The 13th Knysna Simola Hillclimb run on Saturday, 6 May and Sunday, 7 May solidified the event’s status as the must-attend hillclimb on the local motorsport calendar. For BMW Group South Africa, that fielded cars in the hillclimb’s Classic Car Friday and King of the Hill events, Knysna proved a fitting environment to display its icons – past and future – as it celebrates 50 years in South Africa.
On Friday, 5 May, motoring enthusiasts welcomed the start of the 2023 Knysna Simola Hillclimb – a three-day motorsport lifestyle showcase. Local and international fans and broadcast viewers gathered in anticipation to watch drivers take on the famed Hill.
Before he rides for the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Assen (NED) this weekend, BMW Motorrad works rider Garrett Gerloff (USA) spent a few exciting days in his home of Texas. Gerloff was in Austin (USA) to visit the Grand Prix of the Americas in MotoGP™ – and took the opportunity to take the new BMW M 1000 RR MotoGP™ Safety Bike onto the track for a spin.
BMW Motorrad Motorsport experienced a weekend of mixed emotions at the opening round of the European leg of this season’s FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) in Assen, the Netherlands. Scott Redding (GBR) from the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team claimed his best results of the season so far in the Superpole and the races. Meanwhile, his team-mate and local favourite Michael van der Mark (NED) suffered a big crash in race two.
BMW Group South Africa is Tier One partner to Knysna Simola Hillclimb in support of its 50th anniversary celebrations +++ Four iconic South Africa-only models to compete in Classic Car Friday, 5 May +++ Four current and soon-to-be-launched models to compete in King of the Hill, 6 - 7 May +++ Celebration of BMW's unique automotive heritage, past and future.
Three races, three wins for the BMW M4 GT3: the BMW Junior Team has completed the hat-trick for BMW M Motorsport in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS). On Saturday, BMW M works drivers Neil Verhagen (USA), Dan Harper (GBR) and Max Hesse (GER) won the third race of the season on the Nürburgring Nordschleife (GER) in the #44 BMW M4 GT3 from the BMW M Team RMG.
After finishing second in the GTP class at the Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA), BMW M Team RLL again enjoyed podium celebrations at Long Beach (USA). Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) repeated their Sebring success, finishing second again in the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 in the first sprint race of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series).
The BMW M4 GT3 was again the benchmark in the second race of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) season. After ROWE Racing won the opening event two weeks ago, first place this time around went to Walkenhorst Motorsport. BMW M works driver Jesse Krohn (FIN) and his team-mate Jakub Giermaziak (POL) in the #34 car overcame difficult conditions to claim victory as the track dried out.
At its second race outing, the new BMW M Hybrid V8 claimed its maiden podium result. At the Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA), round two of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, final-stint driver Nick Yelloly (GBR) crossed the line for BMW M Team RLL in second.
ROWE Racing and BMW M Motorsport will be aiming for joint success again in the major 24-hour races at the Nürburgring (GER) and Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) in the 2023 season. The team from St. Ingbert (GER) will race with two works-supported BMW M4 GT3s; both at the Nordschleife and in the Endurance Cup of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC).
After a short but busy winter break, BMW Motorrad Motorsport kicked off the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship with the new BMW M 1000 RR at Phillip Island, Australia. The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team claimed top-ten finishes, but on the whole it was a challenging weekend for both teams and the four BMW factory riders Scott Redding (GBR), Garrett Gerloff (USA), Michael van der Mark (NED) and Loris Baz (FRA).
BMW M Team WRT claimed win number two in its third race with the BMW M4 GT3. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (both BEL) triumphed in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 at the Kyalami 9 Hour (RSA), the second race of this season’s Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC).
The squad of works drivers at BMW M Motorsport for the 2023 season includes more prominent newcomers. Belgians Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts receive works driver contracts and join the BMW M Motorsport family. They will compete with BMW M Team WRT in the coming season, among other outings. The initial race programmes for the BMW M Motorsport teams and works drivers have also been confirmed.
The successful collaboration between BMW M Motorsport and the leading simulation platform iRacing enters the next round in 2023. BMW M Motorsport is set to become the first manufacturer in the world to make its new LMDh car, the BMW M Hybrid V8, available to the sim racing community.
A perfect and emotionally-charged conclusion to the DTM season for the BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers! Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) finished third in the final race at the Hockenheimring (GER) to claim the championship – one day after his Schubert Motorsport team had secured the team title.
BMW M Motorsport returns to the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) in 2024. One year after its debut season in the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2023, the new BMW M Hybrid V8 will also take on the top-class opposition in the Hypercars category in the official FIA World Endurance Championship.
BMW i4 M50 and BMW M4 Competition participated in 2022 Simola Hillclimb from 6 to 8 May +++ First showing for all-electric BMW i4 M50 in SA ahead of local introduction +++ BMW M GmbH celebrates its 50th anniversary in May 2022
The second round of the WorldSBK season will take place this weekend at Assen in the Netherlands. This is a very special event for BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers. In a wide-ranging interview, Bongers talks about his early enthusiasm for motor racing, his own active involvement in the Netherlands, his career, the development of BMW Motorrad Motorsport – as well as providing some special insights into Dutch cuisine.
Andreas Roos (GER), the new Head of BMW M Motorsport, moved into the top role for BMW M GmbH motorsport activities a few weeks ago. In a wide-ranging interview, he talks about his first weeks in the new job, his motorsport career so far, his early interest in the BMW brand and the focus of his work. Other topics include the LMDh project for BMW M, the debut season for the new BMW M4 GT3 and the extensive vehicle portfolio at BMW M Motorsport.
BMW M Motorsport is counting on continuity in the driver line-up for the 2022 season. In the coming months, 19 BMW M works drivers will be competing around the world in the new BMW M4 GT3 for a range of BMW M Motorsport teams, and will also play a key role in the testing phase for the new BMW M LMDh. All 19 drivers are already familiar faces from previous years in the BMW M Motorsport family.
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