DTM. Tom
Blomqvist (GB) of BMW Team RBM also made it onto the podium in
Spielberg, finishing second in the race on Saturday. The BMW DTM teams
also showed a united, strong team performance: On both days, no fewer
than six BMW M4 DTMs crossed the finish line in the top ten. The
best-placed BMW drivers in the overall standings are Glock in third
and Maxime Martin (BE) in fourth, both with 37 points.

 

Three questions for… Timo Glock.

 

Timo, what does this win in Spielberg mean to you?

Timo Glock: “Naturally this success is greatly satisfying. I am just
so happy. It was a very, very good weekend. The speed in the race was
good yesterday, even though the splitter was damaged slightly. Then
today was a real textbook race. If you had to write a perfect strategy
on a blank piece of paper, it would be today’s, and then it ends up
with such a result. We improved our car step by step over the weekend,
massive thanks go to BMW Team RMG for that too. On top of that, it was
Jens Marquardt’s birthday – and now we have given him the perfect gift
with two wins and a lot of points.”

 

You can tell that you really feel at home at BMW Team RMG…

Glock: “Yes, we have a great harmony. I have known a few of the guys
from the team for a very long time, including the team principal.
Stefan Reinhold does a terrific job, and things are fantastic with my
engineers too. They always give me a car that is great from the word
go. Then usually only fine-tuning is required to improve in minor
details. Everything just fits – and I feel totally at home.”

 

What are your goals for the next races?

Glock: “We have to take each race as it comes. We just want to enjoy
racing, and we need to continue in the same way with this momentum. No
doubt there will be tracks that won’t suit us as well, which makes it
even more important for us to make the most of every opportunity we
are given. We definitely managed that here in Spielberg.”

 

 

DTM: Flying lesson for Marco Wittmann.

Marco Wittmann (DE) took a detour to Vienna (AT) on his way to the
DTM stop at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (AT), to experience a very
special action-packed highlight. The BMW DTM driver visited the Red
Bull Skydive team and was given an exclusive training session in
indoor skydiving. In a modern recreational wind tunnel, Wittmann made
his dream of flying come true under professional guidance. “It
was an incredible feeling,” said Wittmann. “It was the first
time that I was in a wind tunnel, and the support I received from the
Red Bull Skydive team was outstanding. I had so much fun and no doubt
that won’t be the last time I am in a wind tunnel.” Then the Red
Bull Skydive team visited the DTM on Saturday, including a tour of the
garage and a race taxi ride.

 

Endurance: Randstad to remain Official Partner.

The joint success story continues: Randstad will continue to have a
prominent position in endurance racing in the future as the Official
Partner of BMW Motorsport. With 57,000 employees and a turnover of
almost two billion euros, Randstad Deutschland is not only successful
off the racetrack, rather they have already had plenty of reason to
celebrate alongside BMW Motorsport in the GT sector. The recruitment
agency’s logo can be seen on the doors of ROWE Racing’s BMW M6 GT3 in
the 2016 season. “It is fantastic that our successful
collaboration with Randstad has entered the next stage,” said BMW
Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “At the 24-hour race at the
Nürburgring next weekend we will try to bring home top results together.”

 

Australian GT: Spengler and Sims drive the BMW M6 GT3.

Prominent support for the BMW teams in the Australian GT
Championship: BMW works driver Alexander Sims (GB) was in action for
BMW Team SRM at the beginning of the week, as he took part in testing
in preparation for the races on Phillip Island (AU). The 28-year-old
worked together with regular drivers Steve Richards (AU) and Max Twigg
(AU) to fine-tune the set-up of the BMW M6 GT3. Sims then headed to
Queensland (AU) for more testing. He met up with the MARC GT team,
which will make its debut with the BMW M6 GT3 in the Australian GT
Championship this weekend. Among those who will be at the wheel for
MARC GT is another familiar BMW works driver: Bruno Spengler (CA). The
Canadian cannot wait for his first race in Australia. “I am really
looking forward to it,” he said. “It is like in the old days, when I
used to race karts: DTM in Spielberg, then GT in Australia, then back
to the DTM at the Lausitzring. I love it like that. It certainly won’t
be easy, as the other guys on Phillip Island will obviously have a lot
more experience. Despite this, it will be a fantastic challenge.”

 

International GT Open: Victory for the BMW M6 GT3.

BMW Team Teo Martín celebrated its first win with the BMW M6 GT3 at
the second race weekend of the International GT Open in
Spa-Francorchamps (BE). In the first race on Saturday, defending
champions Miguel Ramos (ES) and Roldan Rodriguez (ES) were victorious
in the number 1 BMW M6 GT3. However, the team of team principal Teo
Martín had to endure a terrifying moment. The number 2 sister car had
a serious accident on the third lap; fortunately, the driver Fernando
Monje (ES) was unhurt. However, it was not possible to repair the BMW
M6 GT3 for the second race on Sunday. Ramos and Rodriguez finished
this second race, held in adverse weather conditions, in eighth place.

 

Pirelli World Challenge: Toby Grahovec wins in Mosport.

The BMW drivers were also successful in the Pirelli World Challenge
races in Canadian Tire Motorsport Park this weekend. Toby Grahovec (US
/ Classic BMW Motorsport) celebrated his first win of the season in
the TC class in the BMW M235i Racing. He won the second of the two
races on Sunday, after climbing onto the podium in second place in
race one on Friday. In the first race of the GT categories, Bret
Curtis (US) in the Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 finished in third
place in the GTA class. The second race was not over at the time of writing.

 

FIA Formula E Championship: Home race in the FIA Formula E BMW
i Berlin ePrix.

The official vehicle fleet of the FIA Formula E Championship
surrounding the BMW i8 Safety Car contested its home race at the
weekend: The race series for Formula racing cars powered purely by
electricity headed to the German capital of Berlin. BMW i also
supported the event as the Title Sponsor for the first time. The track
of the 2016 FIA Formula E BMW i Berlin ePrix 2016 went through the
centre of the city, right next to attractions such as the Brandenburg
Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and Alexanderplatz. Sébastien Buemi (CH)
took the win at the BMW i Berlin ePrix. BMW DTM works driver António
Félix da Costa, who has also competed in the FIA Formula E
Championship since its debut season last year, did not take part this
time since he was contesting the DTM races in Spielberg (AT). The BMW
i Berlin ePrix was the penultimate event of the 2015/16 season. The
finale, which will consist of two races, will take place in London
(GB) on 2nd and 3rd July. 

 

BMW M235i Racing Cup China: Start of the first season in the
Far East.

The BMW M235i Racing is now conquering the Far East: The new BMW
M235i Racing Cup China made its debut at the weekend. The first races
of the new series were held as part of the Boss GP Series at the
Shanghai International Circuit (CN). In this series, there is a
separate BMW M235i Racing Cup classification within the Boss GT class.
Both races of the season opener were won by Uli Sanne (DE). Bian Ye
(CN was second in the first heat, while Steven Yin (US) took this
position in race two. Terbo Yu (CN) finished third on both occasions.
The new BMW M235i Racing Cup China is organised by Unique Motorsport,
owners and the organisers of the Boss GP Series, and held in
accordance with the technical regulations of the cup, which are
provided by BMW Motorsport. Sixteen BMW M235i Racing Cup cars that
were specially built for China were delivered for the start of the
season, with further cars to follow. Interested customers can get the
cars through the organisers, Unique Motorsport. The debut season
consists of four events, each with two 30-minute sprint events, all of
which will be held in Shanghai. One of the highlights will be the
weekend of 5th and 6th November, when the BMW M235i Racing Cup China
will make a guest appearance in the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC.