Home round for ROWE Racing at the Nürburgring – BMW Motorsport
Juniors complete fitness camp in Italy.
Whether in the DTM, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar 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.
Blancpain GT Series: Home round for ROWE Racing at the Nürburgring.
The weekend at the Nürburgring (DE) represented the home round of the
Blancpain GT Series for the ROWE Racing team. The team fielded two BMW
M6 GT3s at the third event of the Sprint Cup. In a strong field of 37
cars, the two BMW M6 GT3s finished in the top ten in both the
qualification race on Saturday and the main race on Sunday. On
Saturday, Philipp Eng (AT) and Alexander Sims (GB) finished seventh in
the number 99 car. Stef Dusseldorp (NL) and BMW DTM driver Maxime
Martin (BE) produced a strong fightback from 22nd on the grid to
finish ninth in the number 98 car. In Sunday’s main race,
Dusseldorp/Martin came home eighth, ahead of team-mates Eng and Sims
in ninth.
DTM: Spengler and Farfus at Young Drivers’ Day in Luxembourg.
BMW DTM drivers Augusto Farfus (BR) and Bruno Spengler (CA) were the
stars at the fifth Young Drivers’ Day on Sunday at the Colmar-Berg
driver safety centre in Luxembourg. 120 drivers aged between 18 and 24
enjoyed an informative day with many different driving-related
activities and workshops. Two flying laps with one of the two drivers
in a BMW M4 or BMW M2 were the absolute highlight. “The day was great
fun. And fun is the best way to convey important messages. The laps
with us were an unforgettable experience for all the participants and
they will always remember how hard a car is to control when pushed to
the limit, and that safety always has to take priority. It is far more
important to show drivers how to control a car than to learn how to
park during a driving lesson,” said Farfus. “I met a lot of nice young
people today and it was great fun to feel how intently they were
listening to us. We were able to convey to them how big the difference
is between a racetrack and normal road traffic. The earlier you learn
that, the better,” said Spengler.
BMW Motorsport Juniors: Fitness camp in Italy.
Gym instead of the racetrack: as part of their training programme,
BMW Motorsport Juniors Jesse Krohn (FI), Louis Delétraz (CH), Nico
Menzel (DE) and Ricky Collard (GB) took part in an intense fitness
camp this week at Formula Medicine, near Viareggio (IT). The eight BMW
DTM drivers had also prepared for the season at the same venue back in
April. Team doctor Riccardo Ceccarelli (IT) and his staff had
developed an extensive and varied training schedule for the BMW
Motorsport Juniors. The focus was on fitness, mental and reactions
training. “I had heard a lot about Formula Medicine, but it exceeded
my expectations. We trained a wide range of areas and learned how we
can work on all aspects in our daily training routine, in order to
become better drivers,” said Krohn. Menzel added: “It was great fun
and I was really impressed with how it was all specifically tailored
to motorsport. We not only worked on our fitness and mental strength,
but also received valuable advice on how to lower your heartbeat and
still perform to the same standard. We also learned different
breathing and relaxation techniques that will help us hugely in the
future.” Collard was also pleased that one of the focuses of the
fitness camp was on mental training: “I had never done it like this
before, and can tell that it will really help me be successful in
motorsport. The trip to Viareggio was very special for me personally.
I had a big crash in a kart race in 2013, and Doctor Ceccarelli saved
my life back then. I am very grateful to him for his help and support,
and it was nice to see him again. I would also like to say a big thank
you to BMW for making this camp in Italy possible.” The BMW Motorsport
Juniors were accompanied by head instructor Dirk Adorf (DE) and BMW
works driver Jörg Müller (DE), who acts as mentor to all the Juniors
driving the BMW M6 GT3.
IWSC: Front row start for the BMW M6 GTLM at Watkins Glen.
The GTLM teams were back in action in the USA this weekend after the
long break for Le Mans, and the fifth round of the IMSA WeatherTech
SportsCar Championship (IWSC) was held at Watkins Glen (US). BMW Team
RLL had a strong qualifying, securing encouraging starting positions
for the six-hour race. The number 25 BMW M6 GTLM driven by Bill
Auberlen (US) and Dirk Werner (DE), with its special livery to mark
American Independence Day on the 4th July, claimed second on the grid
with Werner at the wheel. Their team mates Lucas Luhr (DE) and John
Edwards (US), in the number 100 car, took third on the grid after the
American qualified the car. The Turner Motorsport team’s number 96 BMW
M6 GT3 in the GTD class, driven by Bret Curtis (US) and Jens Klingmann
(DE), qualified ninth, while the number 97 sister car of Michael
Marsal (US) and Markus Palttala (FI) was tenth. The six-hour race was
flagged away at 10.10 local time and will not finish until late Sunday
evening European Time.
ICTSC: Fourth round of the season at Watkins Glen.
After a two-month break, the 2016 Continental Tire SportsCar
Challenge (ICTSC) resumed this weekend with the fourth round of the
season being held at Watkins Glen (US). In Saturday’s
two-and-one-half-hour race the No. 84 BimmerWorld Racing BMW 328i of
James Clay (US) and Tyler Cooke (US) was the highest placed BMW in the
field with a sixth place finish in the Street Tuner (ST) class. A
tenth place finish was scored by BimmerWorld racing teammates Jerry
Kaufman (US) and Kyle Tilley (GB) in the No. 81 BMW 328i. Two
additional BMWs competed in the ST class.
FIA Formula E Championship: Grand finale to the season with
the BMW i8 Safety Car in London.
The second season of the FIA Formula E Championship concluded with a
spectacular finale in London (GB) at the weekend. Among those in
action on the series’ world tour, which began in Beijing (CN) in China
and led the competitors to cities on four continents, was the official
car fleet, spearheaded by the BMW i8 Safety Car. The season ended with
two races on a street circuit in the heart of the English capital.
Both races were won by Nicolas Prost (FR), the title went to Sébastien
Buemi (CH). BMW DTM works driver António Félix da Costa (PT) was back
in action at the finale in London. He had been forced to miss the
previous race, the BMW i Berlin ePrix, due to a clash with the DTM.
Félix da Costa ended the two races in London in sixth and fifth place.
BMW Motorsport history: BMW M1 in the Legends Parade ahead of
the Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg.
In 1979 and 1980 the BMW M1 thrilled fans in the Procar Series, which
took place on Formula One weekends in Europe. The spectacular racing
car returned this weekend to once again put motorsport fans in the
mood for a Formula One World Championship. Immediately before Sunday’s
Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (AT), BMW Group
Classic sent many BMW M1s onto the track in the Legends Parade. Many
well-known Procar Series drivers from days gone by took the
opportunity to return to the cockpit of the super sports car. Among
those to take part in the Legends Parade in exactly the same BMW M1s
they raced in back then were Niki Lauda (AT), Hans-Joachim Stuck (DE),
Jochen Mass (DE), Christian Danner (DE) and Marc Surer (CH). Once
rivals, Dieter Quester (AT) and Sepp Manhalter (CH) were also part of
the Legends Parade, along with ex-Formula One drivers Gerhard Berger
(AT), Jos Verstappen (NL) and Jan Lammers (NL), as well as Harald
Grohs (DE), BMW Brand Ambassador Prince Leopold of Bavaria (DE) and
Johnny Cecotto (VE). The BMW M1 was the first car designed by BMW
Motorsport GmbH specifically for use in competition. The 204-kW/277-hp
production version boasted a top speed of almost 265 km/h, making it
the fastest German road-going sports car of its time.
BMW M235i Racing Cup Belgium: Dumarey wins at Zolder.
As a part of the Belcar Endurance Championship, the BMW M235i Racing
Cup Belgium held its fifth race of the season at Zolder (BE) this
weekend. Victory in the 125-minute race went to Maxime Dumarey (DE) in
the number 240 BMW M235i Racing of team PK Carsport. The next round is
scheduled for 20th and 21st August: the 24 Hours of Zolder.