Landshut. A week ahead of the start of the new DTM season, BMW
Motorsport presented its 2017 racing programme in front of the
employees at the BMW Group plant in Landshut (GER). At the BMW
Motorsport Launch, the six DTM drivers displayed the designs of
their new cars with which they will go in search of points this
season starting with the opening round in Hockenheim (GER) on 6th
and 7th May. The workforce particularly enjoyed the driving action,
featuring the current cars and a selection of vintage BMW racing cars.
The BMW Group plant in Landshut provided the ideal stage for BMW
Motorsport to present its 2017 programme. To mark the anniversary “50
years of BMW in Lower Bavaria”, the factory premises were transformed
into a racetrack on Friday. First onto the track was Timo Glock, who
completed a number of demonstration laps in one of the most successful
touring cars in history, the first generation of BMW M3. While Martin
Tomczyk (GER) demonstrated the power of the BMW M6 GT3, Dirk Adorf
(GER) and BMW Motorsport Junior Nico Menzel (GER) put their foot down
in the BMW M4 GT4 and the BMW M235i Racing.
“I am particularly pleased to see the enthusiasm the employees showed
for the 2017 BMW Motorsport Launch,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens
Marquardt, who guided his audience through the event alongside TV
presenter Markus Othmer. “They lay the foundations for all the BMW
Motorsport activities with their daily work. This is clear to see with
the engine for the BMW M4 DTM, for example. The high-tech foundry
connected to the BMW Group plant in Landshut provides the large
castings, such as the cylinder head and crankcase. Motorsport is truly
all about teamwork at BMW. We are now fully motivated ahead of our
trip to Hockenheim.”
The highlight of the BMW Motorsport car launch, for which the
workforce took a short time-out from their shift, was the presentation
of the six BMW M4 DTMs in their liveries for the 2017 season. Reigning
DTM champion Marco Wittmann (GER) and his fellow BMW drivers Maxime
Martin (BEL), Augusto Farfus (BRA), Tom Blomqvist (GBR), Bruno
Spengler (CAN) and Timo Glock (GER) will do battle for points,
victories and titles for BMW at the wheel of the newly-developed car.
“We really burned some rubber and put on a great show for our BMW
colleagues here in Landshut,” said Wittmann. “That was the perfect way
to get in the mood for the new DTM season. After the long test and
development phase in the winter, I am glad to finally go racing again.”
For BMW newcomer Timo Scheider (GER), this was the first appearance
at a BMW event following his outings in the BMW M6 GT3 at the
Nürburgring (GER). The new boy in the BMW family was impressed by the
atmosphere in Landshut. “That kind of atmosphere among the employees
is a fantastic motivator for the challenges ahead,” he said. “BMW has
a unique history of success in motorsport. It would be a dream to add
to this success story at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. We will do
everything in our power to achieve that.”