BMW M Motorsport News, 25th October 2021.

The real-time documentary series MBEDDED offers an exclusive look behind the scenes of the BMW M Motorsport LMDh project and shows you real emotions of the protagonists on the way.

Link to all MBEDDED episodes: https://b.mw/MBEDDED_Playlist.

BMW M Motorsport teams test the BMW M4 GT3 at Valencia.

It’s only a matter of months until the BMW M4 GT3 will be doing battle for wins and titles around the world as the new flagship in the hands of BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers. The first confirmed highlights will be the 24-hour races in Dubai (UAE) and Daytona (USA) in January 2022. To give the teams and drivers the best possible chance to prepare with the new GT car, BMW M Motorsport organised a week of testing at Valencia (ESP) in October, which was attended by many buyers and interested parties. BMW works drivers Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Jens Klingmann (GER), who have both been heavily involved in the development of the BMW M4 GT3 so are very familiar with the car, taught the guests all about the strengths and special features of the successor to the BMW M6 GT3. After plenty of test laps, the feedback from the BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers was extremely positive. Robert Ravaglia (ITA), DTM Champion and World Touring Car Champion in the BMW M3 E30 and current team manager of the Italian team Ceccato Racing, was impressed after his test drive, and said: “Congratulations to BMW M Motorsport on the development of this car. It was a fantastic experience being allowed to take it for a spin for a couple of laps. After my first few laps in the BMW M3 E30 – the most successful touring car of all time – back in the 1980s, I could tell it was going to be a winning car. And I had the same feeling today. The BMW M4 GT3 is a winning car.”

ADAC GT Masters: Schubert Motorsport leave Hockenheim empty-handed.

The penultimate race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters at Hockenheim (GER) was disappointing for Schubert Motorsport. Despite their good pace, Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) came away empty-handed in the BMW M6 GT3 after incidents in both races. After qualifying in eleventh place, the duo initially moved their way up the field well on Saturday, but a tyre puncture late on in the race saw them cross the finish line in P22. Yelloly was outstanding in qualifying on Sunday and finished second to secure a place on the front row of the grid. Unfortunately, a collision early in the race forced him to retire.

ADAC GT4 Germany: Fight for the title coming to a head.

Gabriele Piana (ITA) and Michael Schrey (GER) of Team Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport showed real fighting spirit at a difficult penultimate race weekend in the ADAC GT4 Germany at the Hockenheimring (GER) and defended their lead in the drivers’ standings. It was in qualifying that their BMW M4 GT4 really struggled, not allowing for any better than eleventh and 22^nd on the grid for the two races. From that position the duo made up two places on Saturday and eleven on Sunday, which saw them pick up important points for finishing in P9 and P11. In the overall standings, Piana and Schrey have a 21-point advantage over their closest rivals going into the season finale on the first weekend in November at the Nürburgring (GER). The best race result for a BMW M Motorsport team at the Hockenheim weekend was claimed by Nicolaj Möller-Madsen (DEN) and Philipp Miemois (FIN) on Saturday. They finished seventh in the BMW M4 GT4 of AVIA Sorg Rennsport.

BTCC: BMW wins sixth manufacturer’s title in a row.

BMW won the manufacturer’s title in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for the sixth time in a row last weekend, making history in the process. No other brand has ever won as many successive titles. With the BMW 330i M Sport in action in the iconic British race series, BMW ended the season with 869 points to their name, and a lead of 87 points over second place. In the driver’s standings, four-time BTCC Champion Colin Turkington (GBR), who was representing Team BMW, ended the season with 306 points and in second place overall. At the final weekend at Brands Hatch (GBR), he finished the first two races in P7 and P4. He retired from the final race. Team BMW finished fourth in the team standings.

British GT Championship: Podium for the Century Motorsport champions at the season finale.

The Century Motorsport team was under no pressure heading into the season finale of the British GT Championship at Donington Park (GBR) in mid-October. Gus Burton and Will Burns (both GBR) had already secured victory in the drivers’ championship and Century Motorsport had clinched the top spot in the team standings at the penultimate event of the season, held at Oulton Park (GBR) in September. Burton and Burns also secured the title in the Silver classification before the end of the season.

At the finale at Donington Park, which was once again held in adverse conditions after heavy rain, Burton, Burns and Century Motorsport topped off their successful season with another podium finish. In their #57 BMW M4 GT4, Burton and Burns finished in third place in the race lasting just under two hours. Their team-mates Andrew Gordon-Colebrooke and Chris Salkeld (both GBR) finished the final race of the season in the #9 BMW M4 GT4 in twelfth place.

Intercontinental GT Challenge: One-two result for the BMW M4 GT4 at the ‘Indianapolis 8 Hour’.

The Intercontinental GT Challenge headed to the legendary ‘Brickyard’ – the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA), in mid-October. The ‘Indianapolis 8 Hour’ was the second of three races to be held in the 2021 season. There was no getting past the BMW M Motorsport teams in the GT4 class as they celebrated a one-two result for the BMW M4 GT4.

After eight hours of racing, BimmerWorld Racing topped the podium. Bill Auberlen, Chandler Hull and James Clay (all USA) secured the win in the team’s #36 BMW M4 GT4. In a thrilling race, they crossed the finish line 20 seconds ahead of the #119 BMW M4 GT4 of Stephen Cameron Racing. In this car, Tom Dyer, Sean Quinlan and Guy Cosmo (all USA) in second place clinched the BMW one-two result. The #82 BMW M4 GT4 of BimmerWorld Racing, with Devin Jones, Nick Galante and James Walker (all USA) at the wheel, only just missed out on the GT4 class podium, finishing in fourth place.

GT4/GT/TC America: Titles and successes for the BMW M Motorsport teams at Indianapolis.

The GT America, GT4 America and TC America were also at the renowned Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA) in mid-October. These race series held their season finales at the ‘Brickyard’ – with titles and other successes for the BMW M Motorsport teams.

In the first of the two GT America races, Sean Quinlan (USA) in the #119 BMW M4 GT4 of Stephen Cameron Racing secured another podium finish in third place, however he was unable to take part in the second race after experiencing a mechanical issue during the formation lap. Quinlan ended the season in second place in the GT4 class of the GT America driver’s standings. In GT4 America, Stevan McAleer (GBR) and Toby Grahovec (USA) in the #11 BMW M4 GT4 of Classic BMW finished on the podium, in third place.

In the TCX class of TC America, it was the BMW M2 CS Racing of the BMW M Motorsport teams that was dominant once again at Indianapolis. The man of the weekend was champion Jacob Ruud (USA) in the #81 BMW M2 CS Racing of Team Classic BMW, who had secured the title in the TCX class at the penultimate event of the season at Sebring (USA). With two further overall wins, number nine and ten of the year, he enjoyed a superb finish to the season. “It’s a fantastic feeling. We had a terrific season. The team provided me with an incredible car throughout the whole season,” said Ruud. Classic BMW also won the team standings and BMW won the manufacturer’s standings in the TCX class.

In the first of the two TC America races, Steve Streimer (USA) in the #30 BMW M2 CS Racing of Hard Motorsport rounded off the BMW one-two result. Olivia Askew (USA) in the #3 BMW M2 CS Racing of Classic BMW finished in fourth place overall and in third place in the TCX class. In the second race, the trio of Ruud, Streimer and Askew went on to clinch a one-two-three result for the BMW M2 CS Racing and Austen Smith (USA) in the BMW M240i Racing of Auto Technic Racing finished in second place in the TC class.

BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux: Hat trick for Giovanni Scamardi at Zandvoort.

The BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux headed to Zandvoort (NED) for the fourth and penultimate event of the season in mid-October. Three races were the order of the day once again, two 30-minute races and one 55-minute race with a mandatory pit stop. There was one man who refused to be beaten at the dune circuit with Giovanni Scamardi (BEL) winning all three races to clinch a hat trick.

In the first race, Stienes Longin (BEL) and Tom Van Rompuy (BEL) joined him on the podium in second and third place. In race two, Van Rompuy finished third ahead of Steven Brams (BEL). In the final, longer third race with a pit stop, some of the teams fielded driver pairings. Winner Scamardi contested the race alone. Second place went to Longin and his team-mate Peter Guelinckx (BEL). The third spot on the podium was secured by Brams and his team-mate Joeri Janssens (BEL). The final of the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Benelux will be held at Assen (NED) on the final weekend in October.