BMW Motorsport News – Issue 12/12.

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.

Andy Priaulx lines up again at the Race of Champions.

Andy Priaulx (GB) will go head to head with some of the best racing drivers in the world, as he lines up for the seventh time in a row at the Race of Champions. The DTM driver from BMW Team RBM will race alongside David Coulthard (GB) for Team GB in the Nations Cup and will also compete in the individual competition. The Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok (TH) will stage the Race of Champions for the first time from 14th to 16th December. The drivers will take on a narrow circuit at the wheel of various racing cars. Priaulx will once again be up against some of the biggest names in motorsport, including Formula One world champions Sebastian Vettel (DE) and Michael Schumacher (DE), as well as motorcycle champions Jorge Lorenzo (ES) and Mick Doohan (AU). In 2009 and 2010 Priaulx finished runner-up in the Nations Cup, while the man from Guernsey has reached the semi-finals of the individual competition on three occasions. “I have always really enjoyed the Race of Champions,” said Priaulx. “It is a very special feeling to drive in a stadium, and I am really looking forward to sampling the atmosphere in Bangkok. I have finished runner-up twice in the Nations Cup and hope that ‘DC’ and I can go one better this time. However, we are well aware that this will not be easy, given the number of legends we will be up against. All the guys know how to drive, and how to win.”

Bruno Spengler makes house calls.

The “Visit from Bruno” promotion saw Bruno Spengler (CA) out and about in Munich on Thursday, where he dropped in to visit a number of fans at the wheel of a BMW 1 Series in BMW Bank M3 DTM livery. Seven lucky fans, all of whom had entered a competition on Facebook to receive a visit from Spengler, welcomed the DTM champion to their home or workplace. As a thank you for their hospitality, each winner received VIP tickets to a DTM race of their choice in the 2013 season. On top of this, they also had the opportunity to get to know Bruno Spengler, who had a friendly chat, posed for photos and signed autographs. “Apart from the actual driving, this kind of promotion is the best thing about my job,” said Spengler. “I love being so close to my fans and getting to know some of them better. That was another great promotion from BMW Bank, and one I really enjoyed.”

Emotional end to the season at BMW Team Schnitzer.

On Friday, BMW Team Schnitzer hosted its end-of-season party in Freilassing (DE). Dr. Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Purchasing and Supplier Network, BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt, the two drivers Bruno Spengler and Dirk Werner (DE), and many members of the BMW Motorsport team were present, but it was the team owner Herbert Schnitzer, Team Principal Charly Lamm and their successful outfit that took centre stage. Marquardt took to the stage to pay tribute to the outstanding efforts of the pit crew, engineers, “good spirits” behind the scenes and, of course, the drivers over the course of the 2012 DTM season – a season in which BMW Team Schnitzer won the team competition and Spengler claimed the title in the Drivers’ Championship. Earlier in the evening, “The Voice of Germany” star Sharron Levy entertained BMW Team Schnitzer and its guests in the truck garage. The “Barrel Beats Show” then provided the spectacular closing to the on-stage programme, before the actual party got started in the evening.

BMW Motorsport congratulates Sebastian Vettel on his World Championship title.
The final race of the season in Sao Paulo (BR) saw Sebastian Vettel secure his third FIA Formula One World Championship in a row. He joins Juan Manuel Fangio (AR) and Michael Schumacher (DE) as one of only three men to have pulled off this remarkable hat-trick. Like many of the current crop of Formula One drivers, Vettel began his motorsport career as a BMW Junior and won the German Formula BMW series in 2004. BMW is still training successful young racing drivers today through its Formula BMW Talent Cup. Vettel made his Formula One debut for the BMW Sauber F1 Team in Indianapolis (US) back in 2007, and finished in the points at the first attempt. “Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel on his third World Championship title in a row. He now takes his place as one of the greats of the sport,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “I can still remember Vettel’s debut well from my own time in Formula One. Back then he was the test driver for the BMW Sauber F1 Team and stepped in for Robert Kubica. Since then he has enjoyed a rapid rise to success. Even as a BMW Junior, his immense talent was clear to see. His record of 18 wins from 20 races during the 2004 Formula BMW season remains unbeaten. We are pleased to have been able to support Vettel on his way to being Formula One World Champion. He still enjoys a good relationship with BMW Motorsport.”