29.04.2018
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.
ADAC GT Masters: MRS GT-Racing best-placed BMW team in Most.
Following the spectacular start to the season at Oschersleben (GER) a fortnight ago, it was the turn of Autodrom Most (CZE) to host races three and four of this season’s ADAC GT Maters on Saturday and Sunday. The best-placed BMW drivers in the two races were Jens Klingmann (GER) and Christopher Zöchling (AUT). They finished fifth and tenth in the #14 BMW M6 GT3, run by the MRS GT-Racing team. “We are happy with the weekend, as it is a considerable improvement on the opening round at Oschersleben,” said Klingmann. “We started very strongly with third place in qualifying on Saturday. Unfortunately, we are lacking a little pace in the race compared to the opposition. Despite this, the basic set-up at Most was better for us than at Oschersleben, as the track suits our car better, thanks to the intermediate and quick corners. The way things are working with the team and with my fellow driver Christopher Zöchling is good. I am confident ahead of the next race.”
The outing at Most was to prove a difficult one for BMW Team Schnitzer. BMW works driver Timo Scheider (GER) and BMW Motorsport Junior Mikkel Jensen (DEN) finished sixth in Saturday’s opening race which also meant third place and a spot on the podium in the Junior competition. The #42 BMW M6 GT3 duo then had to settle for 21st place in race two. “It is frustrating not to have got more out of this weekend,” said Jensen. “I could have done better in qualifying on Saturday. With a better grid position, we could definitely have been looking at a podium finish. However, I am learning something every weekend. I like my team and my team-mates. We have a lot of fun and work very well together. I am confident that the results will come.”
Dennis Marschall (GER) and Victor Bouveng (SWE) had a miserable weekend. They had an issue in qualifying which prevented them starting Saturday’s race. Marschall and Bouveng then had to retire early in Sunday’s race. The ADAC GT Masters now takes a short break in May, before being back in action at the Red Bull Ring (AUT) on 9th and 10th June.ABB FIA Formula E Championship: Difficult weekend in Paris for MS&AD Andretti Formula E.
The race weekend in Paris, and round eight of the FIA Formula E Championship, could have gone better for MS&AD Andretti Formula E. Neither António Félix da Costa (POR) nor Tom Blomqvist (GBR) finished the race in the French capital. “Unfortunately, I had a technical problem which hindered me when braking. As such, I had to call it a day,” said Félix da Costa. “It is a shame, as the race day actually began very promisingly for me and my team.” Félix da Costa had produced his best qualifying of the season and started the race from fifth on the grid in the #28 Andretti ATEC-003. “To start form the top-five was a very positive qualifying result. It shows that we have done a good job as a team,” said Félix da Costa. The #27 car, with Blomqvist at the wheel, was damaged in an incident on lap one. That put paid to any chances of a good result and the Brit was also forced to retire. Next stop for the Formula E circus is Berlin (GER) for the Berlin E-Prix on 19th May.
Pirelli World Challenge: BMW teams win in Virginia.
The Pirelli World Challenge race weekend at the Virginia International Raceway (USA) began with a host of successes for BMW teams. Three BMW M4 GT4s made it onto the podium in the GTS class for amateurs in Saturday’s race. Toby Grahovec and Chris Ohmacht (both USA) of the Classic BMW team finished ahead of Henry Schmitt and Greg Liefooghe (both USA) of the Stephen Cameron Racing team, as well as Randy Mueller and Michael Camus (both USA) of Epic Motorsports. Grahovec and Ohmacht came home fourth overall. In the TC race, it was Johan Schwartz (USA) of Rooster Hall Racing who triumphed in the BMW M235i Racing. Karl Wittmer (CAN) also made it onto the podium in third place. Sunday’s races for both classes took place late on Sunday evening in Central European Time.
Italian GT: BMW M6 GT3 on the podium at season-opener.This season’s Italian GT Championship began with a podium finish for the BMW Padova team at Imola (ITA). Stefano Comandini and Alberto Cerqui (both ITA) came home third in the #15 BMW M6 GT3 in Saturday’s race. The duo failed to finish Sunday’s second race.
ESET V4 Cup: Season-opener at the Hungaroring.
This season’s ESET V4 Cup kicked off with action aplenty at the Hungaroring (HUN) this weekend. The BMW M6 GT3 twice finished fourth, narrowly missing out on a spot on the podium. Jakub Kubas (SVK) of the Racing Trevor team came home fourth in the endurance race. In the second sprint race on Sunday, Jakub Knoll (CZE) also finished fourth for the Šenkýř Motorsport team.
Alessandro Zanardi: New BMW M5 for the BMW Brand Ambassador.
BMW Brand Ambassador Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) is now the proud owner of a new BMW M5 (combined consumption: 10.5 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 241 g/km*). Sergio Solero, President and CEO BMW Italia, presented him with the car at the start of the BMW Driving Experience season at Vallelunga (ITA). Zanardi’s BMW M5 in Frozen Dark Silver not only features a lot of special BMW M equipment, but has also been modified to meet his particular needs. Zanardi is able to brake using a brake lever on the steering wheel. Acceleration is also done by hand, using an innovative wireless Bluetooth solution, developed by Fiadel Italiana. This system allows the driver to apply the perfect amount of acceleration by hand, whilst maintaining perfect control of the steering wheel. The lever, which is operated using the thumb, accurately reproduces the pressure on the accelerator pedal. Zanardi could not resist taking his new BMW M5 out for a spin on the track at Vallelunga. “Driving the BMW M5 is extraordinary. Not only because of its speed, but also because you feel at one with the track,” said Zanardi. “Every time I get the chance to try out a BMW M car, I think that they have reached the pinnacle of perfection. However, it is clear to me that BMW always manages to raise the bar in the development of perfect cars.” Zanardi now heads to Belgium, where the four-time Paralympic champion and ten-time paracycling world champion will take part in the Paracycling World Cup in Ostend.
*The consumption and CO2 emission figures are provisional and were calculated based on the EU test cycle, depending on the tyre format.
