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.
DTM: Wittmann provides winter sports athletes with BMW driving
dynamics training.
While the current DTM season recently ended for Marco Wittmann (DE),
the winter sports athletes supported by BMW are under starter’s orders
for their new season. The Bobsleigh and Luge Federation for Germany
(BSD) visited technology partner BMW this week in Maisach (DE). As
part of the season-opening press conference, winter sports athletes
including Olympic luge champions Felix Loch, Natalie Geisenberger,
Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, as well as world champions Francesco
Friedrich (bobsleigh) and Tina Hermann (skeleton, all DE), enjoyed
exclusive BMW driving dynamics training with newly-crowned DTM
champion Wittmann. Wittmann ensured that his passengers experienced
adrenalin rushes in the BMW M4 Coupé. The youngest two-time DTM
champion also instructed the winter sports stars as they took the
wheel and put the pedal to the metal, delighting all concerned. “I am
a big winter sports fan. I admire the way these boys and girls race
through the ice channel. It was great to meet them today, and to step
on the gas. You can feel that they are ambitious, and that they want
to go to the limit. I always enjoy getting to know other athletes from
the BMW sporting family,” said Wittmann.
DTM: Second DTM test in Portimão.
Just two weeks after the first DTM test in preparation for the 2017
season, featuring two-time DTM champion Marco Wittmann (DE) and his
team-mate Timo Glock (DE) in action at Oschersleben (DE), the next
test is scheduled for this coming week. From 14th to 17th November,
Bruno Spengler (CA) and Augusto Farfus (BR) will be driving the BMW M4
DTM in Portimão (PT).
DTM: BMW Motorsport Juniors Ricky Collard and Joel Eriksson
complete Young Driver Test in the BMW M4 DTM.
From 29th November until 2nd December BMW Motorsport will give its
two junior drivers, Ricky Collard (GB) and Joel Eriksson (SE), the
opportunity to gain extensive experiences at the wheel of the BMW M4
DTM as part of the DTM Young Driver Test in Jerez de la Frontera (ES).
Both drivers are part of the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme this
season. While Collard has been in action in the BMW M235i Racing at
the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) as part of his training, Eriksson
has taken to the track in the BMW M4 DTM Race Taxi at several DTM race
weekends. Eighteen-year-old Eriksson was contesting his rookie season
in the Formula 3 FIA European Championship in 2016, where he has
caused a stir right from the word go. At the end of the season, he
finished fifth in the overall standings and was named “Rookie of the
Year”. Eriksson was also victorious at the prestigious “Zandvoort
Masters of Formula 3” in August. In addition to his appearances as
part of the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme, Collard has also been in
action in the British Formula 3 Championship in 2016 – and with great
success. The 20-year-old was fighting for the title until the season
finale in Donington (GB) and finished second in the overall standings.
It will be his first outing in the BMW M4 DTM. This sees BMW send two
of the most talented current Formula 3 drivers into action at Jerez de
la Frontera.
Formula E: Debut in Africa at the Marrakesh ePrix.
The 2016/17 FIA Formula E Championship continued in Morocco at the
weekend. The second race of the season, the Marrakesh ePrix, featured
BMW i as “Official Vehicle Partner” and the MS Amlin Andretti Team
supported by BMW. The race in the “Red City” was a special debut: it
was the first Formula E event to take place in Africa. The MS Amlin
Andretti Team just missed out on the points this time: Robin Frijns
(NL) finished in 11th place. BMW works driver António Félix da Costa
(PT) was on his way to another top-six result, but had to retire early
due to system problems with his car. The circuit also welcomed some
high-ranking international politicians: the Marrakesh ePrix took place
at the same time as the United Nations Climate Change Conference and
the participants took the opportunity to find out more about the
innovative race series only for electric-powered formula cars. The
third race in the 2016/17 FIA Formula E Championship is scheduled for
18th February 2017 in Buenos Aires (AR).
Japanese Super GT Championship: Season finale in Motegi.
This weekend saw two races at the season finale of the Japanese Super
GT Championship. The third race of the season had been cancelled in
June due to the severe earthquake damage in Kumamoto (JP), and the
rescheduled event took place at the Twin Ring Motegi (JP). The drivers
also competed in the final race of the season as scheduled. Both BMW
teams endured a weekend that was characterised by bad luck. Shinichi
Takagi (JP) and Takashi Kobayashi (JP) from the Autobacs Racing Team
Aguri still had a chance of claiming the title before this race
weekend, but had to retire early after an accident. The two drivers
were then not able to compete in the final race on Sunday. Jörg Müller
(DE) and Seiji Ara (JP) from BMW Team Studie had a difficult time in
qualifying and finished the races in 15th and 12th places
respectively, in their BMW M6 GT3. Takagi/Kobayashi claimed fifth
place in the overall standings, while Müller/Ara finished in 15th.
Australian GT Championship: Season finale at Highlands
Motorsport Park.
This weekend’s finale at Highlands Motorsport Park (NZ) also marked
the end of the 2016 Australian GT Championship season. BMW Team SRM,
which supported BMW’s comeback in Australia with the BMW M6 GT3,
collected more points to conclude an eventful season. Starting from
13th position, Steve Richards (NZ) and Max Twigg (AU) were able to
progress to seventh place in the first sprint race on Saturday. The
duo retired early in the second race. After six events, Richards and
Twigg finished in 27th place in the overall standings for the
Australian GT Championship. The two drivers also competed in the
Australian Endurance Championship, finishing the season in 23rd place.