BMW Motorsport News – Issue 30/16.

Japanese Super GT Championship: Victory for the BMW M6 GT3 in Fuji.

The new BMW M6 GT3 has claimed its first win in the Japanese Super GT Championship: Autobacs Racing Team Aguri proved unbeatable at round four of the season in Fuji (JP). Shinichi Takagi (JP) and Takashi Kobayashi (JP) secured pole position for the number 55 BMW M6 GT3 on Saturday. They then crossed the line as winners after 62 laps of racing on Sunday. The team had previously tasted success in Fuji back in May, when they started from pole before finishing runner-up at the second race of the season. They now have their first win in this series. “After securing pole position here in the spring, we knew that the track suited our car. For this reason, we were determined to win the race this weekend. I am very happy that we achieved this, and took victory,” said Takagi. Jörg Müller (DE) and Seji Ara (JP) came home 20th in the BMW M6 GT3 run by BMW Team Studie. 

BMW Motorsport Juniors: ADAC GT Masters at the Nürburgring.

This weekend saw BMW Motorsport Juniors Jesse Krohn (FI) and Louis Delétraz (CH) in action in the ADAC GT Masters at the Nürburgring (DE). The pair once again shared the cockpit of the Schubert Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 at the fifth race weekend of the season. In Saturday’s race, a puncture caused start driver Krohn to come in for an unscheduled pit stop after 12 minutes. He rejoined the field in 27th. Krohn and Delétraz then launched an impressive fightback, which saw them climb back into 12th. However, Delétraz suffered another puncture in the closing stages and, after contact with another car, skidded off the track and was forced to retire. The BMW Motorsport Juniors produced another great fightback in Sunday’s race. Starting from 23rd, Delétraz immediately made up five positions at the start. Over the rest of the race, he and Krohn fought their way into 12th. The Finn had his sights set on a points finish, but was then forced off the track and was subsequently unable to gain any more positions. The duo ultimately came home in 12th. “We were really unlucky on Saturday. We had two punctures and eventually had to retire. It was an unfortunate day, but we bounced back on Sunday. The team and Louis did a great job. He handed the car over to me in a good position, and I was able to gain some more positions,” said Krohn. Delétraz explained: “In terms of performance, we are continuously improving – both the car, and us as drivers. We had two punctures on Saturday, but were still on course for a points finish until we unfortunately had to retire. We got the best possible result in Sunday’s race. Had Jesse not been forced off the track, we could have been looking at some points again. We are getting there and continue to work hard.” The sixth race weekend of the 2016 ADAC GT Masters takes place in Zandvoort (NL) from 19th to 21st August.

IWSC: Calendar for the 2017 season announced.

Round eight of the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) will get underway in Road America (US) on Sunday evening European time. The calendar for the coming season was announced at the race weekend: next year, the calendar will once again feature 12 events at the same venues as in 2016. However, there are two big changes to the schedule. The race at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin (US), Texas, which was previously held in September, will take place at the start of May. The date for the race at Laguna Seca (US) in California moves from spring to autumn: in 2017, Laguna Seca will be the penultimate event of the year in September. As is tradition, the season kicks off with the 24 Hours of Daytona (27th to 29th January) and ends, as always, with the Petit Le Mans in Road Atlanta (5th to 7th October). The GTLM class will be contested at 11 of the 12 events, while the GTD class races at all 12 rounds.

British GT Championship: Podium finish for the BMW Z4 GT3 at Snetterton.

At the penultimate round of the 2016 British GT Championship, held this weekend at Snetterton (GB), team AMDtuning.com secured another podium finish. In race two, Lee Mowle (GB) and Joe Osborne (GB) finished third in the number 7 BMW Z4 GT3. In race one, the pairing was classified fifth.