BMW Motorsport News – Issue 15/17.

Whether in the DTM, the IMSA WeatherTech 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.

BTCC: Turkington wins in Donington Park.

The team from West Surrey Racing has celebrated more success at the second race weekend of the 2017 season in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in Donington Park (GBR). Colin Turkington (GBR) claimed his first win of the season in the BMW 125i M Sport and is now in second place in the drivers’ standings, with 72 points. Turkington had finished the third race on Sunday in second place, but moved up one position due to the exclusion of the first-placed driver from the final result. In the first two races of the day, he had finished in fourth and fifth places respectively. Rob Collard (GBR) also made it onto the podium, finishing second in race two. He ended races one and three in sixth and twelfth places respectively. In the third BMW 125i M Sport, Andrew Jordan (GBR) finished in 15^th, 15^th and 18^th places.

International GT Open: Félix da Costa starting for BMW Team Teo Martín.

There will be more competitive appearances in the BMW M6 GT3 for BMW works driver António Félix da Costa (POR) in the 2017 season. Having already taken part in Blancpain GT Series test drives for ROWE Racing and being part of the BMW drivers’ team for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (GER), Félix da Costa will also be competing for BMW Team Teo Martín in selected International GT Open races. At the season-opener in Estoril (POR) on 29^th and 30^th April, he will share driving duties in the BMW M6 GT3 with Lourenço Beirão (POR). Félix da Costa and the former Formula 1 driver Tiago Monteiro (POR) will take turns to accompany Beirão throughout the rest of the season. Former BMW Motorsport Junior Victor Bouveng (SWE) and Fran Rueda (ESP) will compete for the 2016 team champions in the second BMW M6 GT3.

New BMW M235i Racing Cup Belgium season starts in Spa.

The new BMW M235i Racing Cup Belgium season started on the Easter weekend with two endurance races in Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). In the four-hour race on Saturday, the win went to Oskar Sandberg (NOR), Torsten Kratz (GER) and Matthew Swaenepoel (RSA) from Team Securtal Sorg Rennsport. Victory on Sunday in the BMW M235i Racing Cup class at the 400-minute race in Spa was claimed by Recep and Hakan Sari (both TUR) from Team Gamsiz Motorsport.