BMW Motorsport News - Issue 39/2017.

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.

BMW M235i Racing Cup: Bonk Motorsport already team champions.

The Bonk Motorsport team has retained the title in the BMW M235i Racing Cup team championship. At the penultimate race of the season in the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring (GER), Michael Schrey (GER) celebrated his sixth consecutive class win in the #691 car and extended his team’s lead to an unassailable 50 points. With the win, Schrey has a 50-point lead over second-placed Heiko Eichenberg (GER) in the drivers’ standings, however double points are awarded at the season finale, meaning that a maximum of 52 points are still available. On Saturday, victory in the eighth race of the BMW M235i Racing Cup class initially went to Yannick Fübrich (GER) and David Griessner (AUT) from the Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport. The duo received a time penalty after the race concluded, however, which demoted them to third in class. Eichenberg (Team Securtal Sorg Rennsport) claimed second place behind Schrey. A total of 18 cars completed in the CUP5 class.

VLN: Another competitive test for the BMW M6 GT3 Evo package.

BMW Motorsport used the penultimate race in the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring (GER) for renewed testing of the Evo package, which will be available for the BMW M6 GT3 from the 2018 season onwards. The BMW Team Schnitzer competed in the #53 car with BMW works driver Philipp Eng (AUT) in the cockpit. The car was not involved in the battle for the leading positions as the test appearance was not focused on results. The best-placed BMW car was the #35 BMW M6 GT3 from Team Walkenhorst Motorsport. After four hours of racing, Jordan Tresson (FRA), Sebastian Morris (GBR) and Alex Lambertz (GER) secured fourth place in the overall standings. The BMW Motorsport Juniors Beitske Visser (NED), Mikkel Jensen (DEN) and Dennis Marschall (GER) gained more experience on the Nordschleife in the BMW M235i Racing and now meet all the requirements for competing on the “Green Hell” in faster cars. BMW teams celebrated a total of three class wins at the 49^th “ADAC Barbarossapreis” event.

Italian GT Championship: Title win for Comandini/Cerqui.

The Italian GT Championship season drew to a successful close this weekend with two races at Mugello (ITA). Stefano Comandini and Alberto Cerqui (both ITA) were competing in the BMW Team Italia #15 BMW M6 GT3, but were unable to finish either race. Despite this, they were able to defend their lead in the Super GT3 drivers’ championship, claiming the title in their class by the slenderest of margins - one point. Team Principal Roberto Ravaglia (ITA), and everyone else involved with the team, can look back on one win and two podium finishes achieved in the 2017 season.

ICTSCC: Finale at Road Atlanta.

This weekend saw the last round of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge 2017. The BMW teams in the Street Tuner class endured some bad luck in the race at Road Atlanta (USA). James Clay and Tyler Cooke (both USA) from Team BimmerWorld Racing were the best-placed BMW representatives, finishing in twelfth place with their BMW 328i. The duo are also the highest placed BMW drivers in the championship standings, concluding the season in sixth position with 241 points.  

Japanese Super GT Championship: ARTA just misses out on podium.

At the penultimate race of the Japanese Super GT Championship season at Buriram, Thailand, the Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) finished in fourth place, missing out on the podium by just 0.210 seconds. Shinichi Takagi (JPN) and Sean Walkinshaw (GBR) shared the cockpit of the orange #55 BMW M6 GT3. Jörg Müller (GER) and Seiji Ara (JPN) from the BMW Team Studie finished the race in tenth place, in the #7 BMW M6 GT3.

12 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps: BMW teams celebrate two class wins.

BMW teams celebrated two class wins at the 12 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL), which took place as part of the 24H Touring Car Endurance Series. The BMW M235i Racing Cup class saw the Belgium-based JJ Motorsport team emerge triumphant from a field of seven. In the A3 class, first place went to the BMW M3 from the German Wheels team.