Munich. The second year of training for the BMW Motorsport
Juniors will be varied and intensive. Nico Menzel (GER) will compete
in numerous domestic and international races in the BMW M6 GT3.
Ricky Collard (GBR) will gather valuable experience on the
Nürburgring Nordschleife (GER). The new member of the BMW Motorsport
Junior Programme, Mikkel Jensen (DEN), will also compete in the BMW
M6 GT3. He prevailed at the shootout in Miramas (FRA).
A special year with special challenges: While BMW talent promotion
celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2017, the BMW Motorsport
Juniors can look forward to a season with plenty of highlights. In his
second year as a member of the Junior Programme, Nico Menzel will
compete in the Blancpain Endurance Series behind the wheel of the
Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW M6 GT3. This also includes the 24-hour race
in Spa-Francorchamps (BEL), where he will celebrate his debut. Menzel
will also take part in the Nürburgring (GER) 24-hour race for
Walkenhorst Motorsport. In preparation for this, he will compete in
the first two races of the VLN Endurance Championship season in the
BMW M6 GT3.
“What a great race schedule,” says Menzel. “I was able to get some
initial experience with the BMW M6 GT3 at the end of last season and
the start of this one, and now I can hardly wait to compete in both of
the classic 24-hour races and complete a season in the top-level
Blancpain Endurance Series. Many thanks to BMW Motorsport and
Walkenhorst Motorsport for placing their trust in me. I’m really
excited about this challenge.”
Ricky Collard already competed in the Bathurst 12 Hour in February
with Menzel and Jörg Müller (GER), the mentor for the BMW Juniors in
GT racing, and the Nürburgring Nordschleife is also set to become his
second home in 2017. He is using the VLN season-opener to gain his
licence for the “Green Hell”. He is also scheduled to compete in the
BMW M4 GT4 at the 24-hour race in May. “I am really looking forward to
gaining more experience on the legendary Nordschleife right at the
start of the season,” says Collard. “I have always dreamed of starting
the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.”
The group of BMW Juniors is also growing: At the shootout for
potential new Juniors in Miramas, Mikkel Jensen convinced those in
charge of BMW Motorsport so effectively that they are confident enough
to allow him to compete in the BMW M6 GT3 in his first year as a BMW
Motorsport Junior. In the Blancpain Endurance Series, the 22-year-old
Danish driver will co-drive with Menzel and the third driver,
Christian Krognes (NOR), at Walkenhorst Motorsport. Jensen won the
ADAC Formel Masters title in 2014 and has competed in the Formula 3
European Championship for the last two years. “I am proud of having
made the leap to the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme,” says Jensen. “I
managed very well with the new BMW M4 GT4 in the shootout. It is
unbelievable to get the chance to gather experience in the BMW M6 GT3
right from the start.” In addition to Jensen, other candidates are
currently also in the selection process for a place in the BMW
Motorsport Junior Programme.
The BMW Motorsport Juniors will not only be competing in numerous
races in 2017, but will also be actively involved in development of
the new BMW M4 GT4. For example, Menzel tested the car in Miramas with
Jörg Müller and Dirk Adorf (GER). Collard shared driving duties with
Müller and Jens Klingmann (GER) when the BMW M4 GT4 celebrated its
race debut in January at the Dubai 24 Hours (UAE).
“The BMW M4 GT4 is the perfect car for the BMW Motorsport Juniors, as
it allows them to not only prove their talent but also develop it
further,” says Adorf, mentor for the new Junior year groups. “Every
year, we are impressed with just how quickly the young drivers get
used to our race cars. Seeing how they make the step up to the BMW M6
GT3 just confirms the good work that we do in talent promotion.”
The BMW Motorsport Junior Programme was restructured in 2014 and BMW
talent promotion went back to its roots in GT and touring car sport.
The multi-level concept now ensures that the BMW Motorsport Juniors
learn all they need for the top categories in GT racing. The BMW
Motorsport Junior Programme runs for several years and has the
long-term goal of training drivers for competition in GT and touring
car sport, so that BMW Motorsport can call on international drivers
with the benefit of in-house youth development training. Jesse Krohn
proves that this concept is bearing fruit: In 2014, the first year of
the new structure, the Finnish driver was named “BMW Motorsport Junior
of the Year” and is now a fixture in the group of BMW drivers at
international GT events.