Munich. Around seven weeks after the 12 Hours of Bathurst
(AUS), BMW teams are set to take on the second race of the season in
the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC). The ‘8 Hours of
California’ will be held at another legendary track this Saturday,
the “WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca” (USA). BMW Team Schnitzer and
Walkenhorst Motorsport will once again race with one BMW M6 GT3
each. The same six drivers that were behind the wheel in Bathurst
will take it in turns in the cockpits.
In the BMW Team Schnitzer #42 BMW M6 GT3, Augusto
Farfus (BRA), Martin Tomczyk (GER) and Chaz Mostert (AUS) will
alternate stints at the wheel. The trio battled for a spot on the
podium down to the wire at Bathurst and ended up in fifth place. The
two BMW works drivers Nick Catsburg (NED) and Mikkel Jensen (DEN), as
well as Christian Krognes (NOR) will represent Walkenhorst Motorsport
in the #34 car, which retired at the season opener.
The race gets underway on Saturday 30th March at 8:30
a.m. local time (4:30 p.m. CET).
Quotes ahead of the race in Laguna Seca:
Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):
“First Sebring, now Laguna Seca; we’re continuing our tour of
America. We wowed the fans at Sebring with the BMW M8 GTE mid-March,
now the BMW M6 GT3 will take on another legendary track in North
America. We are aiming to fight for the top positions again at Laguna
Seca given that we have been very successful in GT races in recent
months with plenty of podiums and race wins.”
Martin Tomczyk (#42 BMW M6 GT3, BMW Team Schnitzer):
“I’m really looking forward to returning to Laguna Seca. The track is
brilliant to drive, and I have great memories of my class win there
with the BMW M6 GTLM in the 2017 IMSA season. I think I will find my
feet quickly. The combination of BMW Team Schnitzer, the BMW M6 GT3
and us drivers – Augusto Farfus, Chaz Mostert and me – has already
proved to be competitive at the Bathurst season opener. I hope that we
can deliver more of the same at Laguna Seca.”
Mikkel Jensen (#34 BMW M6 GT3, Walkenhorst Motorsport):
“This will be my first ever time in the USA, so I’m excited and am
really looking forward to the new experience. Travelling to countries
totally new to me and the legendary racetracks that I get to drive in
the BMW M6 GT3 make my appearances in the Intercontinental GT
Challenge very special events for me. Of course, I’m familiar with the
Laguna Seca track from countless virtual laps. Now I’m really excited
to see what it feels like in real life.”