BMW Motorsport News – Issue 08/13.
Whether in the DTM, the American Le Mans Series, 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.
Joey Hand well prepared ahead of ALMS season-opener.
Joey Hand (US) will swap his gym gear for racing overalls next week: Having completed an intense fitness week with the other BMW DTM drivers in Viareggio (IT), he and team-mate Maxime Martin (BE) will now board a flight to Sebring (US). The same goes for Dirk Müller (DE) and Jörg Müller (DE). Once there, the quartet will join Bill Auberlen (US) and John Edwards (US) at the season-opener of the American Le Mans Series on 16th March, where they will line up with the new BMW Z4 GTE for the first time.
Three questions for… Joey Hand.
Joey, how did you like your second fitness week with the other BMW DTM drivers?
Joey Hand: “It was great again. In 2012 it was still about us drivers getting to know one another. The results showed just how effective that was and the excellent team spirit we were able to develop. We work really well together, and that is obviously down in no small part to this kind of training camp. This year we once again had a lot of fun together after the winter break. And it was nice to see Timo Glock and Maxime Martin, who are both new to all this, in such a relaxed atmosphere.”
Italy was not solely about physical fitness, but also the mental side …
Hand: “Mental strength plays a very big role in the DTM. The races last just over an hour. You cannot afford to drop even a fraction of a second out on the track. If you do, you have to work really hard to win that time back. As such, it is crucial to stay wide-awake and fully focussed when you take to the track in the BMW M3 DTM. We also worked on that in Viareggio, and I once again learned a lot in this regard.”
You now head to Sebring for the opening race of the American Le Mans Series. Have you got butterflies again?
Hand: “Oh yes. We are all very excited about the first race outing with the BMW Z4 GTE. We are entering uncharted territory with the car, but BMW Team RLL knows Sebring as well as anyone. We have won the GT class there for the past two years. It will certainly be a great race with a unique atmosphere – as always at Sebring.”
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Bruno Spengler visits the Geneva Motor Show.
Before Bruno Spengler met up with the other BMW DTM drivers at the fitness camp, he paid a visit to the Geneva Motor Show – just as he did last year. The DTM champion joined Dr. Herbert Diess, Member of the Board of BMW AG, Development, and BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt on the BMW stage to speak about the DTM and the historic BMW M1 Procar and BMW M3 that will be in action this season as race taxis. Spengler entered the stage in style at the wheel of the BMW M3, which was on display together with his current BMW Bank M3 DTM. The DTM champion also held a fascinating design talk with Karim Habib (CA), Head of BMW Design, on the new BMW 3 Series GT. Habib used questions from the BMW Facebook community to explain the new GT model in detail.
You can find the video from the Geneva Motor Show here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpK8C7DxDsY
Marvin Dienst lines up in the ADAC Formula Masters in 2013.
Marvin Dienst (DE), the winner of the 2012 Formula BMW Talent Cup, will compete in the ADAC Formula Masters with the support of BMW Motorsport this season, as he takes the next step in his fledgling motorsport career. The 16-year-old will drive for the Neuhauser Racing team and will face other junior drivers in front of large crowds on the same bill as the ADAC GT Masters. The season gets underway on the weekend of 26th to 28th April in Oschersleben (DE) – the same venue, at which Dienst secured his overall victory at the final weekend of the 2012 Formula BMW Talent Cup.
Wiechers-Sport to appear in the FIA WTCC with Fredy Barth in 2013.
The Wiechers-Sport team will once again line up with a BMW 320 TC in the 2013 season of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). At the wheel will be Fredy Barth (CH), who succeeds Stefano D’Aste (IT). D’Aste won two FIA WTCC races for Wiechers-Sport in 2012 and will start with his own team in a BMW 320 TC this season. “We have been on good terms with Fredy for a long time. When the opportunity arose to work together, we did not hang around,” said Team Principal Dominik Greiner (DE). “We had two test days at the Slovakiaring last week. Fredy adapted very quickly to the rear-wheel drive BMW. I assume he will also do well in the races and will be pushing for good results.” The season begins on 24th March with two races in Monza (IT).