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Hockenheim (GER), 9-10 April 2024. DTM, ADAC Motorsport, Schubert Motorsport, BMW M4 GT3, René Rast, Sheldon van der Linde, Marco Wittmann, RoboMarkets, Shell, Schaeffler.

DTM season opener: Schubert Motorsport competes with three BMW M4 GT3s at the home race in Oschersleben.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Thursday April 25, 2024

The 2024 DTM season, in which the racing series celebrates its 40th anniversary, starts for Schubert Motorsport with a real highlight: the home event at the gates of the company's headquarters in Oschersleben (GER).

Munich. The 2024 DTM season, in which the racing series celebrates its 40th anniversary, starts for Schubert Motorsport with a real highlight: the home event at the gates of the company's headquarters in Oschersleben (GER). The team has intensively prepared for the season in the past weeks with testing in Hockenheim (GER) and Oschersleben, where it will field three BMW M4 GT3s for the first time. DTM champions René Rast (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Marco Wittmann (GER) will compete in the colours of BMW M Motorsport partners RoboMarkets, Shell, and Schaeffler, aiming for podium finishes and victories .

The track record of the driver trio in DTM is impressive. Rast has three titles and 26 wins in 106 races, Wittmann two titles and 18 wins in 178 races. Van der Linde has one title and five wins in 84 races. Schubert Motorsport is entering its third DTM season. Following the win of the driver and team titles at its debut in 2022, the team finished fourth in the team standings last season. In just two years, Team Principal Torsten Schubert and his crew have achieved five wins and nine additional podium finishes.

At the official testing in Hockenheim, the BMW M4 GT3s made a strong impression, and the team collected much valuable data. Last week, the cars completed their laps in the Motorsport Arena, where the first two races of the year will be held on Saturday and Sunday each at 13:30 CEST. The supporting programme also includes the season starts of the ADAC GT Masters and ADAC GT4 Germany, where FK Performance Motorsport will compete with a large contingent in the BMW M4 GT3 and BMW M4 GT4. Other GT4 teams representing the colours of BMW M Motorsport are Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport and ME Motorsport, each fielding two BMW M4 GT4s in the ADAC GT4 Germany.

Comments before the DTM season opener:

Imola, 17-21 April 2024. BMW M Motorsport. FIA World Endurance Championship, FIA WEC, Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3, LMGT3, Maxime Martin, Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harthy.

FIA WEC: BMW M4 GT3 triumphs at Imola – Strong race for the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Sunday April 21, 2024

Great results for BMW M Motorsport and Team WRT at the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The 6 Hours of Imola (ITA) ended with a one-two result for the BMW M4 GT3 in the LMGT3 class. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) triumphed ahead of their team-mates Maxime Martin (BEL), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA).

Imola. Great results for BMW M Motorsport and Team WRT at the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The 6 Hours of Imola (ITA) ended with a one-two result for the BMW M4 GT3 in the LMGT3 class. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) triumphed ahead of their team-mates Maxime Martin (BEL), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA). It was the first victory for a BMW M Motorsport car in the history of the FIA WEC. BMW M Team WRT also celebrated success in the Hypercar category. After a challenging start in Qatar, Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) gave a very strong performance, battled for the podium for a long time, and ultimately finished in sixth place.

The weather conditions, with rain setting in around the halfway point of the race, turned the event into a strategy gamble. However, all BMW M Motorsport teams made the right tyre choices and were rewarded with outstanding results. The BMW M Hybrid V8 made enormous improvements compared to the season opener and was competitive under all conditions. On the wet track, final driver van der Linde even had the podium within reach, but problems during the last pit stop and a subsequent drive-through penalty pushed the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 back to a still-strong sixth place. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 with Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) in the cockpit was unlucky and got innocently involved in a collision at the start. After about an hour of repairs, the team managed to get the car back on track for important test kilometres.

The celebration was even greater in the LMGT3 category. Both BMW M4 GT3 crews continued on slick tyres as the rain began to fall, making the right decision. No competitor could match their speed, and they drove to a commanding one-two finish. Never before had a BMW M Motorsport car won a race in this series since the founding of the FIA WEC in 2012.

Comments after the race at Imola:

Long Beach (USA), 20-21 April 2024. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, BMW M Team RLL, GTP, LMDh, #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, Connor De Phillippi, Nick Yelloly.

IMSA Long Beach: Strong pace of the BMW M Hybrid V8 goes unrewarded – Turner Motorsport on the GTD podium.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sunday April 21, 2024

In the first sprint race of the season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Long Beach (USA), BMW M Team RLL was unable to achieve the hoped-for first podium finish of the year after a strong qualifying

Long Beach. In the first sprint race of the season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Long Beach (USA), BMW M Team RLL was unable to achieve the hoped-for first podium finish of the year after a strong qualifying. Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) started the 100-minute race from second position but initially fell back during their pit stop in a yellow flag period and later due to a damaged front on the tight street circuit in California. While Philipp Eng (AUT) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 finished in sixth place, Turner Motorsport celebrated a podium in the GTD class .

In the third race of the season, following the endurance classics at Daytona and Sebring (both USA), BMW M Team RLL was denied the first podium of the year 2024 despite the strong pace of the BMW M Hybrid V8. In the first half of the race, Yelloly held his ground in the leading group and even took the lead. However, a yellow flag just before the planned pit stop for the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, which brought the field back together, resulted in De Phillippi falling back to fifth position. There, he was repeatedly involved in tight duels, leading to collisions and ultimately a damaged front that had to be changed in the pits. A few laps before the end, the race for car #25 ended after a slip into the tyre barriers. De Phillippi and Yelloly were classified ninth in the GTP class. Eng and Krohn, starting from ninth place, found it difficult to move forward on the street circuit but collected important points with a sixth-place finish.

BMW M works driver Robby Foley and his teammate Patrick Gallagher (both USA) had reason to celebrate. The duo made a strong comeback in the Turner Motorsport #96 BMW M4 GT3, starting from seventh place and finishing second on the podium in the GTD category.

Reactions after the race:

Sebring (USA), 14-16 March 2024. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Sebring International Raceway, BMW M Team RLL, GTP, LMDh, #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, Philipp Eng, Jesse Krohn, Augusto Farfus.

FIA WEC at Imola, IMSA at Long Beach: BMW M Hybrid V8 faces an eventful double-header weekend.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Tuesday April 16, 2024

Four BMW M Hybrid V8s, two continents. The BMW M Motorsport LMDh prototypes are facing an intense racing weekend. While BMW M Team WRT competes at Imola (ITA) with two Hypercars in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) for the second race of the season, BMW M Team RLL is aiming for the season’s first podium in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) at Long Beach (USA).

Imola/Long Beach. Four BMW M Hybrid V8s, two continents. The BMW M Motorsport LMDh prototypes are facing an intense racing weekend. While BMW M Team WRT competes at Imola (ITA) with two Hypercars in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) for the second race of the season, BMW M Team RLL is aiming for the season’s first podium in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) at Long Beach (USA). The BMW M4 GT3 is targeting the podium in both Italy and California.

FIA WEC: BMW M Team WRT competes at Imola.

At the 6 Hours of Imola, the FIA WEC is making its first European stop this year. BMW M Motorsport engineers and BMW M Team WRT have analysed the challenging season opener in Qatar with the two BMW M Hybrid V8s over the past weeks and have worked intensively to improve the car. Behind the wheel of car #15 are Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER). The sister car, the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, is shared by Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA).

In the LMGT3 class, Team WRT made a strong impression in Qatar, with the #46 BMW M4 GT3 narrowly missing the podium at the opener. At Imola, the crew will be carried by a special tailwind; Valentino Rossi (ITA) starts his home race, with the Imola track being less than two hours’ drive from his birthplace Urbino (ITA). The 45-year-old Italian will join Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) and BMW M works driver Maxime Martin (BEL) for the 6 Hours of Imola. Driven by numerous Tifosi expected along the track, the local hero and his team-mates are aiming for a podium finish. In the sister car, the #31 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M works driver Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) will take turns.

The Imola race starts on Sunday at 13:00 CEST.