Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“The new season in the DTM and its supporting series began last
weekend. Even though things did not go perfectly for the BMW M4 GT3 at
Oschersleben, there was plenty for BMW M Motorsport to be pleased
about as the new BMW M4 GT4 made a superb start to the season in the
very competitive ADAC GT4 Germany, chalking up four podiums in two
races for Walkenhorst Motorsport and Project 1. Century Motorsport
celebrated more podium finishes in the British GT, this time in the
GT4 class, and fifth place in the overall standings with the BMW M4
GT3 also delivered some important championship points. The previous
weekend had all been about the Nürburgring 24-hour race, where
privateer BMW M Motorsport teams celebrated a total of six class wins
– including FK Performance Motorsport with the new BMW M4 GT4 in the
hotly contested SP10 category. At the same time, the car also
triumphed in GT4 America, while the BMW M2 CS Racing was victorious in
the TC America. In the Italian GT Championship, Ceccato Racing reached
the podium for BMW M Motorsport. Another fantastic set of results that
I am delighted with. Congratulations to all the teams and drivers!”
—
ADAC GT4 Germany: Four podiums for BMW M4 GT4 teams.
The start of the ADAC GT4 Germany season also marked the debut of the
new BMW M4 GT4 in the DTM support programme – and it was a great
success. At Oschersleben (GER), the car immediately claimed four
podium finishes in the hotly contested race series. Three of these
went to Walkenhorst Motorsport. In the first race on Saturday,
Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) and Enzo Joulié (FRA) finished second, ahead
of their Walkenhorst team-mates Nico Hantke (GER) and Mex Jansen
(NED). Second place in Sunday’s race went to the reigning BMW M2 Cup
champion Maxime Oosten (NED) and Michal Makes (CZE) from the Project 1
team. Hantke and Jansen finished in third position once more. The
other BMW M Motorsport teams, Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport and FK
Performance Motorsport, both recorded top-five and top-ten results.
The BMW M4 GT4 claimed second, third, fourth and fifth positions on Sunday.
—
BMW M2 Cup: Double win for Denny Berndt.
The first races of the season in the BMW M2 Cup also took place at
Oschersleben (GER). The brand trophy features a competitive 16-car
field but Denny Berndt (GER) proved unbeatable on both days, securing
two wins in the #8 BMW M2 CS Racing. On Saturday, he was followed by
Max Rosam (GER) and Leyton Fourie (RSA) in second and third positions.
Rosam finished second again on Sunday, while third place went to Bart
Horsten (AUS). The BMW M2 Cup is part of the support programme on six
out of eight DTM race weekends. The next stop is the Norisring (GER).
—
British GT Championship: Century Motorsport on the GT4 podium.
The British GT Championship race weekend at Donington Park (GBR)
ended with fifth place in the overall standings for BMW M works
drivers Dan Harper and Darren Leung (both GBR). The Century Motorsport
duo followed victory at Silverstone with more valuable points in the
overall standings. However, it was the GT4 crews who secured the spots
on the podium this time. After two hours of racing, Carl Cavers and
Lewis Plato (both GBR) claimed third place in the GT4 overall
standings, and second place in the Pro-Am category, in the #22 BMW M4
GT4. Third position in the Pro-Am standings went to Michael Johntson
and Chris Salkeld (both GBR) in the team’s #14 car. This equated to
fifth position in the GT4 overall ranking. Harper and Leung are in
third place in the drivers’ standings with 68.5 points.
—
GT World Challenge America: Third round of the season at the
COTA in Austin.
The third round of the season in the Fanatec GT World Challenge
America powered by AWS took place at the Circuit Of The Americas near
Austin (USA). The event featured BimmerWorld and ST Racing, each
competing with one BMW M4 GT3.
In the Pro class, Chandler Hull and Bill Auberlen (both USA) claimed
fourth place in the second race in the BimmerWorld #94 BMW M4 GT3.
They retired early from race one. The ST Racing #38 BMW M4 GT3 was
competing in the Pro-Am class. Samantha Tan (CAN) and BMW M works
driver John Edwards (USA) finished the two races in eleventh and fifth
places in their class.
—
GT4 / GT / TC America: Wins and podiums for the BMW racers in Texas.
The GT4 America, the GT America and the TC America also took place at
COTA near Austin (USA) and BMW racers enjoyed more success in the
various championships.
In the #51 BMW M4 GT4 from Auto Technic Racing, John Dubets and Zac
Anderson (both USA) claimed the overall win and victory in the Silver
class in the first of the two GT4 America races. Chandler Hull and Jon
Miller (both USA) finished third in the #88 BMW M4 GT4 from STR38
Motorsport to reach the overall and Silver podiums. Kevin Boehm and
Kenton Koch (both USA) were right behind them in the #92 BMW M4 GT4
from Random Vandals Racing. Rooster Hall Racing secured second place
in the Pro-Am class with the #44 car, driven by Johan Schwartz and
Colin Garrett (both USA). All three podium spots in the Am class went
to the BMW M4 GT4. STR38 Motorsport claimed victory with Chris Allen
and Robert Mau (both USA) in the #438 car, ahead of James Clay and
Charlie Postins (both USA) from Team BimmerWorld and Auto Technic
Racing with Satakal Khalsa and Rob Walker (both USA).
In the second GT4 America race, Dubets and Anderson claimed third
place overall and second in the Silver standings. James Walker Junior
and Tyler McQuarrie (both USA) crossed the line in fourth position
overall in the #82 BimmerWorld BMW M4 GT4 to claim second in the
Pro-Am standings. The BMW M4 GT4s secured a one-two result this time
in the Am standings: Clay and Postins won ahead of Allen and Mau. John
Roberts (USA) was racing in the GT America with the BMW M4 GT4 from
Fast Track Racing. He finished ninth and eighth in the GT4 class.
In the two TC America races, BMW drivers claimed five out of a
possible six podium spots with the BMW M2 CS Racing. In race one,
Lucas Catania (USA) from the Rigid Speed Company team won ahead of
Colin Garrett (USA) from Rooster Hall Racing and Maddie Aust (USA)
from the Fast Track Racing team. Garrett won race two, with Aust in second.
—
Italian GT Championship: Podium and class win for Ceccato Racing.
At the opening event in the Italian GT Championship Endurance Cup,
the Ceccato Racing Team claimed a podium and a class win with the #7
BMW M4 GT3. Stefano Comandini, Marco Cassarà (both ITA) and Alfred
Nilsson (SWE) defied the rain during the two-hour race at Pergusa
(ITA), crossing the finishing line in third place. That also equated
to victory in the Pro-Am class.
—
BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux: Race weekend at Spielberg.
The BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux visited the Red Bull Ring (AUT) on
21st/22nd May. Senna van Soelen (NED) and Leyton Fourie (RSA) won the
first race on Saturday, ahead of Lorenzo van Riet and the duo Sen
Roodeburg/Gianni van der Craats (all NED). In the second race, van
Soelen and Fourie completed their double win and van Riet repeated his
second-place finish. Dirk Warmerdam and Dante Rappange (both NED)
secured the third spot on the podium.
—
BTCC: Hill and Turkington on the podium in Snetterton.
While the 24-hour race was taking place at the Nürburgring (GER), the
British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) was at Snetterton (GBR). Jake
Hill and Colin Turkington (both GBR) each claimed two podium finishes
in the BMW 330e M Sport. In both races, Hill claimed second place for
the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport team. Turkington finished
third in those races for Team BMW. Adam Morgan and Stephen Jelley
(both GBR) crossed the line in fifth and sixth positions in races one
and two. The third and final race saw all four BMW drivers in the top
ten, with Jelley the best of the bunch in sixth place.
