BMW Motorsport News – Issue 25/15

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.

VLN: Walkenhorst Motorsport triumphs in the heat.

The Walkenhorst Motorsport powered by Dunlop team will never forget one of the hottest races in VLN history at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). With temperatures well above 30 degrees Celsius, BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI), Michela Cerruti (IT) and Felipe Férnandes Laser (DE) clinched victory in the BMW Z4 GT3. This was the first win in the VLN Endurance Championship for the team and its principal Henry Walkenhorst (DE) , and also marked the first success in the BMW Z4 GT3 for Krohn. The 2014 BMW Motorsport Junior of the Year has been involved in BMW Motorsport’s GT programme since the start of the current season. Cerruti becomes only the second female to have won a VLN race. “We can hardly believe our luck – it is a crazy feeling,” said Walkenhorst, who finished ninth in the team’s second car. “We have been racing in the VLN for many years, and have won our first race today. This is a moment we will remember for a long time.” The 46th Adenauer ADAC Worldpeace Trophy was generally a happy stomping ground for BMW privateers. In total, they claimed seven class wins.

ADAC GT Masters: BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert wins again.

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert continued its winning run in the ADAC GT Masters: Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) claimed their second win of the year in the BMW Z4 GT3 in the scorching heat at the Lausitzring (DE). Their team-mates Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) finished third to join them on the podium after an exciting and eventful race, which had to be red-flagged at one point. In Sunday’s second race, Klingmann and Baumann narrowly missed out on another podium, coming home fourth. Hürtgen/Alzen finished eighth in race two. In the Gentlemen competition, Jakub Knoll (CZ) claimed his first win on Saturday, with the help of Lennart Marioneck (DE) in the Senkyr Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3. The duo finished second in the class on Sunday.

BMW M235i Racing Cup: one-two for Bonk Motorsport.

Race three of the BMW M235i Racing Cup, which is held within the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring (DE), featured an excellent field of 21 cars and ended with a one-two for Bonk Motorsport. At the end of the four-hour race, Ralf Schall (DE) and Mario Merten (DE) came home first in the number 691 car, more than a minute ahead of their team-mates Jens Moetefindt (DE) and Alexander Mies (DE). Third place on a scorching Nordschleife went to Moritz Gusenbauer (DE), “Hans Wilden” (DE) and Thorsten Einar (NL) from Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport. Jörg Weidinger (DE), Michael Schrey (DE) and Uwe Ebertz (DE) from the Scheid-Honert Motorsport team had to settle for ninth place, but were still able to defend their overall lead in the BMW M235i Racing Cup class.

Blancpain Sprint Series: BMW Sports Trophy Team Brazil on the podium.

BMW Sports Trophy Team Brazil confirmed its excellent form in the 2015 season as the “Moscow Raceway” on the outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow (RU) hosted the Blancpain Sprint Series: Valdeno Brito (BR) and Atila Abreu (BR) celebrated on the podium after the main race, having crossed the finish line second in the number 77 BMW Z4 GT3. Their team-mates Caca Bueno (BR) and Sergio Jimenez (BR) failed to finish. This was the team’s third podium in a row. The Brazilian team had previously finished fourth and seventh in the qualifying race.

DTM: Spengler takes time out for a round of golf.

BMW supported this week’s “Open de France”. BMW DTM driver Bruno Spengler (CA) also visited the high-class European Tour event, courtesy of an invitation from BMW France, and played a round on the Championship Course in Paris (FR). “I love standing on the golf course. And it is fantastic to have the opportunity to play such a great course as this one,” said the 2012 DTM champion.