PressClub Canada · Article.
BMW M Motorsport News, 26th July 2021.
Mon Jul 26 22:42:12 CEST 2021 Press Release
BMW M Motorsport teams are once again in action all over the world in 2021. They are challenging for race wins and titles with the BMW M6 GT3, the BMW M4 GT4, the BMW M2 CS Racing, and other BMW M Motorsport race cars. Our BMW M Motorsport News allows us to give you an overview of the race action in various championships around the world and any success enjoyed by the BMW M Motorsport teams.
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Marc Belcourt
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DTM: Pole position for the BMW M6 GT3 at the Lausitzring.
Round two of the season in the new DTM: This weekend, the Lausitzring (GER) hosted the GT3 series in glorious summery conditions. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) secured the first pole position in the DTM for the BMW M6 GT3. The ROWE Racing driver set the fastest time in qualifying on Saturday morning. Van der Linde then led for much of Saturday’s race in the #31 BMW M6 GT3, before eventually finishing third. However, he was subsequently handed a time penalty for a moment of carelessness from the pit crew, which saw him relegated to ninth place. The best-placed BMW M6 GT3 on Saturday was the #11 Walkenhorst Motorsport car, driven by Marco Wittmann (GER), who came home seventh. Wittmann climbed seven positions from 14th on the grid. Timo Glock (GER) struggled with tyre wear before finishing eleventh in the #16 ROWE Racing BMW M6 GT3.
Glock was then the best-placed BMW driver in Sunday’s qualifying, securing fifth place on the grid. Van der Linde started the race from seventh place, with Wittmann again 14th. In race two on Sunday, van der Linde came home fifth, just ahead of Wittmann who produced another impressive fightback to finish sixth. Glock twice ended up in the gravel during a hectic start to the race, and fell well back down the field as a result. He eventually crossed the finish line in 13th place.
The third race weekend of the 2021 season will take place at Zolder, Belgium, from 6th to 8th August.
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DTM Trophy: Three podiums for the BMW M4 GT4 in Lusatia.
There was another strong display from the BMW M Motorsport teams at the second event of this season’s DTM Trophy at the Lausitzring (GER). Seven BMW M4 GT4s finished in the top ten in Saturdays race, with that figure rising to eight on Sunday. Spearheading the BMW contingent was Ben Green (GBR) in the #10 BMW M4 GT4, who was runner-up in both races for the FK Performance Motorsport team. In race two on Sunday, Green was joined on the podium by Michael Schrey (GER) in the #2 BMW M4 GT4 of Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport.
Green, who had started the season with a victory in the opening race at Monza (ITA) back in June, was once again in contention for the top step of the podium in both races. In race one, he missed out on the win by less than half a second, crossing the finish line in second place. Race two was even closer. Green led at times before eventually finishing just three-tenths of a second behind the winning car. In the championship standings, Green is currently second after four races. Schrey, who won race two of the season at Monza and added another podium at the Lausitzring, is third in the Drivers’ Championship. In the Team competition, FK Performance Motorsport is currently second, ahead of Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport.
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BMW M2 Cup: New racing series makes its debut at the Lausitzring.
The new BMW M2 Cup made its debut during the DTM weekend at the Lausitzring (GER). The new series features spectacular racing with the BMW M2 CS Racing. 17 cars were in action at the season-opener in the Lusatia region of Germany.
The dominant driver on the inaugural weekend of the BMW M2 Cup was Tim Heinemann (GER), who secured both pole positions in the #78 BMW M2 CS Racing and went on to claim comfortable lights-to-flag victories in both races. In Saturday’s opening race, Heinemann finished almost nine seconds ahead of his closest rivals. In race two on Sunday, his lead was over four seconds. Runner-up in race one was Fabian Kreim (GER / #43). In race two, second place went to 16-year-old Salman Owega (GER / #7). The third place on the podium in both races was occupied by Louis Henkefend (GER) in the #17 BMW M2 CS Racing.
The second event of the season takes place from 6th to 8th August at Zolder, Belgium. More information on the BMW M2 Cup can be found on the official website bmwm2cup.com. Image and video material is also available for download here in the ‘Media’ section.
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IMSA: Eventful race weekend at Lime Rock Park.
The second half of this season’s IMSA series got underway at Lime Rock Park (USA) in mid-July. The competitors in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge had an eventful race weekend at times. On Friday, unsettled weather presented a real challenge for the teams. In GTD qualifying in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship, the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 finished seventh. The only way was up for drivers Bill Auberlen and Robby Foley (both USA) in the Saturday race, which was scheduled to last two hours and 40 minutes. However, an intense thunderstorm forced the race to be suspended after 90 minutes, and it was never re-started. That left Auberlen/Foley in fifth place. They currently lie second in the Drivers’ Championship.
Friday’s qualifying for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge was shortened following a crash. Auberlen qualified second in the #95 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4, which he shares with Dillon Machavern (USA). In the two-hour race on Saturday, a technical issue resulted in the duo dropping well down the field. They eventually finished 16th in the GS class. Foley and Vincent Barletta (USA) were eighth in class in the #96 BMW M4 GT4. The AutoTechnic Racing team competed with the #52 BMW M4 GT4, driven by Attilio Albani and Elivan Goulart (both USA). They came home eleventh in the GS class. Auberlen and Machavern continue to lead the GS standings, but are now tied at the top of the standings.
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British GT Championship: Leaders Century Motorsport on the podium at Spa-Francorchamps.
The British GT Championship was in Belgium at the weekend, where Spa-Francorchamps hosted round four of the 2021 season. It was another successful weekend for the Century Motorsport team – despite the additional weight the team had to bear as a result of its brace of victories at round three at Donington (GBR). Gus Burton and Will Burns (both GBR) in the #57 BMW M4 GT4 secured pole position in a hard-fought qualifying session on Saturday. The two-hour race on Sunday was an eventful one. In the end, Burton/Mills finished third overall in the GT4 class and second in the Silver class. Their team-mates Andrew Gordon-Coldbrooke and Chris Salkeld (both GBR) gave a courageous fightback in the #9 BMW M4 GT4. Having dropped through the field following a drive-through penalty, they recovered strongly to finish fifth overall and fourth in the Silver class.
In the GT4 Drivers’ standings in the British GT Championship, Burton and Burns still hold a commanding lead with 111.5 points. They are followed in second place by Gordon-Coldbrooke and Salkeld with 81 points. Burton/Burns also lead the Silver class, with Gordon-Coldbrooke/Salkeld the top pair in the Pro-Am competition. In the GT4 Team standings, Century Motorsport are top with 196.5 points and a seemingly-unassailable lead of 132 points.
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Super GT Championship: Round four at Motegi.
The Japanese Super GT Championship held its fourth round of the season at Motegi (JPN) in mid-July. In the thick of the action was BMW Team Studie with the #7 BMW M6 GT3, driven by Seiji Ara and Tomohide Yamaguchi (both JPN). The summery heat, with temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius, made for challenging conditions. In Saturday’s qualifying, the #7 was the fastest Pro-Am car and finished 13th overall. However, the team then had to retire from Sunday’s race due to a technical issue.