BMW Racing News - BMWsport.net - BMW Racing News, Tech Articles and Race Photos

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CAN), 12-14 July 2024. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, GTD, #1 BMW M4 GT3, Paul Miller Racing, Madison Snow, Bryan Sellers.

BMW M Motorsport News, 16th July 2024.

Jeff Seabrook BMW Motorsport News Tuesday July 16, 2024

In our BMW M Motorsport News, we regularly offer you a selection of photos as well as a compact and informative overview of the racing action in various championships worldwide and the successes of the BMW M Motorsport teams.

Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:

“Even in the summer, our BMW M Motorsport teams do not take a break. During the DTM at the Norisring, we were able to celebrate a 1-2-3 for the BMW M4 GT4 in ADAC GT4 Germany. There was also reason to rejoice in numerous other racing series. In front of the impressive backdrop of the Truck Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, the FK Performance Motorsport team once again underlined their title ambitions in the ADAC GT Masters. In the IMSA series, there were some strong results, even though the leap to the very top unfortunately did not happen this time. Congratulations to Century Motorsport for a strong British GT weekend at Snetterton – and also to all other teams and drivers who have achieved success as ambassadors for the BMW brand in recent weeks.”

São Paulo (BRA), 12-14 July 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, FIA WEC, BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Hypercar, LMDh, Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, Marco Wittmann.

FIA WEC: BMW M Team WRT fights for top-ten results at the São Paulo race premiere.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Monday July 15, 2024

At the start of the second half of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season, BMW M Team WRT managed to finish with all its cars at the 6 Hours of São Paulo (BRA), but could not match the performance shown in previous races.

São Paulo. At the start of the second half of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season, BMW M Team WRT managed to finish with all its cars at the 6 Hours of São Paulo (BRA), but could not match the performance shown in previous races. In the Hypercar class, the cars ended the race in ninth and 14th places, while in the LMGT3 category, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 crossed the finish line in fifth place, and the #31 BMW M4 GT3 earned a point in the title race by finishing tenth.

In qualifying, one BMW M Hybrid V8 and one BMW M4 GT3 each made it into Hyperpole. Robin Frijns (NED) and Darren Leung (GBR) secured the tenth and sixth starting positions. However, it quickly became apparent in the race that the pace in both classes was not sufficient to achieve top results. Thanks to error-free performances and good reliability, three of the four crews still managed to collect valuable points. Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) finished ninth in the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 after starting 14th. Frijns, René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) finished in 14th place in the sister car. They lost several positions and a lot of time due to a spin that was not their fault.

In the LMGT3 class, Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Valentino Rossi (ITA) finished in fifth place after a strong comeback from twelfth on the grid. Augusto Farfus (BRA) had to settle for tenth place at his home race, celebrated by many enthusiastic Brazilian fans, alongside Leung and Sean Gelael (INA), after receiving a drive-through penalty.

Comments after the 6 Hours of São Paulo:

Le Mans (FRA), 7-16 June 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, 24h Le Mans, Team WRT, LMGT3, #46 BMW M4 GT3, Maxime Martin, Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harthy.

FIA WEC: Start into the second half of the season with the home game for Augusto Farfus in São Paulo, Brazil.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Tuesday July 9, 2024

Following the mega-event of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA), the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) heads into the second half of the season this coming weekend with the 6 Hours of São Paulo (BRA).

São Paulo. Following the mega-event of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA), the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) heads into the second half of the season this coming weekend with the 6 Hours of São Paulo (BRA). In the Hypercar class, BMW M Team WRT will compete with two BMW M Hybrid V8 cars. The goal is to translate the strong pace shown by the car at Le Mans into good results and to collect important points for the overall standings. In the LMGT3 category, Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) are aiming for the World Championship title after their victory at Imola (ITA) and a second place at Le Mans most recently. For Farfus, who was born in Curitiba (BRA), a very special home race awaits.

It has been 14 years since Farfus last competed in races for BMW in his home country of Brazil – in 2010 in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC). Now he returns with his fellow drivers in the #31 BMW M4 GT3 to fight for the World Championship lead in the LMGT3 class. The trio is just two points behind the leaders with 73 points. In the #46 BMW M4 GT3, Maxime Martin (BEL), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) will take turns.

In the Hypercar class, Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) in the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, as well as Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) in the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, aim to achieve good positions after disappointing results at Le Mans. With the fastest qualifying time at Le Mans, the car has proved it can keep up with the best, and now the team aims to regain the consistency in the race that was lacking last time.

The 6 Hours of São Paulo will start on Sunday, 14^th July, at 16:30 CEST (11:30 local time).

Note to editors.

On Friday, at 18:15 local time in the paddock, there will be a ‘Meet the Team’ event with all drivers, Head of BMW M Motorsport Andreas Roos, and WRT Team Principal Vincent Vosse. All accredited media representatives are invited.

Comments before the 6 Hours of São Paulo:

Nuremberg (GER), 05-07 July 2024. DTM, ADAC, Norisring, Round 4, René Rast, #33 BMW M4 GT3, Schubert Motorsport, RoboMarkets, DTM

DTM Norisring: René Rast shines with victory on Saturday and sensational comeback on Sunday.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday July 7, 2024

The fourth DTM race event of the season at the Norisring (GER) was German René Rast’s weekend. In the Saturday race, he used his full experience in the rain gamble of Nürnberg (GER), made the right tyre choice, and celebrated his first season victory in the Schubert Motorsport #33 BMW M4 GT3.

Norisring. The fourth DTM race event of the season at the Norisring (GER) was German René Rast’s weekend. In the Saturday race, he used his full experience in the rain gamble of Nürnberg (GER), made the right tyre choice, and celebrated his first season victory in the Schubert Motorsport #33 BMW M4 GT3. His performance on Sunday was equally strong. Starting from 19th place and with 20 kilograms of success ballast, he stormed up to fifth position and collected valuable points in the DTM title race. At the halfway point of the season, Rast is third in the drivers' standings with 93 points, while Schubert Motorsport leads the team standings with 186 points. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER) also scored points .

Before full stands on the city circuit at the Dutzendteich, Rast drove from seventh on the grid to victory in the first race, because when the rain began, unlike nearly all the other drivers, he did not come in for a tyre change but instead weathered the brief shower on slicks. Thanks to the saved pit stop, he was unstoppable on his way to his 27th DTM win. After two third-places in 2022 and two second-places in 2023, it was the fifth consecutive podium for Rast at the Norisring. Although the series ended with a fifth place on Sunday, his comeback over 14 positions was such strong damage limitation that it felt like another podium. After eight of 16 season races, Rast is just eleven points behind the leader in the overall standings with his 93 points. Schubert Motorsport has a 16-point advantage over second place in the team standings.

For Rast’s teammates Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER), the weekend did not go optimally. Van der Linde had strong pace in the #31 BMW M4 GT3 and started the Saturday race from the front row. However, he fell back to seventh place in the rain gamble with victory in sight. On Sunday, the 2022 DTM champion was classified in 14th place after a penalty. Wittmann, celebrated by fans at his home game in Nürnberg, could not match his great victory at Zandvoort (NED) a few weeks ago. He finished in twelfth and eleventh places in the #11 BMW M4 GT3.