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.
Sim racing: Two German drivers win the “BMW Driving Experience
120 at Road Atlanta”.
Two weeks before the final round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar
Championship at Road Atlanta (USA), the famous circuit took centre
stage virtually. Some of the best sim racers in the world competed at
the “BMW Driving Experience 120 at Road Atlanta”. In total, 36 teams
of two took to the track in the BMW M8 GTE for the two-hour race. They
included BMW works drivers Nick Catsburg (NED) and Jesse Krohn (FIN),
who gave a strong display as BMW Team KROCAT and were running tenth
until shortly before the end of the race. However, Krohn was then
relegated to 27th place following a penalty awarded for his
part in a collision. “The standard of the sim racers is really
extremely high,” said Krohn afterwards. “We really wanted to finish in
the top ten. Although it did not quite work out for us in the end, I
had a lot of fun.” Catsburg, who has already gained experience of sim
racing events, said: “As always it was a fantastic event. Thank you
very much to the BMW Driving Experience and iRacing for their
commitment and, of course, congratulations to the race winners.”
Victory went to the #4 BMW M8 GTE, driven by Maximilian Benecke and
Maximilian Wenig (both GER) of Pure Racing Team Red. Benecke and Wenig
were rewarded for their victory with a place on a racetrack training
course run by the BMW Driving Experience. The BMW M4 GT4 Race Track
Training Level 1 will give them the chance to experience the BMW M4
GT4 on the track. “Victory is obviously very special for us. We are
both very much looking forward to the BMW M4 GT4,” said Benecke.
ADAC GT4 Germany: Junior title for Marius Zug, Team title for
Hofor Racing powered by Bonk Motorsport.
16-year-old Marius Zug (GER) has won the Junior title in ADAC GT4
Germany in a BMW M4 GT4 run by the RN Vision STS Racing team. Seventh
place in Saturday’s race at the final weekend of the season was
sufficient for Zug to clinch the title at the Sachsenring (GER).
Racing alongside team-mate Gabriele Piana (ITA), Zug also went into
Sunday at the season finale with a chance of winning the Drivers’
Championship. However, a retirement meant the duo eventually had to
settle for second place overall. The Hofor Racing powered by Bonk
Motorsport team also had cause to celebrate. Michael Schrey (GER) and
Thomas Jäger (AUT) finished third on Sunday in the #2 BMW M4 GT4 to
wrap up the title in the Team competition.
Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia: Sunako Jukuchou crowned GT4 champion.
Sunako Jukuchou (JPN) was crowned champion in the GT4 class at the
final race weekend of this season’s Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia.
The BMW Team Studie driver came through against his team-mate Takayuki
Kinoshita (JPN) at the Shanghai International Circuit (CHN). Kinoshita
(JPN) ended the year in second place overall. Jukuchou, in the #82 BMW
M4 GT4, finished runner-up in the GT4 class in race one. One day
later, he claimed the decisive victory in race two. Kinoshita was
third and fourth in the #81 BMW M4 GT4.
VLN: Podium for the BMW M6 GT3 in race seven of the season.
Podium in the “Green Hell”: Nick Catsburg (NED), David Pittard (GBR)
and Jody Fannin (GBR), at the wheel of the #34 Walkenhorst Motorsport
BMW M6 GT3, finished third to earn a spot on the podium at the
59th Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen, which forms round seven
of this season’s VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring (GER).
In unsettled conditions and typical Eifel weather, Peter Dumbreck
(GBR) and Stef Dusseldorp (NED) followed them over the finish line in
fourth place in the #3 BMW M6 GT3, which was run by Falken
Motorsports. Rudi Adams (GER), Hunter Abbott (GBR) and Jordan Tresson
(FRA) came home eighth in the second Walkenhorst Motorsport car, the
#35 BMW M6 GT3. This was good enough to earn them third place in the
SP9 Pro-Am class. There was also plenty of cause for celebration in
the other classes at the end of the four-hour race on the iconic
Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In total, six BMW cars came out on top in
their various categories. In the SP10 class, Heiko Eichenberg (GER)
and BMW Motorsport Junior Erik Johansson (SWE), in the #181 BMW M4 GT4
run by the AVIA Sorg Rennsport team, claimed a narrow victory in a
thrilling finish. In the CUP5 class, Yannick Fübrich (GER) and David
Griessner (AUT) took victory in the #650 BMW M240i Racing Cup of Pixum
Adrenalin Motorsport. That team was also victorious in the V4 class,
with reigning VLN champions Danny Brink, Christopher Rink and Philipp
Leisen (GER) taking victory in the #1 BMW 325i. In the VT2 class, the
top step of the podium was occupied by Marcel Manheller and Carsten
Knechtges (both GER), who triumphed in the #510 Manheller Racing BMW
F30. Another victory went to the #549 BMW 318iS in the V2 class.
BMW M240i Racing Cup: Fübrich/Griessner celebrate fifth win of
the season.
Reigning champions Yannick Fübrich (GER) and David Griessner (AUT)
claimed their fifth win of the season at race number seven of this
year’s BMW M240i Racing Cup at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The duo
in the #650 BMW M240i Racing, run by Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport,
came home ahead of Nico Otto, Lars Peucker and Florian Naumann (all
GER) in the #666 BMW M240i Racing of the Scheid-Honert Motorsport
team. Sindre Setsaas, Inge Hansesaetre (both NOR) and Moritz Oberheim
(GER) came home third in the #695 BMW M240i Racing for the Sorg
Rennsport team. 18 cars started the race in this class. Victory sees
Fübrich/Griessner extend their lead in the overall standings. They now
hold a 30-point advantage with two races remaining.
BTCC: Turkington on the podium at Silverstone.
Colin Turkington (GBR) claimed another podium at the penultimate
round of this season’s British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at
Silverstone (GBR). He finished runner-up in race two of three in his
BMW 330i M Sport. Turkington came home 14th in race one and seventh in
the third and final race to defend his lead in the Drivers’
Championship. Andrew Jordan (GBR) finished tenth, eighth and eighth in
Silverstone. Tom Oliphant (GBR) was fifth, seventh and fourth.