BMW Motorsport News – Issue 27/16.

DTM: BMW leads all three championships after Zandvoort weekend.

The BMW DTM teams scored valuable points in all three championships at the fifth race weekend of the DTM season in Zandvoort (NL). Marco Wittmann (DE), in particular, produced two strong drives to finish second and fourth and defend his lead in the DTM Drivers’ Championship. In the team competition, BMW Team RMG moved to the top of the standings courtesy of Wittmann’s good results and sixth place for Timo Glock (DE) on Sunday. BMW retained first place in the Manufacturers’ Championship. As well as Wittmann and Glock, António Félix da Costa (PT), Maxime Martin (BE) and Tom Blomqvist (GB) also finished in the points in the Netherlands.

ADAC GT Masters: Félix da Costa makes his first appearance in the BMW M6 GT3.

The fourth race weekend of this season’s ADAC GT Masters, at the Red Bull Ring (AT), sees a BMW DTM driver start alongside BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI) in the BMW M6 GT3 for the second time this season. From 22nd to 24th July, António Félix da Costa (PT) will make his debut in the GT racing car, which is fielded by Schubert Motorsport. The Portuguese driver is contesting his third DTM season in 2016, and was also in action in the FIA Formula E Championship. He also made a guest start in the Brazilian Stock Car Championship at the start of the year. He now goes in pursuit of a good result in the BMW M6 GT3 for the first time in his career. The BMW M6 GT3 Junior Car also received support from a BMW DTM driver at the opening round of the ADAC GT Masters in Oschersleben (DE). Martin Tomczyk (DE) finished fifth and eighth alongside Krohn. The races in Spielberg begin at 13:15 on Saturday and 12:15 on Sunday (both races are live on Sport1).

Three questions for... António Félix da Costa.

António, sixth place on Saturday and only 17th on Sunday: how would you sum up the DTM weekend in Zandvoort?

António Félix da Costa: “Fortunately I scored some decent points for finishing sixth on Saturday, although it was clear to me from the first lap that it would be tough. I struggled with my car and did not get the tyres working. As a result, I had to go on the defensive in the race. On Sunday, the first half of the race was actually quite okay. Unfortunately, I then made contact with Esteban Ocon. After that, the car was damaged and there was not a lot more that I could do.”

You will contest your first race in the BMW M6 GT3 this weekend. How much are you looking forward to this new experience?

Félix da Costa: “I can hardly wait to finally go racing in this fantastic car. Over the course of my career, I have driven pretty much everything you can try out as a racing driver – but a GT car is something new for me. I am also looking forward to working with Jesse and the Schubert team. I don’t know the team yet, but I have actually raced against Jesse. This will be the first time I have shared a cockpit with him. I think I will have to adapt a bit and get used to the BMW M6 GT3 and the series. However, my outing in the ADAC GT Masters gives me the perfect opportunity to do just that.”

As a football fan, are you still in ecstasy one week after Portugal won the European Championship?

Félix da Costa: “That was a really incredible experience. The importance of this title transcends sport in Portugal. The entire country pretty much came to a standstill when the team was given its official welcome when it returned from the Euros. Portugal has had some tough years economically, so this title was a huge relief. I was lucky enough that the first match I was able to watch at home was actually the final. I celebrated with 20 or 30 of my friends. That was very cool. I actually know some of the players personally, and am really pleased for them.”

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VLN: Podium for Walkenhorst Motorsport.

The fifth round of the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring (DE) ended with a podium for the BMW M6 GT3 and the Walkenhorst Motorsport team. Victor Bouveng (SE), BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI) and BMW works driver Jörg Müller (DE) finished third in the number 36 car after four hours of racing on the Nordschleife. The number 35 car, driven by Matias Henkola (FI) and Michele di Martino (DE), came home fifth. The Walkenhorst Motorsport team’s BMW Z4 GT3 also finished in the top ten. Felipe Fernandes Laser (DE), Peter Posavac (DE) and team principal Henry Walkenhorst (DE) were ninth. Alexander Mies (DE) and Michael Schrey (DE) of Bonk Motorsport remain the men to beat in the BMW M235i Racing Cup class. The duo claimed its fifth win in five races and remains unbeaten on the Nordschleife this season. Second place went to Thomas Jäger (AT) and Rudi Adams (DE) of the Scheid-Honert Motorsport team. Heiko Eichenberg (DE) of Securtal Sorg Rennsport was third. BMW teams claimed six class victories in total.

Italian GT Championship: BMW Team Italia on the podium again.

BMW Team Italia and the BMW M6 GT3 remain on course for success in the Italian GT Championship. Four weeks after its first win in Misano (IT), team principal Roberto Ravaglia’s (IT) outfit once again made it onto the podium in Mugello (IT). Alberto Cerqui (IT) and Stefano Comandini (IT) finished second in Sunday’s race. After 35 laps, the duo came home six seconds behind the winning Lamborghini. The BMW M6 GT3 actually led Saturday’s race with just two laps remaining, until a crash dashed any hopes of a second win in a row.