BMW M Motorsport News, 9th April 2024

Top topics in this newsletter:

• ADAC GT Masters: FK Performance kicks off the new season with two BMW M4 GT3s.
• NLS: BMW M Motorsport teams achieve 14 class victories at the season opener.
• BMW M Motorsport teams celebrate successes at the season opener in Sonoma.

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Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:

"The 2024 motorsport season is really picking up speed now, and it's great that we've already been able to celebrate the first successes of the year with our BMW M Motorsport teams. At the Nordschleife, there were numerous class victories to celebrate at the NLS season opener. In North America, the SRO racing series got off to a very successful start for our teams with the BMW M4 GT3, the BMW M4 GT4, and the BMW M2 CS Racing. This is in addition to strong results in the GT4 European Series as well as in France and Great Britain. Congratulations to everyone, let's keep it up! Other championships will soon start their new season, including the ADAC GT Masters. Here I am very pleased about the commitment of FK Performance Motorsport. The team is entering the new season with two BMW M4 GT3s and strong driver pairings. I wish them a lot of success – as well as all the other teams in the many championships worldwide!"

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ADAC GT Masters: FK Performance starts the new season with two BMW M4 GT3s.

FK Performance Motorsport will enter the upcoming ADAC GT Masters season with two BMW M4 GT3s. Last year, the team from Bremen (GER) debuted in the racing series with a BMW M4 GT3 and achieved its first victory in its inaugural season. At the Red Bull Ring (AUT), BMW M works driver Bruno Spengler (CAN) triumphed alongside Maxime Oosten (NED).

The team is now expanding its commitment to two BMW M4 GT3s and presents a strong lineup. The 21-year-old Oosten shares the cockpit of his BMW M4 GT3 with Leon Köhler (GER). In FK Performance Motorsport's sister car, Grégory de Sybourg (SUI) and Eduardo Coseteng (PHL) will compete. The quartet will start the new season on the weekend of 26th-28th April at Oschersleben (GER).

In the ADAC GT4 Germany, FK Performance Motorsport will race with four BMW M4 GT4s. These will be driven by the duos Moh Ritson (GBR) / Gianni van de Craats (NED), Joseph Warhurst / Tom Edgar (both GBR), Niels Tröger (GER) / Joseph Ellerine (RSA), and Leyton Fourie (RSA) / Max Rosam (GER), both of whom are moving up from the BMW M2 Cup.

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NLS: BMW M Motorsport teams start the new season with 14 class victories.

The 2024 season at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (GER) has started with a bang. On Saturday and Sunday, the first two rounds of the Nürburgring Endurance Series 2024 (NLS) were held. BMW M Motorsport teams achieved 14 class victories.

The reigning champions from Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhatten Wheel, Daniel Zils and Philipp Leisen (both GER), started the new year with a victory. Together with their new team-mate Moran Gott (GBR), they won the highly competitive VT2-R+4WD class in race one with the #1 BMW 330i. The following day, they finished seventh in the class. Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhatten Wheel also achieved double success in the BMW M240i class in which Sven Markert (GER), Ranko Mijatovic (SUI), and Toby Goodman (GBR) secured the class victory in both rounds with the #650 car. In the BMW M2 CS class, the #888 BMW M2 CS Racing of Martin Kroll (SUI), Michael Schrey, and Max Partl (both GER) took first place.

In the SP8T class, the BMW M4 GT4 was successful on both days. On Saturday, the class victory went to the Schmickler Performance team powered by Ravenol and the driver duo Michael Luther and Markus Schmickler (both GER) in the #151 BMW M4 GT4. On Sunday, the #150 BMW M4 GT4 from Team Bilstein by Black Falcon won the class where Jimmy Broadbent (GBR), Steve Brown (GBR), Misha Charoudin (GER), and Manuel Metzger (GER) took turns at the wheel.

Further victories went to BMW M Motorsport teams in the classes V4, VT3, SP3, SP4, and H4. BMW M4 GT3s did not compete at the season opener due to the scheduling conflict with the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, which took place on the same weekend at Le Castellet (FRA).

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GT4 European Series: Large contingent of BMW M4 GT4s at the season opener.

Six teams and a total of eight BMW M4 GT4s featured at the season opener of the GT4 European Series at Le Castellet (FRA) with the colours of BMW M Motorsport strongly represented. In the highest class, the Silver category, Berkay Besler (TUR) and Gabriele Piana (ITA) from Team Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport showed consistency. The duo finished both races in sixth place overall and in the Silver classification with the #12 BMW M4 GT4. Their team-mates Yagiz Gedik (TUR) and Pedro Ebrahim Carvalho (BRA) finished in positions ten and eleven in the Silver category with the #10 car.

The best individual result of the weekend was achieved by Benjamin Lessennes (BEL) and Ricardo van der Ende (NED) in the #17 BMW M4 GT4 from L’Espace Bienvenue. They finished race two in fifth place overall and in the Silver classification. They retired early in race one.

In the Pro-Am class, Chazel Technologie Course, W&D Racing Team, Lestrup Racing Team, and Razoon xAutomotive racing secured strong results in the front field and important points with their BMW M4 GT4s. The Lestrup Racing Team also finished seventh and fifth in the Am class.

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GT4/GT America: Dream weekend at the season opener.

BMW M Motorsport teams had a dream start at the season opener of GT4 America at Sonoma Raceway (USA). In the second race in Northern California, there was a 1-2 finish  – both in the overall standings and in the Silver Class. Colin Garrett and Zac Anderson (both USA) from Team AutoTechnic Racing won in the #51 BMW M4 GT4 ahead of Kevin Boehm and Kenton Koch (both USA) from Team Random Vandals Racing.

Already in the first race, both BMW M4 GT4s had been on the podium. As on Sunday, Boehm and Koch in the #97 BMW M4 GT4 finished second on Saturday. Garrett and Anderson completed the podium in the first round as third before they were unbeatable in the second race.

In the Pro-Am category, BMW M Motorsport also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. The #82 BMW M4 GT4 of James Walker Jr. and Tyler McQuarrie (both USA) triumphed in the first round and rounded off the outstanding weekend in GT4 America with second place in the second race the following day. In the Am category, the BMW M4 GT4 also achieved a 1-2 result. Troy Lindstrom and Matt Million (both USA) won the second round in the #53 from AutoTechnic Racing ahead of Paul Sparta and Kris Wilson (both USA) in the #98 from Random Vandals Racing. In the first round, Sparta and Wilson finished second ahead of Charlie Postins and James Clay (both USA) in the #36 BMW M4 GT4 from BimmerWorld.

In GT America, Justin Rothberg (USA) from Team Turner Motorsport finished sixth in both races in his #29 BMW M4 GT3, securing a top-ten place.

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GT World Challenge America: Podium rain in Northern California.

In the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, BMW M Motorsport teams also started the season with a podium. In the first race at Sonoma Raceway (USA), BMW M works driver Bill Auberlen and Varun Choksey (both USA) in the #28 BMW M4 GT3 from Team ST Racing finished third overall and second in the Pro category.

In the Pro-Am category, BMW M Motorsport celebrated a double podium. BMW M works driver Neil Verhagen (USA) finished fourth overall in the #38 BMW M4 GT3 alongside Samantha Tan (CAN), which meant second place in the Pro-Am category for Team ST Racing. BMW M works driver Robby Foley (USA) completed the podium in the Pro-Am category in third with Justin Rothberg (USA) in the #29 BMW M4 GT3 for Turner Motorsport.

On Sunday, Verhagen and Tan followed up with another podium. The #38 BMW M4 GT3 crossed the finish line in third place, which meant second in the Pro-Am category. Choksey and Auberlen finished second in the Pro category as on the previous day. Foley and Rothberg rounded off the strong result for the BMW M Motorsport teams on the opening weekend in Northern California with fifth place in the Pro-Am category.

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TC America: Out of the starting blocks with two double victories.

In TC America, BMW M Motorsport teams also celebrated a gala start at Sonoma Raceway (USA). Chris Walsh (USA) from Carrus Callas Raceteam triumphed at the first stop of the season in his #104 BMW M2 CS Racing in both rounds, and Lucas Catania (USA) from Team Rigid Speed completed the perfect double 1-2 on Saturday and Sunday in his #17 BMW M2 CS Racing. His teammate Joseph Catania (USA) and Aaron Kaplan (USA) from Team Kaplan Racing System also secured a top-ten placement in both races.

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British GT: Season opener at Oulton Park.

At the season opener of the British GT Championship at Oulton Park (GBR), BMW M works driver Dan Harper and Michael Johnston (both GBR) finished ninth in the #14 BMW M4 GT3. In the second round, the duo from Team Century Motorsport finished thirteenth. BMW M works driver Raffaele Marciello (SUI) and John Ferguson (GBR) from Team RAM Racing secured a top-ten finish with seventh place in the second round. The previous day, the #15 BMW M4 GT3 had to settle for twelfth place.

With the BMW M4 GT4, there were podium successes to celebrate. In race one, Ravi Ramyead and Charlie Robertson (both GBR) finished third in the GT4 Pro-Am category in the #71 from Century Motorsport. Their teammates Ian Gough and Tom Wrigley (both GBR) achieved the same placement in the #29 BMW M4 GT4 in the second round.

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GT4 France: Podium places at the Coupe de Pâques at Nogaro.

The 2024 season in GT4 France began with the traditional Coupe de Pâques (Easter Cup) in Nogaro (FRA). In the first of the two rounds, Debard Automobiles By Racetivity was the best-placed BMW M Motorsport team. Simon Gachet and Carla Debard (both FRA) finished ninth overall and fourth in the Pro-Am category in the #21 BMW M4 GT4. In the second round, there were the first podium places of the year to celebrate. Gachet and Debard were thrilled with third place overall, which also meant second in the Pro-Am class. Right behind them, Jim Pla and Jean-Luc Beaubelique (both FRA) finished fourth overall and third in the Pro-Am classification in the #87 BMW M4 GT4 from L'Espace Bienvenue.