BMW M Motorsport News, 4th October 2021.

DTM: Difficult weekend at the Hockenheimring.

The BMW M Motorsport teams from Walkenhorst Motorsport and ROWE Racing were unable to record the top results they had hoped for at the penultimate race weekend of the DTM season at the Hockenheimring (GER). Marco Wittmann (GER), who began the weekend in second place in the drivers’ standings, was forced to retire from Saturday’s race in his BMW M6 GT3. He was unable to improve on eleventh place on Sunday and finished empty-handed. Wittmann is in fourth position ahead of the finale, his home race at the Norisring (GER). Timo Glock (GER) reached the points for ROWE Racing on Sunday, finishing in tenth place. He claimed 14th position on Sunday. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) endured some really bad luck and had to retire his BMW M6 GT3 from both races.

“It was a very frustrating and disappointing weekend for us,” said Wittmann. “Ultimately, we as the entire BMW team simply didn’t produce a performance over the weekend. We need to find out what caused it."

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DTM Trophy: BMW M4 GT4 wins both races at Hockenheim.

Theo Oeverhaus (GER) and Ben Green (GBR) were the two big winners of the penultimate race weekend in the DTM Trophy season at the Hockenheimring (GER). Just 16 years old, Oeverhaus celebrated his first win in the top-level race series on Saturday in the BMW M4 GT4 from Walkenhorst Motorsport. He followed that up with another podium on Sunday, finishing third as the rain set in. FK Performance Motorsport driver Green celebrated victory in the second race as he moved back to the top of the overall standings. He had already crossed the finish line first in race one, however he received a 30-second time penalty for leaving too large a gap ahead during a safety car period, which dropped him back to ninth place. Third place in Saturday’s race went to Green’s team-mate Moritz Löhner (GER). Ahead of the final weekend in the DTM Trophy at the Norisring (GER), Green has a three-point lead over William Tregurtha (GBR, Mercedes) in the battle for the title.

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ADAC GT Masters: Points finish for Schubert Motorsport.

On the fifth out of seven race weekends in the ADAC GT Masters at the Sachsenring (GER), Jesse Krohn (FIN) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) finished in the points in Saturday’s race in the BMW M6 GT3 from Schubert Motorsport. The duo battled up from 14th on the grid to finish tenth. They gave another chasing performance on Sunday, progressing from twelfth on the grid to seventh place, but were disqualified after the race for technical reasons.

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ADAC GT4 Germany: Win and overall lead for Schrey and Piana.

Michael Schrey (GER) and Gabriele Piana (ITA) remain on course for the title after the fifth of seven race weekends in the ADAC GT4 Germany at the Sachsenring (GER). The duo won Sunday’s race in the BMW M4 GT4 from Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport, having secured fifth place on Saturday. In the overall standings, Schrey and Piana each have 170 points and are 35 points ahead of their nearest rivals. There was another podium finish to celebrate for the BMW M4 GT4 on Sunday. Marcel Lenerz and Christopher Dreyspring (both GER) from the Schubert Motorsport team finished in third place.

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GT World Challenge America: Turner Motorsport shows team spirit at Sebring.

From a sporting perspective, the race weekend in the SRO GT World Challenge America at Sebring (USA) was a disappointment for Turner Motorsport. However, the way the racing played out allowed them to give a perfect display of team spirit. After a crash in qualifying, the BMW M6 GT3 was so severely damaged that not all the parts required to repair it were available at the racetrack. Despite that, the crew still managed to acquire the replacement parts within the limited amount of time, to rebuild the car, and to at least take part in race two on Sunday. Unfortunately, that huge effort was not rewarded with a good race result.

GT4/GT/TC America: Successful weekend for BMW M Motorsport teams.

BMW M Motorsport teams celebrated many successes with the BMW M4 GT4, BMW M2 CS Racing and the BMW M240i Racing at the race weekend at Sebring (USA). In GT America, Sean Quinlan (USA) won the GT4 class in the Saturday race at the wheel of a Stephen Cameron Racing BMW M4 GT4. In the second race, he was hampered by a spin after a collision.

In GT4 America, Quinlan and Gregory Liefooghe (USA) finished third to claim a spot on the podium in the Pro-Am class on Saturday, as did Bill Auberlen and James Walker (both USA) on Sunday. In the Silver class, third place went to Stevan McAleer (GBR) and Toby Grahovec (USA) in race one, and Tim Barber and Cole Ciraulo (both USA) in race two. In the Am class, Paul Sparta and Al Carter (both USA) won Saturday’s race, before finishing runner-up on Sunday.

In the TCX class of TC America, the winner of both races was Stephen Cugliari (USA). He made his mark on the weekend in the Accelerating Performance BMW M2 CS Racing. Jacob Ruud (USA) from Team Classic BMW was runner-up in both races. Third place went to Garrett Adams (USA) and Roy Block (ARG). In the TC class, Austen Smith (USA) from the Auto Technic Racing team enjoyed a perfect weekend with two victories in the BMW M240i Racing.

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Nürburgring Endurance Series: The class winners at NLS 8.

At the end of September, the BMW Junior Team was not alone in celebrating another podium finish at the eighth race of the Nürburgring Endurance Series 2021 (NLS) at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (GER). In the individual classes, the BMW M Motorsport teams celebrated another four wins.

In the Cup5 class, the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup NLS, Marc Ehret, Moritz Oberheim and Nico Otto (all GER) triumphed again in the #875 BMW M2 CS Racing from FK Performance Motorsport. Second place in the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup NLS went to Francesco Merlini (ITA), Yannick Fübrich (GER) and David Griessner (AUT) in the #870 of Adrenalin Motorsport Team Alzner Automotive. Third place was claimed by Thomas Leyherr and Lars Peucker (both GER) in the #899 BMW M2 CS Racing from LifeCar Racing/KRAC im ADAC e.V.

The Adrenalin Motorsport Team Alzner Automotive celebrated two class wins in the eighth NLS race of the season. The team continued its winning run in the V4 class with the #1 BMW 352i. The car was again driven by Christopher Rink, Danny Brink and Philipp Leisen (all GER). The Adrenalin Motorsport Team Alzner Automotive also won the VT2 class. Rink shared driving duties at the wheel of the #481 BMW 330i with Philipp Stahlschmidt and Daniel Zils (both GER).

In the BMW M240i class, victory again went to the #700 BMW M240i Racing from Team Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport. This time, the car was driven by Michael Schrey (GER), Michael Fischer and Markus Fischer (both AUT). Jake Dennis (GBR) was competing again in this class. The third-placed driver in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship 2021 once again raced alongside Niklas Krütten (GER) in the #652 BMW M240i Racing from the Adrenalin Motorsport Team Alzner Automotive. The duo secured pole position and posted the fastest lap time in the class, but then retired due to a technical defect.

The ninth and final NLS race of the 2021 season will take place next Sunday, 9th October. Ahead of the finale, Brink and Leisen top the overall standings in the NLS with 66.59 points and a lead of 0.55 points.

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TC France: Victory and title win for the BMW M2 CS Racing.

At the final round of the TC France season at Le Castellet (FRA), Steven Palette (FRA) from the VSF Sports - Amplitude Automobile team won the Driver title. Fourth and third places in the final two races were sufficient to defend the top spot in the overall standings in his BMW M2 CS Racing. Ricardo van der Ende (NED) from the L'Espace Bienvenue team was second. He took victory in the final race in his BMW M2 CS Racing. In the Team competition, first place in a thrilling finale went to VSF Sports – Amplitude Automobile, with a lead of just two points.

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12H Hungary: Two class victories for BMW M Motorsport teams.

ST Racing, with Samantha Tan (CAN), Chandler Hull and Jon Miller (both USA) at the wheel of a BMW M4 GT4, took victory in the GT4 class at the 12H Hungary, which was held as part of the 24H SERIES at the Hungaroring (HUN). In the TCX category, first place went to the BMW M4 GTR of Munckhof Racing, with its drivers Eric van den Munckhof and Marco Poland (both NED). JR Motorsport raced with a BMW M6 GT3 in the top category and finished fourth overall with drivers Ted van Vliet, Ruud Olij and Bas Schouten (all NED).

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British GT: Century Motorsport to compete with the new BMW M4 GT3 in 2022.

BMW M Motorsport will also be competing with the new BMW M4 GT3 in the 2022 British GT Championship. Century Motorsport will race the car in the top category in addition to continuing its involvement with the BMW M4 GT4 in the GT4 class. At a later date, the team will announce whether it will compete with a second BMW M4 GT3 and who the drivers will be.

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BTCC: Colin Turkington on the podium at Silverstone.

Colin Turkington (GBR) chalked up another podium finish at the eighth race weekend in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Silverstone (GBR) at the end of September. Turkington finished third with his #2 BMW 330i M Sport in the second of three races. He claimed fifth and eighth positions in the other hotly-contested races. His team-mate Stephen Jelley (GBR) also made it into the top ten in the #12 BMW 330i M Sport in all three races. He finished in ninth, eighth and fifth positions. BMW extended the lead in the manufacturers’ standings in the BTCC. BMW now tops the table with 702 points, a lead of 82 points. The penultimate event of the 2021 season will take place next weekend (9th/10th October) at Donington Park (GBR).