BMW Motorsport News – Issue 09/13.
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” now allows us to regularly summarise all the action for you in a compact and informative manner. This way, you are always up to speed.
New challenges for Hand, Edwards and Müller.
One day after the BMW Z4 GTE made its race debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring (US), BMW Team RLL drivers Joey Hand (US), Dirk Müller (DE) and John Edwards (US) were back in action a good 90 miles away in Orlando (US). Having finished seventh in the GT class on Saturday, the trio met up with Andy Priaulx (GB) at the Crowne Plaza Universal Hotel to shoot some films for Premium Partner Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts. The drivers went head to head in exciting and entertaining challenges, including Priaulx taking on his fellow DTM driver Hand at baseball. The films will be available to watch online at www.crowneplazabmwmotorsport.com soon.
Schubert Motorsport lines up in the ADAC GT Masters with two BMW Z4 GT3s.
Having enjoyed a successful debut season in the ADAC GT Masters in 2012, Team Schubert returns to the top series for premium sports cars this year with two BMW Z4 GT3s and a mixture of experienced and young drivers. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) will share one cockpit, while the experienced Jörg Müller (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE) will alternate behind the wheel of the second car. “We are looking forward to another year in this high-class racing series, and hope we can carry on where we left off last season,” said Team Manager Stefan Wendl. “We have a healthy mixture of youth and experienced drivers – and, with two BMW Z4 GT3s, we are even better positioned than in 2012.”
ROAL Motorsport in action in the Blancpain Endurance Series.
The Italian ROAL Motorsport team has a packed 2013 season, which sees Team Principal Roberto Ravaglia (IT) and his outfit line up in three top-class racing series. ROAL will run two BMW 320 TCs in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), while at the same time defending its title in the Italian GT Championship with the BMW Z4 GT3. ROAL Motorsport will also line up for the first time in the Blancpain Endurance Series, which includes the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (BE). The BMW Z4 GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series will be driven by Michela Cerruti (IT) and her two team-mates Edoardo Liberati (IT) and Mario Ferraris (IT). They will compete in the Pro-Am class. “We are turning over a new leaf and will have a lot to do,” said Ravaglia. “However, it is good to take on new challenges. I have every faith in our young drivers.”
M Festival 2013 at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
The M Festival returns to the Nürburgring (DE) for the third time from 18th to 20th May 2013. M fans will experience a superlative three-day programme at the 41st staging of the 24-hour race in the “Green Hell”. To get the party started, 200 BMW drivers will have the chance to join a parade and complete a lap of the legendary Nordschleife circuit. The subsequent M Night party is the perfect way to warm up for the race weekend, which participants can follow live from the BMW M Club Gallery. Guided tours of the BMW teams’ garages also offer many fans an exclusive insight into what goes on behind the scenes.
You can find further information and book tickets at: www.The-M-Festival.de
ALMS and GRAND-AM merge to form United SportsCar Racing.
The new racing series resulting from the merging of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and the GRAND-AM Series has a name: in 2014 the championship will herald a new era in North American motor racing under the title United SportsCar Racing (USCR). The organisers presented the name, the new logo for the series, and the classifications at the ALMS season-opener in Sebring on Thursday. Cars will compete in four categories in the USCR: in the two prototype classes “Prototype Category” and “Prototype Challenge”, as well as two GT classes “GT Le Mans” and “GT Daytona”.