Munich (DE), 31st May 2016. The DTM fans are in for a real treat at
the third round of the 2016 season: in combination with the ADAC GT
Masters and the SUPERBIKE*IDM, the series will be part of a very
special motorsport festival at the Lausitzring (DE). BMW is
well-represented in all three championships.
The BMW teams in the DTM are looking to back up their impressive
performances last time out in Spielberg (AT), where they won both
races. In the ADAC GT Masters, the two BMW Motorsport Juniors Jesse
Krohn (FI) and Louis Delétraz (CH) will be at the wheel of a BMW M6
GT3. In the SUPERBIKE*IDM, Mathieu Gines (FR) leads the field on his
BMW S 1000 RR ahead of the races at the Lausitzring.
When BMW returned to the DTM after a 20-year absence in 2012, the
Lausitzring was the scene of historic results: Bruno Spengler (CA)
claimed BMW’s first pole position on the Saturday, before completing
the first victory of the comeback season on the Sunday. This also
represented BMW’s 50th victory in the DTM.
A good four years later, the manufacturer has taken its tally of DTM
victories to 71. The latest additions to the ever-increasing list of
wins came courtesy of Marco Wittmann (DE) and Timo Glock (DE) at the
Red Bull Ring. A fine all-round team performance from all eight
drivers, which yielded 138 points over the course of the weekend, also
took BMW to the top of the Manufacturers’ Championship with 203
points. In the Team competition, BMW Team RMG (72 points) and BMW Team
RBM (71) are currently first and second. The best-placed BMW driver in
the Drivers’ Championship is Timo Glock (DE) in third place. He has 37
points to his name after the first four races.
Last weekend, Maxime Martin (BE) was the most successful of the BMW
DTM drivers competing in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE):
Together with Alexander Sims (GB), Philipp Eng (AT) and Dirk Werner
(DE), he claimed fifth place in the ROWE Racing BMW M6 GT3.
Two BMW DTM drivers have recently made guest appearances in the ADAC
GT Masters: Spengler joined Schubert Motorsport for the final round of
the 2015 season in Hockenheim (DE), where he helped the team from
Oschersleben (DE) score valuable points that ultimately secured the
team title. Martin Tomczyk (DE) raced alongside Krohn at the start of
the current season, finishing fifth and eighth to achieve the first
top-ten results for the new BMW M6 GT3 in the ADAC GT Masters.
The DTM races at the Lausitzring start at 15:28 on Saturday and 15:13
on Sunday.
Quotes ahead of the third race weekend of 2016 at the Lausitzring.
Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):
“The 2016 motorsport season has a fast rhythm at the moment, which is
how we like it: first the DTM races in Spielberg, where we won twice,
then the 24-hour race at the iconic Nürburgring Nordschleife. In
total, five of our DTM drivers were in action at the endurance classic
in the Eifel Mountains. Timo Glock rounded off our contingent as a TV
expert. At the same time, Bruno Spengler also made a guest appearance
in the Australian GT Championship. And there is no time to catch your
breath: the next motorsport festival awaits us this weekend at the
Lausitzring – with the DTM, ADAC GT Masters and the SUPERBIKE*IDM
forming an awesome threesome. BMW and BMW Motorrad are represented in
all three series. Therefore, it promises to be a very special weekend
in the Lausitz region for us and the fans. After the recent success,
we obviously travel to the EuroSpeedway with a lot of momentum.
However, the cards will be re-shuffled compared to Spielberg. That is
just how it is in the DTM.”
Stefan Reinhold (Team Principal, BMW Team RMG):
“The race weekend in the Lausitz region will be a huge event. We will
have a tight schedule, which features three racing series, and
hopefully a lot of fans, who will visit the Lausitzring to check out
the great programme. We are determined to do better there this time
than we have in recent years. We had a good test for the
Lausitzring in the winter break. Therefore, I hope we can now put
what we learned there into practice. We are certainly full of
confidence after the success in Spielberg.”
Ernest Knoors (Team Principal, BMW Team MTEK):
“Previously, the races at the Lausitzring have always been a bit
difficult for us. However, I believe we should have a better chance
this year. I am definitely really looking forward to the unique
challenges that await us on this packed weekend of racing.”
Bart Mampaey (Team Principal, BMW Team RBM):
“I hope we are spared last year’s fog this time around. However, it
is very difficult to make any predictions. Everyone is so evenly
matched in the DTM. The first few races of the year have shown that:
24 cars within seven tenths of a second. You just have to keep working
hard all the time. However, I am confident we will seize the chance to
score points again at the Lausitzring when that opportunity arises.”
Charly Lamm (Team Principal, BMW Team Schnitzer):
“We experienced highs and lows over the course of the Spielberg
weekend. The upwards trend we showed in qualifying is definitely a
positive. With the DTM so evenly matched, the grid position is quite
simply a very important factor. With regard to the Lausitzring, our
goal is now to back up the progress we made, and to convert it into
decent results.”
Marco Wittmann (car number 11, BMW Team RMG):
“The race weekend at the Lausitzring will certainly be a great event.
Not only will the DTM be there, but also the ADAC GT Masters and the
IDM. Whatever happens, it is going to be exciting – especially for the
spectators. The Lausitzring has not always been the happiest stomping
ground for BMW, but I did secure the Drivers’ title there in 2014. For
this reason, I also have very fond memories of this circuit.”
Timo Glock (car number 16, BMW Team RMG):
“It will be an awesome event for the fans, that much is certain. The
organisers have put together an exciting programme, which promises a
lot of racing action with the DTM, ADAC GT Masters and the IDM. I
obviously hope that we can perform well again. We have had the odd
problem in recent years, but I have a good feeling this season.”
Bruno Spengler (car number 7, BMW Team MTEK):
“First and foremost, the weekend is going to be a huge festival of
motorsport, as three great series will be in action. It is going to be
really cool. I have some fond memories of the circuit, and have won
there a few times in the past. I like the layout of the track. For
this reason, I am really looking forward to the weekend, and
especially to the fans and the great atmosphere.”
Augusto Farfus (car number 18, BMW Team MTEK):
“The Lausitzring has traditionally not been the best venue for us.
However, the most important thing for the championship is to keep
scoring. Right now we’re on the right path, and we need to stay on
that path. I hope I can repeat my 2012 result: Putting the Shell BMW
M4 DTM on the podium would be a great reward for all the team’s hard work.”
Tom Blomqvist (car number 31, BMW Team RBM):
“The Lausitzring is the complete opposite of Spielberg. The track is
very narrow, technically demanding and uneven, which means it will be
a completely different challenge for us. I think we will find it a bit
easier there this year than we did in 2015. However, I also assume
that the opposition will make it far from easy for us.”
Maxime Martin (car number 36, BMW Team RBM):
“Things have not always gone entirely to plan for BMW at the
Lausitzring in the past. I hope we do something about that this time.
Last year, things were going relatively okay for me towards the end of
the race weekend. For this reason, I am looking forward to the weekend
and will try to pick up a few points, as I have done at the first four
races of the year.”
António Félix da Costa (car number 13, BMW Team Schnitzer):
“It is really fun to drive at this circuit, even though I have not
necessarily enjoyed my best results there. I am determined to change
that this year. I think we have learned a lot about this track over
the past two years. Therefore, our goal is to score points and finish
as far up the field as possible.”
Martin Tomczyk (car number 100, BMW Team Schnitzer):
“With the DTM, ADAC GT Masters and the IDM, it is going to be a
packed weekend at the Lausitzring, and the crowds can look forward to
plenty of action. It will also make a nice change for us drivers,
although it will obviously be tiring. I have had good experiences on
this track, and have won there in the past. However, it will certainly
not be easy.”
—
Statistics: Lausitzring.
Length:
3.478 km
2015 winners:
Jamie Green, Audi (race 1)
Jamie Green, Audi (race 2)
2015 poles:
1:17.438 minutes (Miguel Molina, Audi, race 1)
1:17.386 minutes (Jamie Green, Audi, race 2)
Best-placed BMW 2015:
Maxime Martin, 7th place (race 1)
Maxime Martin, 8th place (race 2)
DTM debut:
2000
BMW wins:
1
BMW pole positions:
1
BMW fastest laps:
–
BMW podiums:
2
Statistics: BMW DTM drivers.
BMW Motorsport media schedule.
2016 DTM calendar.
6th-8th May – Hockenheim (DE), 20th-22nd May – Spielberg (AT),
3rd-5th June – Lausitzring (DE), 24th-26th June –
Norisring (DE), 15th-17th July – Zandvoort (NL), 19th-21st August –
Moscow (RU), 9th-11th September – Nürburgring (DE), 23rd-25th
September – Budapest (HU), 14th-16th October – Hockenheim (DE).