BMW Motorsport News – Issue 39/15.

ELMS: TDS Racing claims the title in the GTC class, victory for BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS in the GTE class.

The 2015 season in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) ended with a title win for the BMW Z4 GT3 and victory for the BMW Z4 GTE. TDS Racing won the title in the GTC class at the final round of the season in Estoril (PT). Second place in the class at the four-hour race in Estoril proved sufficient for the team to wrap up the championship. The number 59 BMW Z4 GT3 was driven by Franck Perera, Dino Lunardi and Eric Dermont (all FR). The race win in the GTE class went to BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS. BMW works driver Andy Priaulx (GB), BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI) and Henry Hassid (FR) guided the number 52 BMW Z4 GTE to first place in its class. Their lead at the end of an eventful race was one lap.

VLN: successful double start for Michele Di Martino.

Talented young driver Michele Di Martino (DE), who regularly races for TKS-Motorsport in the BMW M235i Racing Cup, made his debut in the BMW Z4 GT3 in the penultimate race of the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring (DE) on Saturday. Sharing the driving duties with Henry Walkenhorst (DE) and Matias Henkola (FI), he finished seventh overall in the Walkenhorst Motorsport team’s number 35 car. The number 36 car failed to finish. Victory went to the number 2 Mercedes. BMW teams claimed a total of five class victories at the ROWE DMV 250-Mile Race.

BMW M235i Racing Cup: Bonk Motorsport wraps up the title with one race to spare.

The winner of the Team competition in the BMW M235i Racing Cup was crowned at the end of the ninth and penultimate round of the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring (DE). With 172 points to its name, Bonk Motorsport now heads to the season finale on 31st October with an unassailable 40-point lead over Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport. The race for the title in the Drivers’ Championship is a closer affair. Thanks to their fourth win of the season, Michele Di Martino (DE) and Moritz Oberheim (DE) of the TKS-Motorsport team are now level on points with Ralf Schall (DE) and Mario Merten (DE) of Bonk Motorsport at the top of the overall standings. Schall/Merten finished runners-up on Saturday, in a direct duel between the two leading pairs of drivers.

DTM: Zanardi takes Spengler for a spin in the BMW M4 DTM Race Taxi.

An unfamiliar role for BMW DTM works driver Bruno Spengler (CA): at the start of the DTM race weekend at the Hockenheimring (DE), he climbed into the passenger seat for a change, rather than taking his usual place behind the wheel. On Friday, Spengler was a passenger in the BMW M4 DTM Race Taxi, which was driven by BMW works driver Alessandro Zanardi (IT). The pair are a well-oiled team, having both competed alongside Timo Glock (DE) in this year’s 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (BE). “It was great fun. At first it was a bit strange not to be driving. In the first few corners, I instinctively tried to brake. However, I had every faith in Alex. He really put his foot down. When I climbed out, I had a big grin on my face. For me as a racing driver, it was something completely different, but a great experience,” said Spengler. Zanardi also enjoyed their laps together. “I know the circuit from the past, but still had to reacquaint myself with it a bit at first. Also, the tyres were still cold at the start. For this reason, I was not able to go flat-out at first and scare Bruno as much as I had hoped to,” said Zanardi. “As we approached the hairpin for the first time, I could see Bruno trying to find the brake pedal on his side of the car. I can imagine how hard it must be for a racing driver to simply sit there without doing anything, and not to have control. However, he gradually relaxed and we both had a lot of fun. It was great to take to the track in the Race Taxi. I have driven an awful lot of racing cars in my career, but the BMW M4 DTM really is fantastic and one of the cars in which I have had the most fun in the cockpit. It was fantastic.” Zanardi also took many guests and media representatives for a ride over the course of the weekend.

You can find a video of the special taxi ride on the BMW Motorsport YouTube channel at: https://youtu.be/N4mMdhPU3QQ

DTM: Marco Wittmann welcomes 20 millionth visitor to BMW Welt.

BMW DTM works driver Marco Wittmann (DE) had a special duty to perform last week: together with Dieter Reiter, Mayor of Munich (DE), and Helmut Käs, Head of BMW Welt, he welcomed the 20 millionth visitor to BMW Welt in Munich. Christoph Wald and his family from Aachen were greeted with fireworks and video messages of congratulation from all over the world. Wittmann presented the special guest with a special gift, on behalf of BMW Welt: he will be given a new BMW X1 to drive for one year. BMW Welt was opened in 2007. Last year it set a new record, with over three million guests. That makes BMW Welt the most-visited attraction in Bavaria. A good 30 per cent of the visitors come from Germany. The majority of foreign guests come from the USA, followed by Asia and the Middle East. However, the neighbouring countries of Austria and Italy are also well represented. As well as the brand worlds of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, BMW Welt also offers a diverse programme of entertainment from the worlds of art, culture and entertainment, as well as tours, gastronomic treats and the memorable experience of collecting your new car.