BMW Motorsport News – Issue 25/16.

Home round for ROWE Racing at the Nürburgring – BMW Motorsport Juniors complete fitness camp in Italy.

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.

Blancpain GT Series: Home round for ROWE Racing at the Nürburgring.

The weekend at the Nürburgring (DE) represented the home round of the Blancpain GT Series for the ROWE Racing team. The team fielded two BMW M6 GT3s at the third event of the Sprint Cup. In a strong field of 37 cars, the two BMW M6 GT3s finished in the top ten in both the qualification race on Saturday and the main race on Sunday. On Saturday, Philipp Eng (AT) and Alexander Sims (GB) finished seventh in the number 99 car. Stef Dusseldorp (NL) and BMW DTM driver Maxime Martin (BE) produced a strong fightback from 22nd on the grid to finish ninth in the number 98 car. In Sunday’s main race, Dusseldorp/Martin came home eighth, ahead of team-mates Eng and Sims in ninth.

DTM: Spengler and Farfus at Young Drivers’ Day in Luxembourg.

BMW DTM drivers Augusto Farfus (BR) and Bruno Spengler (CA) were the stars at the fifth Young Drivers’ Day on Sunday at the Colmar-Berg driver safety centre in Luxembourg. 120 drivers aged between 18 and 24 enjoyed an informative day with many different driving-related activities and workshops. Two flying laps with one of the two drivers in a BMW M4 or BMW M2 were the absolute highlight. “The day was great fun. And fun is the best way to convey important messages. The laps with us were an unforgettable experience for all the participants and they will always remember how hard a car is to control when pushed to the limit, and that safety always has to take priority. It is far more important to show drivers how to control a car than to learn how to park during a driving lesson,” said Farfus. “I met a lot of nice young people today and it was great fun to feel how intently they were listening to us. We were able to convey to them how big the difference is between a racetrack and normal road traffic. The earlier you learn that, the better,” said Spengler.

BMW Motorsport Juniors: Fitness camp in Italy.

Gym instead of the racetrack: as part of their training programme, BMW Motorsport Juniors Jesse Krohn (FI), Louis Delétraz (CH), Nico Menzel (DE) and Ricky Collard (GB) took part in an intense fitness camp this week at Formula Medicine, near Viareggio (IT). The eight BMW DTM drivers had also prepared for the season at the same venue back in April. Team doctor Riccardo Ceccarelli (IT) and his staff had developed an extensive and varied training schedule for the BMW Motorsport Juniors. The focus was on fitness, mental and reactions training. “I had heard a lot about Formula Medicine, but it exceeded my expectations. We trained a wide range of areas and learned how we can work on all aspects in our daily training routine, in order to become better drivers,” said Krohn. Menzel added: “It was great fun and I was really impressed with how it was all specifically tailored to motorsport. We not only worked on our fitness and mental strength, but also received valuable advice on how to lower your heartbeat and still perform to the same standard. We also learned different breathing and relaxation techniques that will help us hugely in the future.” Collard was also pleased that one of the focuses of the fitness camp was on mental training: “I had never done it like this before, and can tell that it will really help me be successful in motorsport. The trip to Viareggio was very special for me personally. I had a big crash in a kart race in 2013, and Doctor Ceccarelli saved my life back then. I am very grateful to him for his help and support, and it was nice to see him again. I would also like to say a big thank you to BMW for making this camp in Italy possible.” The BMW Motorsport Juniors were accompanied by head instructor Dirk Adorf (DE) and BMW works driver Jörg Müller (DE), who acts as mentor to all the Juniors driving the BMW M6 GT3.

IWSC: Front row start for the BMW M6 GTLM at Watkins Glen.

The GTLM teams were back in action in the USA this weekend after the long break for Le Mans, and the fifth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) was held at Watkins Glen (US). BMW Team RLL had a strong qualifying, securing encouraging starting positions for the six-hour race. The number 25 BMW M6 GTLM driven by Bill Auberlen (US) and Dirk Werner (DE), with its special livery to mark American Independence Day on the 4th July, claimed second on the grid with Werner at the wheel. Their team mates Lucas Luhr (DE) and John Edwards (US), in the number 100 car, took third on the grid after the American qualified the car. The Turner Motorsport team’s number 96 BMW M6 GT3 in the GTD class, driven by Bret Curtis (US) and Jens Klingmann (DE), qualified ninth, while the number 97 sister car of Michael Marsal (US) and Markus Palttala (FI) was tenth. The six-hour race was flagged away at 10.10 local time and will not finish until late Sunday evening European Time.

ICTSC: Fourth round of the season at Watkins Glen.

After a two-month break, the 2016 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (ICTSC) resumed this weekend with the fourth round of the season being held at Watkins Glen (US). In Saturday’s two-and-one-half-hour race the No. 84 BimmerWorld Racing BMW 328i of James Clay (US) and Tyler Cooke (US) was the highest placed BMW in the field with a sixth place finish in the Street Tuner (ST) class. A tenth place finish was scored by BimmerWorld racing teammates Jerry Kaufman (US) and Kyle Tilley (GB) in the No. 81 BMW 328i. Two additional BMWs competed in the ST class.

FIA Formula E Championship: Grand finale to the season with the BMW i8 Safety Car in London.

The second season of the FIA Formula E Championship concluded with a spectacular finale in London (GB) at the weekend. Among those in action on the series’ world tour, which began in Beijing (CN) in China and led the competitors to cities on four continents, was the official car fleet, spearheaded by the BMW i8 Safety Car. The season ended with two races on a street circuit in the heart of the English capital. Both races were won by Nicolas Prost (FR), the title went to Sébastien Buemi (CH). BMW DTM works driver António Félix da Costa (PT) was back in action at the finale in London. He had been forced to miss the previous race, the BMW i Berlin ePrix, due to a clash with the DTM. Félix da Costa ended the two races in London in sixth and fifth place.

BMW Motorsport history: BMW M1 in the Legends Parade ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg.

In 1979 and 1980 the BMW M1 thrilled fans in the Procar Series, which took place on Formula One weekends in Europe. The spectacular racing car returned this weekend to once again put motorsport fans in the mood for a Formula One World Championship. Immediately before Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (AT), BMW Group Classic sent many BMW M1s onto the track in the Legends Parade. Many well-known Procar Series drivers from days gone by took the opportunity to return to the cockpit of the super sports car. Among those to take part in the Legends Parade in exactly the same BMW M1s they raced in back then were Niki Lauda (AT), Hans-Joachim Stuck (DE), Jochen Mass (DE), Christian Danner (DE) and Marc Surer (CH). Once rivals, Dieter Quester (AT) and Sepp Manhalter (CH) were also part of the Legends Parade, along with ex-Formula One drivers Gerhard Berger (AT), Jos Verstappen (NL) and Jan Lammers (NL), as well as Harald Grohs (DE), BMW Brand Ambassador Prince Leopold of Bavaria (DE) and Johnny Cecotto (VE). The BMW M1 was the first car designed by BMW Motorsport GmbH specifically for use in competition. The 204-kW/277-hp production version boasted a top speed of almost 265 km/h, making it the fastest German road-going sports car of its time.

BMW M235i Racing Cup Belgium: Dumarey wins at Zolder.

As a part of the Belcar Endurance Championship, the BMW M235i Racing Cup Belgium held its fifth race of the season at Zolder (BE) this weekend. Victory in the 125-minute race went to Maxime Dumarey (DE) in the number 240 BMW M235i Racing of team PK Carsport. The next round is scheduled for 20th and 21st August: the 24 Hours of Zolder.