A highlight to start the season: BMW Team Schnitzer and Walkenhorst Motorsport preparing for Bathurst.

Munich. The BMW M6 GT3 will be appearing in the upcoming Intercontinental GT Challenge season as part of the BMW Motorsport programme. BMW Team Schnitzer and Walkenhorst Motorsport will each compete with one car in the opening race of the global race series in Bathurst (AUS) on 3^rd February 2019. Three BMW drivers will be sharing each cockpit.

Both BMW teams have plenty of momentum as they approach the legendary “Mount Panorama” in south-eastern Australia. BMW Team Schnitzer claimed victory at the FIA GT World Cup in mid-November – and intends to build on this strong performance at Bathurst. As he was in Macau (CHN), Augusto Farfus (BRA) will be at the wheel of the #42 BMW M6 GT3 in the Intercontinental GT Challenge. His team-mates will be Martin Tomczyk (GER) and local hero Chaz Mostert (AUS). Last year, BMW Team Schnitzer secured pole position at Bathurst, but the BMW M6 GT3 then had to retire early from the race.

“Bathurst is one of the best circuits in the world,” said Farfus. “Last year, we had a good weekend there overall but were unable to top it off with a good result. However, we still learned a lot in 2018. So, I think we are well set for the race in February. We have certainly set ourselves some ambitious targets.”

The greatest triumph thus far in the history of Walkenhorst Motorsport came with victory at the Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) 24-hour race in 2018. The team, headed by principal Henry Walkenhorst (GER), is now taking on the new IGTC challenge. Christian Krognes (NOR) will be one of the drivers, accompanied by the BMW works drivers Nick Catsburg (NED) and Mikkel Jensen (DEN). Jensen made the step up from the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme in 2018.

Catsburg added: “Bathurst has long been on my to-do list – and now I will be competing there for the very first time. I am really looking forward to it. I am familiar with the circuit from the simulator and I have watched all the races from recent years. Christian Krognes and Mikkel Jensen are great drivers and Walkenhorst Motorsport has just had a sensational year. Now we are preparing intensively for this great event.”

The Intercontinental GT Challenge will continue at Laguna Seca (USA, 31^st March), Spa-Francorchamps (BEL, 27^th/28^th July), Suzuka (JPN, 25^th August) and Kyalami (RSA, 23^rd November).