BMW Motorsport News – Issue 18/16.

The DTM, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and countless other race series: Week after week, BMW teams and drivers are competing for points, wins and titles. The members of the BMW Motorsport family around the world are also making headlines off the track. “BMW Motorsport News” provides you with a concise and informative summary of events, to help you stay right up to date.

VLN: Historic one-two-three result for the BMW M6 GT3.

Three and a half months after first competing at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the new BMW M6 GT3 has celebrated a first win at the third race in the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring (DE). Jesse Krohn (FI), Jörg Müller (DE) and Marco Wittmann (DE) triumphed in a one-two-three result for BMW in the “Green Hell”. This was a dress rehearsal for the 24-hour race that will take place at the Nürburgring in two weeks, and which Müller won in 2004 and 2010. The experienced BMW works driver was involved in the development of the BMW M6 GT3 right from the start.

Three questions for... Jörg Müller.

You have been actively involved in the development of the BMW M6 GT3. You were also involved in the first win. Is this a special moment for you?

Jörg Müller: “I am delighted to have been involved in this special moment. The BMW M6 GT3 is almost like my baby. I drove the first metres with the car at the rollout and have actively helped to structure every development step since then. I am very happy that BMW Motorsport places so much trust in me, to allow me to be an important part of such a big project. And, as this victory proves, we have done a good job.”

What does this win mean, as a dress rehearsal for the 24-hour race?

Müller: “It shows that we have prepared well for the highlight of our endurance racing season. However, we must always bear in mind that the BMW M6 GT3 is a brand new car. Those 24 hours at the Nürburgring are the toughest test possible for a car like this. We hope that we have that little bit of luck and can go the distance without any problems.”

You also compete with the BMW M6 GT3 in the Japanese Super GT Championship. How is your season going?

Müller: “We started the season very well in Japan with a podium finish in the first race. However, we had some technical problems in the last race. The most important aspect is that the BMW M6 GT3 has the pace required to win races. That is just as true in Japan as at the Nürburgring. I’ve got a great team behind me in Japan at BMW Team Studie and it is fun to work with them. I am excited to see what we can achieve this season.”

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BMW M235i Racing Cup: Mies/Schrey celebrate third consecutive win.

Alexander Mies (DE) and Michael Schrey (DE) are on a roll: Victorious in the first two races, the duo in the number 691 Team Bonk Motorsport car also won the third race of the season in the BMW M235i Racing Cup. The thrilling battle for the lead went down to the final lap, before Mies and Schrey triumphed ahead of Thomas Jäger (AT) and Rudi Adams (DE) from Team Scheid-Honert Motorsport in second place. Third place went to Uwe Ebertz (DE), Norbert Fischer (DE) and Christian Konnerth (DE) from Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport. Mies and Schrey consolidated their lead in the drivers’ standings and helped Bonk Motorsport to do the same in the team standings. The driving duo was also able to take the lead in the overall VLN championship standings.

24h Nürburgring: Timo Glock on the jury for the new “Nürburgring Awards”.

An exciting role for BMW DTM driver Timo Glock (DE): The BMW Team RMG driver is one of three jurors who will decide on the winner of the new “Nürburgring Awards”. The prize will be presented for the first time at the 2016 24-hour race at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). There will be awards for brands and personalities in three categories: “Ambassador of the Year”, “Brand of the Year” and “Lifetime Achievement”. The award ceremony will take place on the evening before the 24-hour race, on Friday 27th May, at the ring°werk theme park at the Nürburgring. The other members of the jury will be Formula 1 reporter Kai Ebel (DE) and Norbert Haug (DE).

DTM: Tom Blomqvist drives BMW M4 DTM on TV show “ZDF-Fernsehgarten“.

One day after competing in the BMW M6 GT3 at the Nürburgring (DE), BMW DTM driver Tom Blomqvist (GB) put the pedal to the metal again in his Ice-Watch BMW M4 DTM – not in his race car, but in the BMW M4 DTM race taxi. Together with fellow DTM driver Timo Scheider (DE, Audi), Blomqvist appeared on the “ZDF-Fernsehgarten” show in Mainz (DE). During the popular German TV show, Blomqvist completed a show run and put on some spectacular burnouts for the delighted spectators. Germany’s former world-class biathlete Uschi Disl was in the passenger seat of the race taxi. “Events like this are always great fun,” said Blomqvist. “We are not normally allowed to do burnouts on the race track. So it’s great to be able to put on a good show for the spectators. I think it is very good for the DTM to use popular shows like this. It helps us to reach people who would not otherwise come to the track on a DTM race weekend.”

Blancpain Endurance Cup: ROWE Racing just misses out on podium finish.

ROWE Racing just missed out on a podium finish in the second race of the Blancpain Endurance Cup at Silverstone (GB). After four hours, the BMW works drivers Philipp Eng (AT), Maxime Martin (BE) and Alexander Sims (GB) in car number 99 finished the race in fourth position. The second ROWE Racing car, with Nick Catsburg (NL), Stef Dusseldorp (NL) and BMW works driver Jens Klingmann (DE) at the wheel, ended the race in 12th place. Victory went to Mercedes. BMW Team Italia claimed ninth place in the Pro-Am Cup in the BMW M6 GT3. Boutsen Ginion Racing finished in 13th position in this class.