BMW M Motorsport Newsletter, 21st June 2021

DTM: Top-five finishes for the BMW M6 GT3 at Monza season-opener.

The Royal Park in Monza (ITA) hosted last weekend’s opening round of the new GT3 DTM. Among those lining up in the realigned championship were the Walkenhorst Motorsport and ROWE Racing teams with their BMW M6 GT3. Saturday was a tough day, with only Marco Wittmann (GER) making it into the top ten in ninth place in the #11 Walkenhorst Motorsport car. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Timo Glock (GER), both driving for ROWE Racing, finished 12^th and 17^th.

The tide turned for the BMW teams on Sunday, as the BMW M6 GT3 picked up two top-five finishes. Van der Linde had impressed in the #31 car in qualifying, securing third place on the grid. In the race itself, the South African made a spectacular overtaking manoeuvre to pass both Nico Müller (SUI / Audi) and Liam Lawson (NZL / Ferrari) in one go. After the round of pit stops, van der Linde found himself in fourth place, a position he maintained through to the finish. Wittmann made an impressive comeback from eleventh place on the grid and crossed the finish line just behind van der Linde in fifth place. Glock was forced to retire as a consequence of a collision in the jostling for position on lap one.

Round two of the 2021 DTM season takes place from 23^rd to 25^th July at the Lausitzring (GER).

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DTM Trophy: Magnificent season-opener for the BMW M4 GT4 at Monza.

The DTM Trophy also kicked off the 2021 season at Monza (ITA) at the weekend – and victory in the first two races of the year went to BMW M Motorsport teams and the BMW M4 GT4. The season started with a bang in race one on Saturday, with eight BMW M4 GT4s in the first nine places. It was Ben Green (GBR) from the FK Performance Motorsport team who led from start to finish to convert pole position into victory. He was joined on the podium by his team-mate Moritz Löhner (GER) who comes from an Esports background and finished third in his first ever car race. Positions four to nine also went to BMW M Motorsport teams.

In race two on Sunday, Michael Schrey (GER) from the Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport team claimed his maiden victory in the DTM Trophy. He led the race in his BMW M4 GT4 for a long time, before eventually crossing the finish line in second place. However, the driver ahead of him was subsequently handed a time penalty for gaining an advantage by leaving the track in a chicane. That saw Schrey promoted to first place. Victory on Sunday and fourth place on Saturday put Schrey second in the championship at the end of the opening weekend, followed by Green and Löhner in third and fourth.

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ADAC GT Masters: Podium for Schubert Motorsport at the Red Bull Ring.

The ADAC GT Masters held its second event of the season at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (AUT) from 11^th to 13^th June. As at the opening round at Oschersleben (GER) in May, Schubert Motorsport featured on the podium. Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) were third in the #10 BMW M6 GT3 in Sunday’s race. The duo failed to finish race one on the Saturday.

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ADAC GT4 Germany: Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport dominates in Spielberg.

One week before his maiden DTM Trophy win, Michael Schrey (GER) and the Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport team dominated proceedings in ADAC GT4 Germany. Schrey and team-mate Gabriele Piana (ITA) were unbeatable again in the #2 BMW M4 GT4 at round two of the season, which took place from 11^th to 13^th June at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg (AUT). They had previously won both races at the season-opener in May at Oschersleben (GER) – and they repeated that double success in Austria. With four wins from four races, Schrey/Piana and Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport hold big leads in both the Driver and Team competitions after two events.

The Schubert Motorsport team finished in the top eight in both races at the Red Bull Ring. Michael von Zabiensky and Marcel Lenerz (both GER) were fifth and eighth in the #10 BMW M4 GT4.

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GT4 European Series: Round three of the season at Zandvoort.

The GT4 European Series was in the dunes of Zandvoort (NED) last weekend for its third event of the season. Cem Bölükbasi and Berkay Besler (both TUR) finished fifth and sixth in the Pro-Am class in the #12 BMW M4 GT4 of Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport.

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GT4 Scandinavia: Lestrup Racing wins with the BMW M4 GT4 at the season-opener.

GT4 Scandinavia kicked off the 2021 season at Fällfors, Sweden, last weekend. Victory in the first race of the year went to the BMW M4 GT4. Joakim Walde and Victor Bouveng (both SWE) won the Pro-Am class in the #98 Lestrup Racing BMW M4 GT4. The duo then finished third in race two.

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BTCC: Turkington wins at Snetterton.

It was a strong performance from Colin Turkington (GBR) at round two of the 2021 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in Snetterton (GBR). In the three races on 13^th June, he claimed one victory and a podium in the #2 BMW 330i M Sport. Turkington won race one and, despite carrying the maximum success weight, finished runner-up in race two. He then came home third in race three. BMW tops the Manufacturer standings with 180 points and a lead of ten points after two rounds.

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ESET Cup: Two podiums for the BMW M6 GT3 at Poznan.

The Trevor Racing team and the #24 BMW M6 GT3 claimed two podium finishes in the ESET Cup at Poznan, Poland (12^th/13^th June). Gregor Zsigo (SVK) was third in the GT race. Together with his team-mate Dennis Waszek (CZE), he then finished runner-up in the Endurance Race. Trevor Racing was also successful with the #40 BMW M4 GT4. Ferenc Ficza (HUN) ended the Endurance Race in fourth place overall to take victory in the D4 GT4 class.