BMW Motorsport News – Issue 19/15.

Whether in the DTM, the United 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.

Nürburgring 24 Hours: the Eifel classic on video.

BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS finished runners-up at the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE) last Sunday in one of the closest finishes of all time. In an emotional video, we look back at the 43rd running of this endurance marathon. From pole position, courtesy of Augusto Farfus (BR), and disappointment for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert to the happy ending after 24 hours: this year’s race was littered with spectacular scenes.

The clip is available now on the BMW Motorsport YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/XSbH_ArJ1M8

Extensive footage is also available for TV and video journalists to download at: http://bit.ly/1enKae2

Blancpain Endurance Series: class victory for the BMW Z4 GT3.

A top-class field of 61 cars competed in Silverstone (GB) for the second race weekend in the Blancpain Endurance Series. After 82 laps, Olivier Grötz (NL) and Karim Ojjeh (SA) emerged victorious in the Am class in the number 15 BMW Z4 GT3. The duo from the Boutsen Ginion team led the three-hour race for long stretches, leaving the opposition to fight it out for second place. In the Pro-Am class, the number 888 BMW Z4 GT3 of the Triple Eight Racing team also led for much of the race, but surrendered the lead after the final pit stop and eventually came home tenth. The best-placed BMW Z4 GT3 in the Pro-Am class was the TDS Racing car in sixth place.

GT4 European Series: first win of the season for the defending champions.

The second race weekend of the GT4 European Series saw Ricardo van der Ende and Bernhard van Oranje (both NL) claim their first win of the season. The defending champions in the Pro class came home second overall at the wheel of the number 1 BMW M3 GT4 in Saturday’s opening race, which was good enough to earn them victory in their class. “Winning your home race is just the coolest thing,” said van Oranje, who races alongside van der Ende for the Ekris Motorsport team. They were less fortunate in race two on Sunday, having to settle for sixth place in the Pro class. The best-placed BMW drivers were Simon Knap and Rob Severs (both NL), also representing Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport. They finished the race fourth overall and in the Pro class. Two BMW M3 GT4s came home in the top ten. The Red Bull Ring (AT) hosts the third race weekend of the GT4 European Series from 5th to 7th June.

FIA Formula E Championship: home outing for the BMW i8 Safety Car.

The latest leg of their world tour saw the BMW i8 Safety Car and the BMW i3 Medical Car make their first appearance in Germany at the weekend. The eighth race of FIA Formula E Championship took place on Saturday on the grounds of the former Tempelhof Airport in Berlin (DE). BMW is involved in the innovative racing series for electric single-seater cars as “Official Vehicle Partner”. The winner of the 33-lap race was Jerome d'Ambrosio (BE) of the Dragon Racing team. Lucas di Grassi (BR) did cross the finish line first, but the Brazilian was subsequently disqualified, as his car failed the post-race technical inspection. BMW DTM driver António Félix da Costa (PT) finished 11th at the Berlin ePrix. The BMW i8 Safety Car and BMW i3 Medical Car will be in action in Moscow (RU) next, when the Russian capital hosts the ninth round of the FIA Formula E Championship on 6th June. Three months later, the DTM also heads to Russia: the eight BMW M4 DTMs will be back battling for points when the “Moscow Raceway” stages two races from 28th to 30th August.