“O’zapft is!” – BMW Motorsport and BMW Team Schnitzer bring the Oktoberfest atmosphere to the North Sea.

Zandvoort (NL), 27th September 2013. While visitors from all over the world have been flocking to Munich (DE) since last Saturday for the Oktoberfest, BMW Motorsport has travelled 850 kilometres to Zandvoort (NL) for the penultimate DTM race of the year. But despite being so far from home, BMW still managed to bring a bit of the famous Bavarian festival atmosphere to the North Sea. On Friday, BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt invited guests to join him in the BMW Hospitality for a ceremonial keg tapping. Having tapped the keg, brought specially from Munich, he uttered the traditional words “O’zapft is!” This heralded a refreshing round of drinks for the guests and team members present.

“Oktoberfest is an integral part of Munich – and we brought the unique atmosphere of the world’s largest fair to the North Sea today,” said Marquardt. “And an evening like this is also an entertaining change from the everyday routine on a race weekend.”

BMW Team Schnitzer from Freilassing (DE) enjoys a particularly close association with the Bavarian tradition. Because of this, the mechanics donned their Lederhose on Friday evening and completed several pit stops in their traditional outfits. “Over the long history of our team, we have competed in races all over the world. However, our home is and always will be Upper Bavaria,” said Team Principal Charly Lamm. “It is a nice idea to continue our local traditions here on the North Sea coast. That was definitely a very different pit stop practice.”

BMW Motorsport leads the Manufacturers’ Championship going into the ninth of ten DTM races. Augusto Farfus (BR) is the only DTM driver still in a position to deny Audi’s Mike Rockenfeller (DE) the title in the Drivers’ Championship.