BMW Motorsport News – Issue 01/14.
Whether in the DTM, the United SportsCar 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.
24h Dubai: Top ten for Walkenhorst and Schubert.
Walkenhorst Motorsport and SX Team Schubert came home sixth and tenth at the first endurance classic of the year – the 24 Hours of Dubai (AE). Victory went to the Stadler Motorsport Porsche. Henry Walkenhorst (DE), Ralf Oeverhaus (DE), Jens Richter (DE), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Daniela Schmid (AT) produced a consistent display in their BMW Z4 GT3, which was rewarded with sixth place after 591 laps of the desert circuit. The BMW Z4 GT3 of Schubert Motorsport was right in contention among the leading group until well into the second half of the race, and actually led the field for a long time. However, two collisions saw the car driven by Dirk Werner (DE), Bill Auberlen (US), Paul Dalla Lana (CA), Dane Cameron (US) and Claudia Hürtgen drop well back down the field. JR Motorsport (BMW M3 GTR), the Recy Racing team (BMW 120d) and the Racingdivas Team Schubert (BMW 320d) claimed class victories in Dubai.
Three questions for … Dirk Werner.
Dirk, after a fantastic first half of the race in Dubai, you and your team had your fair share of misfortune. How would you assess your first endurance race of 2014?
Dirk Werner: “It is a real shame that we were not able to convert the good performance of our car into a place on the podium. It could have been so much better, so you are obviously going to be disappointed after such a tiring race. I was in the car for the first of the two collisions. A Ferrari drove into my rear wheel when turning into the corner. That broke the wishbone. We were very unlucky, as it was not such a hard contact on the rear axle. Despite everything, I still really enjoyed being able to work with such a professional team as Schubert. I met a lot of familiar faces and the BMW Z4 GT3 is a very good car to drive. Those are the positives I will take away with me from Dubai.”
How is the BMW Z4 GT3 different to drive to the BMW M3 DTM?
Werner: “The BMW M3 DTM has far more downforce than the BMW Z4 GT3. Furthermore, the tyres we had in the DTM provided a lot more grip than those in Dubai. As a result, the cornering speed is obviously far lower in a GT car. The main change I had to make to my driving style was that I had to look after my tyres even more than usual. Generally speaking, however, I felt very comfortable in the BMW Z4 GT3 and am looking forward to my next outings.”
The next highlight of the season comes at the end of January – the 24 Hours of Daytona…
Werner: “I know my way around that track very well, as I have already raced there five times. Daytona is a very special circuit with a huge tradition in North America. We also line up there with a very good team in BMW Team RLL and a very strong car in the BMW Z4 GTLM. However, we face some very tough competition in our class. I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve at this highlight.”
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24h Daytona: BMW Team RLL lines up with eight drivers.
With the dust still settling after the 24 Hours of Dubai, the next highlight of the endurance season comes in just two weeks: the 24 Hours of Daytona (US). The marathon opens the inaugural season of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) on 25th and 26th January. BMW Team RLL will run two BMW Z4 GTLMs in the GTLM class. Dirk Werner and Bill Auberlen will contest their second 24-hour race in a fortnight in Florida. Werner will alternate with Dirk Müller (DE), John Edwards (US) and Graham Rahal (US) at the wheel. Auberlen is in action in the second car. He will share the cockpit with BMW works driver Andy Priaulx (GB), who drives for BMW Team RLL in the USCC this season, after two years in the DTM. The promising line-up is completed by BMW DTM drivers Maxime Martin (BE) and Joey Hand (US). Their fellow BMW driver Augusto Farfus (BR) will also be in action in Daytona. He will bolster the Turner Motorsport team, who are fielding the BMW Z4 GTD in the GTD category.
Farfus starts 2014 season in a kart.
The 2014 motorsport year is already underway for Augusto Farfus – not in a BMW racing car as you might expect, but at the wheel of a racing kart. The BMW DTM driver was in action at the “Desafio Internacional das Estrelas” in Penha (BR) this weekend. Farfus’ compatriot and good friend Felipe Massa has been organising this charity kart race for many years. After finishing fourth in qualifying, however, Farfus suffered a dose of bad luck in the race and was forced to retire. Vitantonio Liuzzi (IT) claimed victory. Following his outing on the kart track, Farfus is now looking forward to his coming races for BMW. First up is the 24 Hours of Daytona, where he will be driving for Turner Motorsport. Farfus then turns his attention to preparations for the DTM season with the new BMW M4 DTM. “After a great 2012 and 2013, I am now really looking forward to the 2014 DTM season,” said Farfus.
BMW M235i Racing underway in the RCN Rundstrecken-Challenge .
The new BMW M235i Racing looks set to take the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) by storm from 2014. As well as the VLN Endurance Championship and the 24-hour race, the newly developed car can also be used in the RCN Rundstrecken-Challenge. The entry-level series is introducing a separate class specifically for the BMW M235i Racing, which at a price of 59,500 Euros (plus VAT) offers those just starting out in the sport an affordable route into motor racing.