BMW Motorsport News – Issue 23/15.

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.

DTM: Wittmann takes to the track with Scuderia Toro Rosso.

A childhood dream is set to come true for Marco Wittmann (DE): the reigning DTM champion is being given the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of a Formula One car for the first time in his career. During the official tests at the Red Bull Ring (AT) on 24th June, Wittmann will take to the track in Spielberg (AT) in a Scuderia Toro Rosso car, the 2015 STR10. BMW Motorsport was able to arrange this special Formula One test thanks to its excellent relationship with premium partner Red Bull. The drive in the STR10 is BMW Motorsport’s a way of rewarding Wittmann for the extraordinary performances he produced throughout the 2014 DTM season, which he crowned by winning the Drivers’ Championship. The Formula One test was just one of the surprises bestowed upon the newly-crowned champion by BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt at the final race of last season in Hockenheim. For his achievements, Wittmann was also honoured by launching the limited BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition.

“It is fantastic that BMW Motorsport and Red Bull are giving me this opportunity to take part in the test,” said Wittmann. “This is a dream come true for me. As a child, I always wanted to drive a Formula One car. I am sure it will be a very special experience to drive the STR10. After many successful races in my BMW DTM racing car, I am excited about getting back in a single-seater car for a brief outing – especially such a fantastic car as that of Scuderia Toro Rosso. Above all, I am excited about an even higher top speed, the acceleration, braking later, and the g-force.”

Blancpain Endurance Series: Podium success for BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS.

With 60 starters, the Blancpain Endurance Series had another top-class field on the third weekend at the "Circuit Paul Ricard" (FR). After a nerve-wracking six-hour race, BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS only missed out on the win by ten seconds. Despite starting from the pit lane, Markus Palttala (FI) and BMW works drivers Lucas Luhr (DE) and Maxime Martin (BE) in their number 46 BMW Z4 GT3 made it onto the podium in third place. The win went to the Nissan drivers Wolfgang Reip (BE), Alex Buncombe (GB) and Katsumasa Chiyo (JP). A total of nine BMW Z4 GT3s took on the challenge of the six-hour race on the track near Le Castellet (FR). Among them were BMW works drivers Alex Zanardi (IT), Timo Glock (DE) and Bruno Spengler (CA). The "Dream Team" contested its first joint race in the modified BMW Z4 GT3 as preparation for the 24 Hours of Spa (BE). BMW Motorsport, ROAL Motorsport and the drivers took the opportunity to test the modifications to the BMW Z4 GT in competition conditions. The AM class was also fiercely contested. Timur Sardarov and Leo Matchitski (both RU) in the BMW Z4 GT3 of Team Russia by Barwell finished in second place and ended up missing out on the win by just 1.3 seconds. Behind them, Karim Ojjeh (SA) and Olivier Grotz (NL) of Team Boutsen Ginion finished in third. The next race in the Blancpain Endurance Series is the 24 Hours of Spa on 25th and 26th July.

ADAC GT Masters: Schubert Motorsport celebrates first win of the season.

At the third race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters in Spa-Francorchamps (BE), BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert made its breakthrough. In the first race on Saturday, Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 celebrated the first win of the season for the team from Oschersleben (DE). Klingmann performed incredible overtaking manoeuvres on the first laps and took the lead. Then the duo pulled away from the field and brought home an uncontested win. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) in the sister car finished in fifth. In the number 12 BMW Z4 GT3, in action for Senkyr Motorsport, Lennart Marioneck (DE) and Samuel Sladecka (SK) were 15th to cross the finish line. Rain turned the second race on Sunday into something of a lottery. Initially the race had to be aborted on the warm-up lap for safety reasons, so that the majority of the field who were on slicks on the extremely slippery track could switch to rain tyres. Then after a few race laps, the safety car went onto the track. In the race, which was reduced to 54 minutes, Klingmann and Baumann were fifth to cross the finish line. Their team-mates Hürtgen and Alzen finished in sixth. Senkyr Motorsport finished in 18th place.

VLN: "Eifelblitz" wins in the BMW M235i Racing Cup class.

The third race of the VLN Endurance Championship on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) provided high-class and thrilling racing once again in the BMW M235i Racing Cup class. The result wasn't decided until the final lap of the four-hour race, on which Jörg Weidinger (DE), Michael Schrey (DE) and Uwe Ebertz (DE) in the "Eifelblitz" of Team Scheid-Honert Motorsport took the lead and secured the win. Trailing by just 11.820 seconds, Philipp Leisen (DE) and Thomas Jäger (AT) of Team Securtal Sorg Rennsport finished in second, ahead of Michele Di Martino (DE) and Moritz Oberheim (DE) of Team TKS-Motorsport. In the SP9 class, Team Walkenhorst Motorsport fielded two BMW Z4 GT3s. The car driven by Anders Buchardt (NO), Matias Henkola (FI) and David Schiwietz (DE) finished sixth in the overall standings, which was also second place in the SP9 class. BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI) was at an event on the Nordschleife for the first time this season, alongside Michela Cerruti (IT) and Felipe Laser (DE). The trio qualified in third, but were unable to contest the race due to an accident. BMW drivers celebrated a total of eight class wins at the 57th running of the ADAC ACAS H&R Cuup.

Japanese Super GT: BMW Sports Trophy Team Studie on the podium for the first time.

The Japanese Super GT Championship hosted the third of a total of eight races of the season at the "Chang International Circuit" (TH) this weekend. Two BMW teams contested the GT300 class: BMW works driver Jörg Müller (DE) and Seiji Ara (JP) finished in third place in the BMW Z4 GT3 of BMW Sports Trophy Team Studie and with it celebrated their first podium success this season.

BMW M235i Racing Cup Belgium: Victory for Michael Schrey.

The race in Zolder (BE) on Sunday saw the BMW M235i Racing Cup Belgium season enter its fourth round. A total of nine cars fought for the win on the 4.011-kilometre track. After 125 minutes, Michael Schrey (DE) in the number 315 BMW M235i Racing was first to cross the finish line on Sunday - just one day after his success at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). Second place went to Frederic Bouvy und David Dermont (both BE). Dumarey und Maxime Guillaume (both BE) followed in third.