BMW Motorsport News – Issue 43/14.
Meeting of champions: exciting programme at the BMW Motorsport
Media Track Days in Spain.
Last week, BMW Motorsport
offered media representatives from all over the world the opportunity
to drive various BMW racing cars for themselves and experience the
fascination of motor racing at first hand at the “Circuito
Monteblanco” (ES) near Seville (ES). In total, 31 participants from 15
different countries took to the 3.357-kilometre track. All four cars,
with which BMW has won the DTM title since 1984, were in action. As
well as last season’s championship-winning car, the Ice-Watch BMW M4
DTM, the journalists also hit the road in the BMW Bank M3 DTM (2012),
as well as behind the wheel or in the passenger seat of the BMW 635
CSi (1984) and the BMW M3 (1987). All four racing cars each won the
title in their first season in the DTM. The media representatives also
gained experience as racing drivers at the wheel of two BMW M235i
Racings. On hand as celebrity instructors were reigning DTM champion
Marco Wittmann (DE), Martin Tomczyk (DE), António Félix da Costa (PT),
Dirk Adorf (DE) and BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI). They gave
the journalists an insight into their work, as well as offering
valuable advice on how to handle the cars.
DTM: Double honours for Marco Wittmann in Essen – Formula One
test at Imola.
Marco Wittmann (DE) travelled straight
from the BMW Motorsport Media Track Days in Monteblanco (ES) to Essen
(DE), where he received two awards at the the traditional “Race Night”
held by Auto Bild Motorsport and Auto Bild Sportscars, which takes
place every year as part of the Essen Motor Show. Wittmann was voted
“Touring Car Driver of the Year” by readers and was also presented
with the “Golden Racing Shoe” as the new DTM champion. However, the
BMW works driver was not just there to receive prizes, but also
presented some trophies: to the winners of the Speed Academy – the
support programme run by BMW Motorsport premium partner, Deutsche
Post. Another special appointment will await Wittmann on Thursday: in
recognition of his performances in this DTM season, BMW Motorsport is
giving him the opportunity to achieve a childhood dream and Wittmann
will test a Formula One car for the first time. At Imola (IT), he will
drive a 2012 Scuderia Toro Rosso car. This test is organised in
co-operation with BMW Motorsport premium partner Red Bull.
DTM: Big rookie contingent in action at winter test in
Jerez.
The BMW teams will take to the track this week
for the first time since the end of the DTM season in Hockenheim on
19th October, when they travel to Jerez de la Frontera (ES) for
testing from Tuesday to Thursday. As well as DTM champion Marco
Wittmann (DE), Augusto Farfus (BR), Maxime Martin (BE), Bruno Spengler
(CA), Timo Glock (DE) and António Félix da Costa (PT), several drivers
will be given their first taste of the DTM in Spain. They include Tom
Blomqvist (GB, 20 years old), Jack Harvey (GB, 21), Richie Stanaway
(NZ, 23), Alex Lynn (GB, 21) and Sam Bird (GB, 27). BMW works driver
Lucas Luhr (DE, 35) and Robin Frijns (NL, 23) will also drive the BMW
M4 DTM for the first time.
Three questions for … Marco Wittmann.
Marco, you were on hand to offer journalists advice when they
took to the track in the Ice-Watch BMW M4 DTM last week. How did it
go?
Marco Witmann: “The entire event was great fun.
It is fantastic that BMW Motorsport allows journalists to experience
how it feels to drive a racing car. I gave the participants an
introduction to my Ice-Watch M4 DTM and then went through the data
with them after their drives. That was very interesting for me. Some
of the drivers had already driven other racing cars and coped well
with the DTM car.”
What was your personal highlight?
Wittmann: “I
had the opportunity to drive the legendary BMW DTM cars from the 1980s
– the BMW 635 CSi and the BMW M3. For me, it was impressive to feel
the differences for myself, and to see how the technology has
developed over the past 30 years. As a driver, you had to work a lot
harder on the steering wheel and when changing gear back in the past.
However, it is more important to find the perfect racing line today,
and you generally have to drive more accurately than back then. I
really enjoyed my outing in the vintage cars. The1987 BMW M3, in
particular, is my absolute favourite – a dream car.”
On a more general note, you have not stopped travelling and
visiting events for the past few weeks. How are you coping with the
many appointments that come with winning the DTM title?
Wittmann: “It has obviously been an extremely busy time for me
since the end of the DTM season. I have hardly spent a single day at
home. However, I am still really enjoying myself. After all, the
reason for me having all these appointments is the fact that I was
crowned the DTM champion. With this in mind, I am having an incredible
time at the moment. On top of that it is an honour for me that
my successes are appreciated from so many sides – as, for example,
now with the ‘Touring Car Driver of the Year’ and the ‘Golden Racing
Shoe’ awards. That is something very special for a racing driver.”
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USCC: Andy Piaulx visits No. 10 Downing
Street.
The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, held
a special event at 10 Downing Street in London (GB) on Monday to
celebrate the success of British Motorsport. Andy Priaulx (GB) was one
of the UK’s top racing drivers to receive a personal invitation from
the PM. “It was a great evening as it was obvious David Cameron really
understood the importance of the British motorsport industry to the
UK’s economy. It was great to meet him and he was interested to hear
about my career with BMW. It was also great to chat with the icons of
our sport such as Stirling Moss and John Surtees,” said the triple
world touring car champion.