BMW M Motorsport News, 20th June 2023.

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

“Once again, we can look back on plenty of exciting races with superb successes for the BMW M Motorsport teams in Europe, Asia and North America. Be it in the BMW M4 GT3, the BMW M4 GT4, the BMW M2 CS Racing, or other BMW M racing cars – they secured wins and podiums around the world. Congratulations to the Walkenhorst Motorsport team, who clinched the fourth win in the fourth race for the BMW M4 GT3 on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In the ADAC GT Masters, Schubert Motorsport got the season underway with a podium, and FK Performance Motorsport made an impressive debut in the series. Dan Harper and Century Motorsport celebrated another podium in the British GT Championship, and BMW Italia Ceccato Racing enjoyed success at the 12H Monza. The races of the various series at the VIRginia International Raceway were also a great deal of fun, with the podiums for the BMW M4 GT3 through BimmerWorld, ST Racing and Turner Motorsport, as well as the dominant successes in GT4 America and TC America. Our BMW M4 GT4 was also unbeatable in France. And there were further successes in real-world and virtual racing. Congratulations to all the teams and drivers!”

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Top topics in this newsletter:

- Walkenhorst Motorsport celebrates overall win in NLS 4.

- Schubert Motorsport gets the 2023 season of the ADAC GT Masters underway with a podium.

- BMW M Motorsport teams secure wins and podiums in Virginia.

- Further podium finishes for the BMW M4 GT3 in the British GT Championship and at the 12H Monza.

- BMW M4 GT4 wins in the GT World Challenge Asia and GT4 France.

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NLS 4: Walkenhorst Motorsport celebrates clear win on the Nordschleife.

Four races and four wins for the BMW M4 GT3 is the current state of play for the BMW M Motorsport teams in the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS). After a long break, the season resumed with race number four on Saturday, and after four hours Walkenhorst Motorsport celebrated their second NLS overall win of the year. Jakub Giermaziak (POL) and Christian Krognes (NOR) started the race from second on the grid in the #34 BMW M4 GT3. The duo took the lead in the second hour of racing and when they crossed the finish line, Giermaziak / Krognes had a lead of more than two minutes over their closest rivals. Giermaziak previously celebrated overall victory with the #34 at the beginning of April, when he shared the cockpit with BMW M works driver Jesse Krohn (FIN).

It even looked like there might be a one-two result for Walkenhorst Motorsport. Thomas Neubauer (FRA), Niklas Krütten (GER) and Dylan Pereira (LUX) in the #35 BMW M4 GT3 were in second place behind their team-mates temporarily, but then an accident forced them towards the back of the field, and they ended up being classified as Did Not Finish.

In addition to the overall win, and thereby victory in the SP9 Pro category of Walkenhorst Motorsport, the BMW M Motorsport teams claimed a further seven class wins in the fourth NLS race of the season. Walkenhorst Motorsport also won the SP10 class with the #191 BMW M4 GT4. Aris Balanian (BEL), Florian Weber (GER) and Ace Robey (USA) shared the cockpit. Two class wins went to Adrenalin Motorsport Team Motec. In the strong field in the VT2-R+4WD category, Daniel Zils, Oskar Sandberg, and Philipp Leisen (all GER) won once again in the #1 BMW 330i. Their team-mates Sven Markert, Nils Steinberg, and Yannick Fübrich (all GER) secured first place in the BMW M240i class with the #650 BMW M240i Racing. Victory in the BMW M2 CS category went to the two Swedes, Peter Larsen and Johan Rosen in the #884 BMW M2 CS Racing. In the V4 class it was Jürgen Huber, Oliver Frisse and Danny Brink (all GER) who won in the #702 BMW 325i of QTQ-Raceperformance. The #250 BMW 325i of Serge van Vooren and Christian Schotte (both GER) won the SP4 class, and in the H4 category, Bernd Kleeschulte (GER) was victorious in the #600 BMW M3 E92 GTR.

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ADAC GT Masters: Schubert Motorsport gets new season underway with a podium.

The Schubert Motorsport team started the 2023 season of the ADAC GT Masters with a podium finish. The season opener was held at Hockenheim (GER). In the first of the two races, Edoardo Coseteng (PHI) and Ben Green (GBR) in the #20 BMW M4 GT3 moved their way up the field from eighth on the grid into second place to make it onto the podium. They crossed the finish line in fourth place in race two.

The FK Performance Motorsport team made its ADAC GT Masters debut at Hockenheim and was up there at the front from the start. In the first race, Kim-Luis Schramm (GER) and Igor Walilko (POL) in the #10 BMW M4 GT3 were in the lead for much of the race. However, a safety car period and a turbulent final phase saw the duo drop down the field and end up narrowly missing out on a spot on the podium in fourth place. The duo finished the second race in eighth place.

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GT World Challenge America: BMW M Motorsport teams bag podiums in Virginia.

The Fanatec GT World Challenge America stopped off at the VIRginia International Raceway (USA) at the weekend, and the BMW M Motorsport teams picked up podiums. In race one on Saturday, Chandler Hull and Bill Auberlen (both USA) in the BimmerWorld #94 BMW M4 GT3 finished in second place on the overall podium, which was also equal to second place in the Pro class. In the ST Racing #38 BMW M4 GT3, Samantha Tan (CAN) teamed up with BMW M works driver Neil Verhagen (USA). The new pairing had plenty of reason to celebrate in Virginia; they moved up six places in race one to cross the finish line in fourth place in the overall ranking. This was second place in the Pro-Am class and the first podium for ST Racing in the Fanatec GT World Challenge America.

Verhagen and Tan levelled up in the second race on Sunday. This time they also finished on the overall podium and got second place in the race classification as well as second place in the Pro-Am class again. Verhagen also set the fastest race lap. Hull and Auberlen were also up there fighting for the win, but a penalty for speeding in the pit lane pushed them back down into ninth place (fifth place in the Pro class).

Robby Foley and Vincent Barletta (both USA) competed in the #96 BMW M4 GT3 of Turner Motorsport in Virginia. They finished in P13 and P10 (eighth and fifth in the Pro-Am class).

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British GT Championship: Dan Harper and Century Motorsport on the podium at Snetterton.

BMW M works driver Dan Harper (GBR) was in action in the British GT Championship once again at the weekend. He and his team-mate Darren Leung (GBR) had further reason to celebrate at Snetterton (GBR) where the duo bagged another spot on the podium in the #91 Century Motorsport BMW M4 GT3. Harper and Leung finished in second place on the podium in the first of the two races. “Darren drove into P2 in a superb first stint and after we dropped down a few places during a pit stop I gave it my all to regain the position. I saw where we were quicker, could move back up the field, and bring the podium home,” reported Harper after the race. Harper and Leung finished race two in fifth place.

Their Century Motorsport team-mates in the BMW M4 GT4 also joined in the podium celebrations at Snetterton. In race one, Michael Johnston and Chris Salkeld (both GBR) finished third in their class in the #14 car, with Carl Cavers and Lewis Plato (both GBR) in the #22 right behind them in fourth place. In race two, Cavers/Plato finished fourth in their class again, while Johnston/Salkeld crossed the finish line in eighth place this time of asking.

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24H Series: Class podium for BMW Italia Ceccato Racing at 12H Monza.

The 24H Series headed to Monza, Italy for the fifth race event of the season where BMW Italia Ceccato Racing enjoyed success at the 12H Monza. The #15 BMW M4 GT3 had the three Brazilians Leo Sanchez, Atila Abreu and William Freire at the wheel. The trio celebrated second place on the podium in the GT3-AM class in the two-part twelve-hour race. They finished in an outstanding fourth place in the overall rankings.

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GT World Challenge Asia: BMW M Team Studie with GT4 class win at Fuji.

At the Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia race weekend at Fuji (JPN), BMW M Team Studie claimed a class win in the GT4 category. In the first of the two races, Masaki Kano and Manabu Orido (both JPN) in the #50 BMW M4 GT4 of YZ RACING with BMW Team Studie crossed the finish line as winners in their class. They were not classified in race two.

In the #5 BMW M4 GT3 of PLUS by BMW Team Studie, Tomohide Yamaguchi and Seiji Ara (both JPN) took to the Fuji track. They finished in fifth place overall in the second race. They retired from race one.

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GT / GT4 / TC America: BMW M Motorsport Teams with back-to-back successes.

In the GT America, GT4 America and TC America races that were held at the VIRginia International Raceway (USA) at the weekend, the BMW M Motorsport teams celebrated back-to-back successes once again.

In the GT America, Vincent Barletta (USA) in the Turner Motorsport #96 BMW M4 GT3 finished third on the podium in race one. He crossed the finish line in eighth place in the second race.

The BMW M4 GT4 dominated the GT4 America in Virginia at the weekend. In the first race, the BMW racers brought home a top-four lock-out. Kevin Boehm and Kenton Koch (both USA) won the thrilling race in the #92 BMW M4 GT4 of Random Vandals Racing. That also saw them win the Silver class. Second place went to the #51 car of Auto Technic Racing, with Zac Anderson and John Dubets (both USA) at the wheel. The #82 and #36 BMW M4 GT4 of BimmerWorld crossed the finish line in third and fourth place. James Walker Junior and Tyler McQuarrie (both USA) in the #82 also got the win in the Pro-Am standings, while James Clay and Charlie Postins (both USA) in the #36 won the Am category.

In the second GT4 America race, Anderson and Dubets secured the overall win and first place in the Silver classification. Boehm and Koch crossed the finish line in second place this time of asking to complete the one-two finish for the BMW M4 GT4. There were also further class wins for Walker Junior / McQuarrie in the Pro-Am standings and Clay / Postins in the Am category.

In TC America, it was Maddie Aust (USA)’s weekend. In the first of the two races, she celebrated her first TC America victory in the #9 BMW M2 CS Racing of Fast Track Racing. She repeated that success in the second race when she was the first to cross the finish line once again. The first race, which was characterised by a dramatic final phase, ended being a top-four lock-out for the BMW M2 CS Racing. In second place behind Aust was her team-mate Adam Gleason (USA). This was his first podium finish in the series. Joseph Catania (USA / Rigid Speed Company) finished third, Colin Garrett (USA / Rooster Hall Racing), who was spun around by a competitor in the battle for P1 on the final lap, crossed the finish line in fourth place. In race two, second and third place behind winner Aust went to Garrett and Lucas Catania (USA / Rigid Speed Company).

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GT4 France: Double win for L’Espace Bienvenue in Dijon.

There was no getting past Benjamin Lessennes (BEL) and Ricardo van der Ende (NED) at the third GT4 France race weekend in Dijon (FRA). The duo was dominant in the #17 BMW M4 GT4 of the L’Espace Bienvenue team and secured the overall win in both races. That saw them also get both class wins in the Silver category. In addition, the VSF Sport - Amplitude Automobiles team in the #41 BMW M4 GT4 finished in second place in the Pro-Am classification in the first race.

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BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Italy: Double victory for Luigi Ferrara in Vallelunga.

The second round of the 2023 BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Italy was held in Vallelunga (ITA). The man of the weekend was Luigi Ferrara (ITA) from Team V-Action by Nanni Nember. He was unbeatable in his #1 BMW M2 CS Racing and secured victory in both races, each with a significant lead. In the first of the two races, Jody Vullo (ITA) and Steven Giacon (ITA) also took second and third place on the podium. In race two, the podium spots behind Ferrara went to Marco Zanasi (ITA) and Lorenzo Marcucci (ITA). In the championship standings, Ferrara leads ahead of Vullo and Zanasi.

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Sim Racing: Successful Weekend for BMW SIM Teams on Assetto Corsa Competizione and iRacing.  

The BMW sim racing teams enjoyed a successful weekend. In the Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports powered by Mobileye, hosted on Assetto Corsa Competizione, BMW M Team BS+COMPETITION celebrated their first podium finish in the second race. The driver trio of Nils Naujoks, Gregor Schill and Arthur Kammerer (all GER) moved up from fifth on the grid into second place during the nine-hour race on the virtual Kyalami (RSA) track. Victory went to the Williams Esports team in the #66 Audi.  

In the Silver class in the race, BMW Romania Team West Competition Racing finished in 14^th place with drivers Sebastian Apostol (ROM), Marco Jonkers (NED), Victor Nicolae (ROM) and Andrei Miclea (ROM).

The special Six Hours of the Glen event, part of the VCO Grand Slam, was held at the same time on the iRacing platform. The highlight here was the Redline BMW SIM team’s victory in the GTP class at the virtual Watkins Glen (USA). Diogo Pinto (POR) and Chris Lulham (GBR) drove the BMW M Hybrid V8 with car #20 to a convincing win. Their team-mates Enzo Bonito (ITA) and Luke Bennett (GBR) in car #69 secured second place to clinch an impressive Redline one-two finish. Also contesting the GTP class was the BMW Bank team represented by Pedro Sanchez (ESP) and Nathan Lewis (USA), however, an accident forced the duo to retire.  

The Redline team with Gianni Vecchio (ITA), Ole Steinbraten (NOR) and Josh Thompson (GBR) were also convincing in the GTD class and got the win there as well with the BMW M4 GT3. BMW M Team BS+COMPETITION finished in sixth place with Felix Quirmbach (GER) and Elias Raikaa (FIN).

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BTCC: Three Races, Three BMW Wins at Oulton Park.

BMW drivers celebrated a perfect weekend in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Oulton Park. The outcome of the fifth race weekend of the season was three races, three wins. It all started with race one, in which Jake Hill (GBR) of Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport claimed the win. In race two, Hill clinched the brace by winning again. The third race made it a triple win for the BMW 330e M Sport. This time it was Colin Turkington (GBR) of Team BMW who celebrated victory. Hill finished the race in second place, followed by Adam Morgan (GBR) in third place, also of Team BMW.