Jeff Seabrook

Laguna Seca. Turner Motorsport celebrated second place in the GTD class at the fourth race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca (USA), concluding its milestone weekend on the podium. The team, led by Will Turner, completed its 557th race in a BMW car – more than any other BMW M Motorsport customer team. BMW M Team RLL showed good pace in qualifying with the two BMW M Hybrid V8s but fell back in the race after incidents and missed the podium .

Philipp Eng (AUT) started the race in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 from third place after a strong qualifying session on Saturday. He held that position until the driver change to Jesse Krohn (FIN). However, a slip in the final hour of the race resulted in a damaged rear that had to be changed in the pits. Krohn finished the race in ninth place in the GTP class. Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) started in the sister car from fifth place and finished in seventh after losing time during a pit stop and also slipping off the track.

Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (both USA) took the lead in the GTD class in their #557 BMW M4 GT3 after the first yellow phase of the race from the second start position and had victory in sight. However, a few laps before the end, there was an unfortunate contact with a lapping GTP car which caused Foley to fall from first to second place. In the GTD PRO category, Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers (both USA) in the #1 BMW M4 GT3 from Paul Miller Racing finished in seventh place.

Comments after the race:

Spa-Francorchamps. With sun, summery weather, and a new FIA WEC attendance record (excluding 24h Le Mans) with 88,180 spectators trackside, the stage was set for BMW M Team WRT’s home race in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). However, the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL), round three of the 2024 season, proved to be disappointing for the team and for BMW M Motorsport. In the Hypercar class, the two BMW M Hybrid V8s finished in positions 11 and 13 after six hours of racing, which were interrupted for nearly two hours by a red flag. The two BMW M4 GT3s, fielded by Team WRT in the LMGT3 class, retired through no fault of their own.

In Friday’s qualifying, BMW M Team WRT managed to make it into the Hyperpole session with a Hypercar, just as they did at the second round at Imola (ITA). That meant BMW M works drivers Robin Frijns (NED), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and René Rast (GER) started the six-hour race from ninth place in the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8. Their team-mates, Dries Vanthoor (BEL), Marco Wittmann (GER), and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) started from 12th place with the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8.

Following strong performances at Imola, the aim was to challenge for a podium again at Spa-Francorchamps. However, the race proved challenging for both crews of the BMW M Hybrid V8s, and they were not able to make progress through the field. Consequently, car #15 finished in 11th place after six hours of racing, while car #20 ended up in 13th position.

In the LMGT3 class both Team WRT BMW M4 GT3s, following their 1-2 result at Imola, had chances for podium finishes but their race was ended prematurely through no fault of their own. In the LMGT3 Hyperpole, Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) secured second place on the grid for the #46 BMW M4 GT3, which he shares with Valentino Rossi (ITA) and Maxime Martin (BEL). However, in the race, car #46, while running in fourth place, was heavily hit as a result of a chain reaction following an unfortunate racing incident and crashed into the track barrier. Car #31 of Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR), steadily progressed from twelfth on the grid, but was also heavily impacted by another car while in fourth position after over four hours of racing. Following this incident, the race was red-flagged for nearly two hours as extensive repairs to the track barriers were required. Al Harthy and Gelael, who were at the wheel at the respective times, remained unhurt.

The fourth of eight races in the FIA WEC 2024 season, the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA), will take place on 15th/16th June.

Reactions to the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps:

Franciscus van Meel (CEO of BMW M GmbH): “This weekend didn’t go as we had hoped. After Imola, it was a setback. We started fairly well, had a lot of bad luck, but also made some mistakes ourselves. Now, it’s time to look ahead. The next race is Le Mans, and with all the bad luck we’ve had here, maybe we’ll have more good luck there.”

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “It was overall a challenging weekend here at Spa. The pace of our BMW M Hybrid V8 was definitely there, but unfortunately, we couldn’t convert that into a good result. I think we simply made too many mistakes during the race which we now need to analyse in detail. However, it was good to see that the speed was there again. We continue to work hard to come back even stronger. In the LMGT3 class, it was, of course, very disappointing that both cars were involved in accidents that were not their fault and consequently retired. After the very good result with the 1-2 at Imola, this is naturally a hard setback for the LMGT3 crew as a strong result with important points would have been possible again here at Spa. Thanks to BMW M Team WRT and BMW M Motorsport for their hard work so that we can get closer to our goal of winning races.”

Vincent Vosse (BMW M Team WRT Team Principal): “I think that we have got some good information to take with us but one of those bits of information is that you cannot make a good result without having a clean race, and unfortunately we did not have a clean race. We have to analyse why and make it better. In LMGT3, it was a real shame to see how much work we have put together with the #31 and #46 cars and that was gone and not through the fault of our drivers. It is tough to swallow. Now let’s see what we can do at Le Mans to recover all of those points we have lost here.”

Raffaele Marciello (#15 BMW M Hybrid V8, 11th place Hypercar): “It has been a difficult race. We were fighting for points and were running in the top ten. Then unfortunately, I made a mistake and we got a penalty. That was quite unfortunate but let’s see how to improve and to do better next time.”

René Rast (#20 BMW M Hybrid V8, 13th place Hypercar): “It was not a great day. Everything went wrong somehow. We got a lot of penalties and have always been kind of at the wrong end of everything. A technical issue, penalties, so overall no points today. We need to learn from that. I think that pace wise, we were in the mix. That is one positive at least but we just need to perform better and make less mistake and hopefully in the next race we will be better.”

Augusto Farfus (#31 BMW M4 GT3, DNF LMGT3): “All drivers in the #31 executed a very good race. Every single driver fulfilled his own task. Unfortunately, we’ve got both LMGT3 cars taken out by Hypercars and that should be a sign that this is something that needs to be reacted to.”

Maxime Martin (#46 BMW M4 GT3, DNF LMGT3): “It’s a pity. We’re certainly not at Spa to retire after one and a half hours. But it’s part of the game, that’s racing. It’s indeed a shame because Ahmad was doing a good job and we could have scored some important points. But that’s the way it is. Now we focus on the next race, the most important, the 24 hours of Le Mans.”

Spa-Francorchamps/Laguna Seca. For the second consecutive time, BMW M Motorsport is facing a double-header race weekend in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA Series). At Spa-Francorchamps (BEL), Belgian BMW M Team WRT will compete with two BMW M Hybrid V8s and two BMW M4 GT3s in its home race in the FIA WEC. At Laguna Seca (USA), the fourth IMSA race of the year is on the schedule. BMW M Team RLL will enter two BMW M Hybrid V8s in the race. Paul Miller Racing and Turner Motorsport will start with the BMW M4 GT3 in the GTD classes.

FIA WEC: Home race for BMW M Team WRT in Belgium.

After the home race comes another home race. After BMW M works driver Valentino Rossi (ITA) recently thrilled Italian fans at Imola (ITA), it is now his team's turn. At Spa-Francorchamps, BMW M Team WRT tries to continue the clear upward trend in the FIA WEC in front of the Belgian home crowd. After sixth place for Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) with the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 at Imola, the goal is to further establish themselves in the leading group among the hypercars in the third race since the comeback. Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) will compete in the sister #15 car.

In the LMGT3 class, there was a fantastic one-two result for the two BMW M4 GT3s to celebrate at Imola. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) achieved the first victory for a BMW M Motorsport car in the history of the FIA WEC in the #31 BMW M4 GT3. Second place at his home race went to Rossi, who shared the cockpit of the #46 BMW M4 GT3 with Maxime Martin (BEL) and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA). Both crews now compete at Spa-Francorchamps to attack for the podium places again and collect more points in the world championship. Victory at the 24-hour race in 2023 proved that the course is good for the BMW M4 GT3.

The race at Spa-Francorchamps starts on Saturday at 13:00 CEST.

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

"The BMW M Motorsport teams have celebrated numerous successes worldwide with the BMW M4 GT3, BMW M4 GT4, and BMW M2 CS Racing cars in recent weeks. We have been able to cheer for victories and podiums in Germany, Europe, North America, and Asia. This once again underlines how strong the customer racing programme is internationally at BMW M Motorsport. I congratulate all the winners and look forward to the next successes that we can celebrate together."

Italian GT Championship (3^rd-5^th May): Hesse and Klingmann triumph at Misano.

The BMW Italia Ceccato Racing team started the Italian GT Championship season at Misano (ITA) with two victories. In the Sunday race, BMW M works drivers Max Hesse and Jens Klingmann (both GER) triumphed with the #7 BMW M4 GT3. At the same time, in the sister #8 car, Pedro Ebrahim (BRA) and Federico Malvestiti (ITA) won the Pro-Am class. In the first race on Saturday, Hesse fought for third place until the last lap but then retired due to a technical defect. Ebrahim and Malvestiti finished fourth in their class. “This is a victory for the team,” said Hesse. “The guys did an incredible job rebuilding the car after my accident following the technical defect on Saturday. Thanks to everyone for the fantastic effort!” Klingmann added: “After our big misfortune on Saturday, we managed to turn the weekend around with the victory on Sunday. It was anything but certain that we could even start. We owe this to the great work of the entire team led by Roberto Ravaglia. For me personally, it is the first victory at Misano, which I am very happy about.”

Brands Hatch. BMW M Team WRT has started the 2024 season of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup with a victory. Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (both BEL) won the first of two races held on Sunday at Brands Hatch (GBR) in the #32 BMW M4 GT3. Their teammates, Valentino Rossi (ITA) and Maxime Martin (BEL), who are participating in individual starts in the Sprint Cup with the #46 BMW M4 GT3, were unrewarded for their strong performances.

Starting from third place, Vanthoor brought the #32 car up to second before the driver change. With a perfect and swift pit stop, BMW M Team WRT ensured that Weerts returned to the track as the leader. After an hour of racing, the team celebrated a well-deserved victory for Vanthoor and Weerts. Rossi/Martin finished fifth but dropped to 15th due to a time penalty.

In the second race, Martin and Rossi managed to climb up to a temporary sixth from 11th on the grid. However, a few minutes before the end, while lying in P8, Rossi reported steering issues and had to head into the pits. Weerts and Vanthoor, starting tenth, crossed the finish line in seventh.

In the Silver Cup, Team WRT’s #30 BMW M4 GT3 was successful: Sam De Haan (GBR) and Calan Williams (AUS) finished the two races in second and third positions in the class, respectively, securing podiums in their category.

Reactions after the races at Brands Hatch:

Oschersleben. Schubert Motorsport kicked off the 2024 DTM season with their home round at Oschersleben (GER) and experienced a rollercoaster of emotions just outside their headquarters. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) finished the two eventful races on Saturday and Sunday in fourth and sixth positions, respectively. René Rast (GER) also scored points with two seventh-place finishes in both races. Marco Wittmann (GER) led the Saturday race in the closing stages, but retired just before the finish due to fuel pressure issues. On Sunday, Wittmann secured points with a tenth-place finish.

The first race on Saturday already provided fans at Oschersleben with plenty of excitement. With a tactical masterpiece, Schubert Motorsport brought Wittmann in the #11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3, starting from 19th, into the lead. However, just before the end, with victory in sight, Wittmann rolled to a stop on the start-finish straight due to fuel pressure issues. Van der Linde fought in the #31 Shell BMW M4 GT3 until the finish line for a podium finish, ultimately finishing fourth with a narrow gap. Rast secured points in seventh place in the #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3.

After a challenging qualifying session on Sunday, all three BMW M works drivers staged a comeback in the second race, moving up from the back of the field. However, van der Linde suffered an early setback when he couldn’t avoid a collision ahead of him at the start. The South African resumed the race in last place and worked his way up position by position. Eventually, he finished sixth, followed directly by Rast, who again was seventh. Wittmann completed the points positions in tenth place.

In the support programme, the ADAC GT Masters and the ADAC GT4 Germany also kicked off the 2024 season – with successes for the BMW M4 GT3 and the BMW M4 GT4. In the ADAC GT Masters, Maxime Oosten (NED) secured pole position for FK Performance Motorsport in Saturday’s qualifying. In the first race, he celebrated victory together with teammate Leon Köhler (GER) in the #54 BMW M4 GT3. In the ADAC GT4 Germany, Gabriele Piana (ITA) and Michael Schrey (GER) in the Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport #2 BMW M4 GT4 secured pole position and victory in race one on Saturday. Their teammates, Leon Wassertheurer and Tim Reiter (both GER), secured third place on the podium in the #3 BMW M4 GT4. In Sunday’s qualifying, Reiter claimed pole position. Piana and Schrey celebrated their second win of the weekend in Sunday’s race.

Comments after the DTM season opener:

Munich. The 2024 DTM season, in which the racing series celebrates its 40th anniversary, starts for Schubert Motorsport with a real highlight: the home event at the gates of the company's headquarters in Oschersleben (GER). The team has intensively prepared for the season in the past weeks with testing in Hockenheim (GER) and Oschersleben, where it will field three BMW M4 GT3s for the first time. DTM champions René Rast (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Marco Wittmann (GER) will compete in the colours of BMW M Motorsport partners RoboMarkets, Shell, and Schaeffler, aiming for podium finishes and victories .

The track record of the driver trio in DTM is impressive. Rast has three titles and 26 wins in 106 races, Wittmann two titles and 18 wins in 178 races. Van der Linde has one title and five wins in 84 races. Schubert Motorsport is entering its third DTM season. Following the win of the driver and team titles at its debut in 2022, the team finished fourth in the team standings last season. In just two years, Team Principal Torsten Schubert and his crew have achieved five wins and nine additional podium finishes.

At the official testing in Hockenheim, the BMW M4 GT3s made a strong impression, and the team collected much valuable data. Last week, the cars completed their laps in the Motorsport Arena, where the first two races of the year will be held on Saturday and Sunday each at 13:30 CEST. The supporting programme also includes the season starts of the ADAC GT Masters and ADAC GT4 Germany, where FK Performance Motorsport will compete with a large contingent in the BMW M4 GT3 and BMW M4 GT4. Other GT4 teams representing the colours of BMW M Motorsport are Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport and ME Motorsport, each fielding two BMW M4 GT4s in the ADAC GT4 Germany.

Comments before the DTM season opener:

Imola. Great results for BMW M Motorsport and Team WRT at the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The 6 Hours of Imola (ITA) ended with a one-two result for the BMW M4 GT3 in the LMGT3 class. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) triumphed ahead of their team-mates Maxime Martin (BEL), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA). It was the first victory for a BMW M Motorsport car in the history of the FIA WEC. BMW M Team WRT also celebrated success in the Hypercar category. After a challenging start in Qatar, Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) gave a very strong performance, battled for the podium for a long time, and ultimately finished in sixth place.

The weather conditions, with rain setting in around the halfway point of the race, turned the event into a strategy gamble. However, all BMW M Motorsport teams made the right tyre choices and were rewarded with outstanding results. The BMW M Hybrid V8 made enormous improvements compared to the season opener and was competitive under all conditions. On the wet track, final driver van der Linde even had the podium within reach, but problems during the last pit stop and a subsequent drive-through penalty pushed the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 back to a still-strong sixth place. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 with Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) in the cockpit was unlucky and got innocently involved in a collision at the start. After about an hour of repairs, the team managed to get the car back on track for important test kilometres.

The celebration was even greater in the LMGT3 category. Both BMW M4 GT3 crews continued on slick tyres as the rain began to fall, making the right decision. No competitor could match their speed, and they drove to a commanding one-two finish. Never before had a BMW M Motorsport car won a race in this series since the founding of the FIA WEC in 2012.

Comments after the race at Imola:

Long Beach. In the first sprint race of the season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Long Beach (USA), BMW M Team RLL was unable to achieve the hoped-for first podium finish of the year after a strong qualifying. Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) started the 100-minute race from second position but initially fell back during their pit stop in a yellow flag period and later due to a damaged front on the tight street circuit in California. While Philipp Eng (AUT) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 finished in sixth place, Turner Motorsport celebrated a podium in the GTD class .

In the third race of the season, following the endurance classics at Daytona and Sebring (both USA), BMW M Team RLL was denied the first podium of the year 2024 despite the strong pace of the BMW M Hybrid V8. In the first half of the race, Yelloly held his ground in the leading group and even took the lead. However, a yellow flag just before the planned pit stop for the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, which brought the field back together, resulted in De Phillippi falling back to fifth position. There, he was repeatedly involved in tight duels, leading to collisions and ultimately a damaged front that had to be changed in the pits. A few laps before the end, the race for car #25 ended after a slip into the tyre barriers. De Phillippi and Yelloly were classified ninth in the GTP class. Eng and Krohn, starting from ninth place, found it difficult to move forward on the street circuit but collected important points with a sixth-place finish.

BMW M works driver Robby Foley and his teammate Patrick Gallagher (both USA) had reason to celebrate. The duo made a strong comeback in the Turner Motorsport #96 BMW M4 GT3, starting from seventh place and finishing second on the podium in the GTD category.

Reactions after the race:

Imola/Long Beach. Four BMW M Hybrid V8s, two continents. The BMW M Motorsport LMDh prototypes are facing an intense racing weekend. While BMW M Team WRT competes at Imola (ITA) with two Hypercars in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) for the second race of the season, BMW M Team RLL is aiming for the season’s first podium in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) at Long Beach (USA). The BMW M4 GT3 is targeting the podium in both Italy and California.

FIA WEC: BMW M Team WRT competes at Imola.

At the 6 Hours of Imola, the FIA WEC is making its first European stop this year. BMW M Motorsport engineers and BMW M Team WRT have analysed the challenging season opener in Qatar with the two BMW M Hybrid V8s over the past weeks and have worked intensively to improve the car. Behind the wheel of car #15 are Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER). The sister car, the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, is shared by Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA).

In the LMGT3 class, Team WRT made a strong impression in Qatar, with the #46 BMW M4 GT3 narrowly missing the podium at the opener. At Imola, the crew will be carried by a special tailwind; Valentino Rossi (ITA) starts his home race, with the Imola track being less than two hours’ drive from his birthplace Urbino (ITA). The 45-year-old Italian will join Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) and BMW M works driver Maxime Martin (BEL) for the 6 Hours of Imola. Driven by numerous Tifosi expected along the track, the local hero and his team-mates are aiming for a podium finish. In the sister car, the #31 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M works driver Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) will take turns.

The Imola race starts on Sunday at 13:00 CEST.

Nürburgring. The BMW M Motorsport teams ROWE Racing and RMG successfully completed the most important race weekend on the Nordschleife before the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER). During the 24h Qualifiers, all three BMW M4 GT3s completed many laps and collected valuable data. In addition, there was racing success in the 4-hour race on Sunday. Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) drove the #98 ROWE Racing car to a second-place finish on the podium. The sister #99 car and the BMW M Team RMV #72 BMW M4 GT3 finished in fourth and sixth places, respectively.

The 24h Qualifiers consisted of two races, each four hours long. On Saturday, the #BMW M Motorsport teams focused on set-up work. Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER), and Charles Weerts (BEL) were the highest-placed crew as tenth in the #72 #BMW M4 GT3. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Dries Vanthoor (BEL) finished twelfth in the ROWE Racing car #99. The #98 BMW M4 GT3 retired after an unavoidable collision but made up for it with the podium finish on Sunday. The race weekend was particularly valuable for Weerts and Marciello, as both completed their first races in the BMW M4 GT3 on the Nordschleife and were able to complete many laps. Marciello also celebrated his first podium as a BMW M works driver.

At the 24h Qualifiers – also rounds three and four of the #Nürburgring Endurance Series #NLS – numerous other categories were present alongside the GT3 cars. BMW M Motorsport teams achieved a total of nine class victories in the two races.

Nürburgring. The short and intensive preparation phase for the Nürburgring 24 Hours (GER, 1^st/2^nd June) reaches its climax this coming weekend at the 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers. There, BMW M Motorsport teams RMG and ROWE Racing will compete in important preparatory races for the season highlight. Nine BMW M works drivers will be deployed in three BMW M4 GT3s.

BMW M Team RMG is once again relying on a young, highly talented line-up of drivers in 2024, with three members of the Gen2K group created by BMW M Motorsport (BMW M works drivers born in 2000 or later). Dan Harper (GBR) and Max Hesse (GER) will compete for the fourth time together with the team led by Team Principal Stefan Reinhold in the top class at the 24-hour race. Joining them in the cockpit of the #72 BMW M4 GT3, sporting the design of BMW M Motorsport Premium Technology Partner Shell, is Charles Weerts (BEL). The 23-year-old will make his debut at the 24h Nürburgring but already has an impressive and successful GT3 career, especially in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, where he was the overall winner in 2021. In recent weeks, Weerts, Harper, and Hesse have already completed several test laps on the Nordschleife and have been intensively preparing for their race entries.

ROWE Racing will field two cars. This coming weekend, BMW M works drivers Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) will take turns in the #98 BMW M4 GT3. In the sister #99 car, Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Dries Vanthoor (BEL) will be in the cockpit. As the seventh driver, Robin Frijns (NED) will compete in the 24-hour race, however he will be absent from the Qualifiers due to a scheduling conflict with Formula E. Nevertheless, Frijns has also managed to complete several test laps on the Nordschleife in the past weeks.

At the season opener of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) last weekend, no BMW M4 GT3 could take part because most drivers were participating in the concurrent GT World Challenge Europe event at Le Castellet (FRA), where Harper, Hesse, and Farfus won together with the ROWE Racing Team.

Hockenheim. Schubert Motorsport took advantage of the official DTM test drives at Hockenheim (GER) on Tuesday and Wednesday to intensively prepare its three BMW M4 GT3s for the season start at the end of April. The BMW M works drivers René Rast (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Marco Wittmann (GER) hit the track for the first time in the new car designs of the BMW M Motorsport Partners RoboMarkets, Shell, and Schaeffler. At the end of the four test sessions, the drivers drew a positive conclusion .

In addition to the DTM, the ADAC GT Masters also conducted test sessions at Hockenheim. The FK Performance Motorsport team participated with two BMW M4 GT3s.

On the sidelines of the testing, ADAC announced the continuation of the BMW M2 Cup. In the 2024 season, the cars will no longer be centrally deployed and managed but will be run by several teams. Along with this change, the portfolio of models eligible for the Cup has expanded. Three car categories are eligible to start, including the BMW M2 CS Racing in the 450 HP and 365 HP versions, as well as the 340 HP BMW M240i Racing. The BMW M2 Cup events are compact and take place over two days. Practice, qualifying, and races are held exclusively on Saturday and Sunday. The junior series will compete at a total of five DTM events and will hold two races lasting 25 minutes each weekend. The season starts from 24^th to 26^th May at the Lausitzring (GER).

Comments on the DTM test:

Top topics in this newsletter:

• ADAC GT Masters: FK Performance kicks off the new season with two BMW M4 GT3s.
• NLS: BMW M Motorsport teams achieve 14 class victories at the season opener.
• BMW M Motorsport teams celebrate successes at the season opener in Sonoma.

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

"The 2024 motorsport season is really picking up speed now, and it's great that we've already been able to celebrate the first successes of the year with our BMW M Motorsport teams. At the Nordschleife, there were numerous class victories to celebrate at the NLS season opener. In North America, the SRO racing series got off to a very successful start for our teams with the BMW M4 GT3, the BMW M4 GT4, and the BMW M2 CS Racing. This is in addition to strong results in the GT4 European Series as well as in France and Great Britain. Congratulations to everyone, let's keep it up! Other championships will soon start their new season, including the ADAC GT Masters. Here I am very pleased about the commitment of FK Performance Motorsport. The team is entering the new season with two BMW M4 GT3s and strong driver pairings. I wish them a lot of success – as well as all the other teams in the many championships worldwide!"

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ADAC GT Masters: FK Performance starts the new season with two BMW M4 GT3s.

FK Performance Motorsport will enter the upcoming ADAC GT Masters season with two BMW M4 GT3s. Last year, the team from Bremen (GER) debuted in the racing series with a BMW M4 GT3 and achieved its first victory in its inaugural season. At the Red Bull Ring (AUT), BMW M works driver Bruno Spengler (CAN) triumphed alongside Maxime Oosten (NED).

The team is now expanding its commitment to two BMW M4 GT3s and presents a strong lineup. The 21-year-old Oosten shares the cockpit of his BMW M4 GT3 with Leon Köhler (GER). In FK Performance Motorsport's sister car, Grégory de Sybourg (SUI) and Eduardo Coseteng (PHL) will compete. The quartet will start the new season on the weekend of 26th-28th April at Oschersleben (GER).

In the ADAC GT4 Germany, FK Performance Motorsport will race with four BMW M4 GT4s. These will be driven by the duos Moh Ritson (GBR) / Gianni van de Craats (NED), Joseph Warhurst / Tom Edgar (both GBR), Niels Tröger (GER) / Joseph Ellerine (RSA), and Leyton Fourie (RSA) / Max Rosam (GER), both of whom are moving up from the BMW M2 Cup.

Le Castellet. The breakthrough has come! ROWE Racing has given BMW M Motorsport the first major success of the year 2024 at the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Le Castellet (FRA) season opener. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Dan Harper (GBR), and Max Hesse (GER) were rewarded following a magnificent performance in the #998 BMW M4 GT3 and celebrated their first victory in the highly competitive race series. Starting from fifth place, the trio put on an impressive show and crossed the finish line in first place with a 13.5-second lead. In the BMW M Team WRT #46 BMW M4 GT3, Valentino Rossi (ITA), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) also gave a strong performance to finish fourth.

You find post-race video interviews here: https://b.mw/GTWC_Interviews. (URL is not valid)

The #998 BMW M4 GT3, sporting the design of BMW M Motorsport partner MultiBank Group, moved up to third place thanks to a strong start by Farfus, and Harper put the car on the path to victory with a remarkable overtaking manoeuvre on the leading Lamborghini. Hesse then confidently drove to the finish line, securing the fifth overall victory for ROWE Racing in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS. The sister car with Marco Wittmann (GER), Nick Yelloly (GBR), and Philipp Eng (AUT) also gave a very strong performance and was on track for a podium finish, but a problem during the second refuelling initially cost valuable seconds and then forced Eng to make an additional pit stop shortly before the end of the race. That dropped the #98 BMW M4 GT3 back to twelfth position.

There were mixed feelings at BMW M Team WRT. While Rossi, Martin, and Marciello could be satisfied with fourth place thanks to a strong final sprint, the #32 BMW M4 GT3 was forced to retire after an unprovoked collision for Charles Weerts (BEL) with a competitor resulting in tyre damage. The Team WRT #30 BMW M4 GT3, in which BMW M works driver Jens Klingmann (GER) shared the cockpit with Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) and Sam De Haan (GBR), finished sixth in the Bronze Cup. The #991 BMW M4 GT3 of Century Motorsport with Jake Dennis, Darren Leung, and Toby Sowery (all GBR) at the wheel was on course for a podium in the Bronze Cup but then retired.

Le Castellet. The new season of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS kicks off this coming weekend, with BMW M Motorsport once again well-represented. At Circuit Paul Ricard (FRA), BMW M Motorsport teams WRT, ROWE Racing, and Century Motorsport will field a total of six BMW M4 GT3 cars and more than a dozen BMW M works drivers.

The works-supported teams WRT and ROWE Racing will each compete with two cars in the Pro Cup for overall victories. Both teams have only one personnel change from last year. In the #46 BMW M4 GT3, Raffaele Marciello (SUI) will be the third driver alongside Maxime Martin (BEL) and Valentino Rossi (ITA), as he was already at Bathurst (AUS) in February. The #32 BMW M4 GT3 line-up remains unchanged with Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor, and Charles Weerts (both BEL).

The same applies to the ROWE Racing #98 BMW M4 GT3, where Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (GER), and Nick Yelloly (GBR) will compete, among others, to defend the title at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). In the #998 BMW M4 GT3, Augusto Farfus (BRA) – who was with BMW M Team WRT in 2023 – will be the third driver alongside Dan Harper (GBR) and Max Hesse (GER). The car will feature a new design from BMW M Motorsport partner MultiBank Group in 2024.

Munich. BMW has been setting standards in the development and production of special protection vehicles that combine the driving experience typical of the brand with the highest safety standards for more than four decades. Professional drivers need special knowledge and skills in order to be able to exploit the full potential of these armoured vehicles, which are equipped with special safety-relevant functions, in everyday use. These are taught in the BMW Security Vehicle Training courses. With the current portfolio of special protection vehicles and the intensive training courses for their drivers under the guidance of experienced instructors, BMW has created a comprehensive range of tailor-made security products from a single source.

The training programmes are designed for professional drivers who want to improve their skills in handling special-protection vehicles in order to be optimally prepared for extreme situations. As one of Europe's most renowned test and inspection centres for vehicle safety, the training centre in Groß Dölln near Berlin provides the ideal setting. The former military airfield, where the authorities also train their emergency services, was converted into a state-of-the-art driving centre in 2002 and is now the perfect venue for theory lessons and driving exercises for BMW Security Vehicle Training.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning!

2023 was another successful year for the BMW Group. We delivered strong results in the current business, while securing our future viability through targeted investments.

Strong demand for our attractive products, better availability of vehicles and an easing of the supply situation led to a positive volume development. After the halfway mark in the year, we accordingly raised our guidance for both deliveries and EBIT margin in the Automotive Segment.

Thanks to our disciplined management of the business, we delivered yet again on all our targets. I’ll now take you through our results.

SLIDE 3: BMW Group with Strong Performance and Solid Sales increase

For the full year, we delivered 2.55 million vehicles worldwide, which is 6.4% over 2022. We achieved significant growth with our all-electric vehicles. Deliveries reached more than 375,000 units, or approximately 15% of total sales.

At 9.8%, the EBIT margin in the Automotive Segment was well within the increased corridor of 9.0 to 10.5%. Excluding depreciation and amortisation for BBA assets from the purchase price allocation of 1.4 billion euros, the EBIT margin was 10.8%.

The Group EBT margin of 11% exceeded our strategic target of 10%.

We also continued to reduce CO2 emissions in our European fleet. With 102.1 grams per kilometer, we were 26.4 grams – in other words 20.5% - below the target set by the European Union.

SLIDE 4: BMW Group full-year 2023

Munich. When the three DTM champions René Rast (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER) kick off the 2024 DTM season with Schubert Motorsport at the end of April, long-standing BMW M Motorsport partners RoboMarkets, Schaeffler, and Shell will also be on board again. These three partners will continue to shape the designs of the three BMW M4 GT3s.

Wittmann, with car number 11 and the green Schaeffler design has been a successful combination familiar to DTM fans for a long time and will again be seen on the DTM circuits this season. Van der Linde will compete in the #31 BMW M4 GT3 in Shell’s classic colors, as in previous years. Rast enters his second DTM season as a BMW M works driver, and his #33 BMW M4 GT3 will once again feature RoboMarkets’ blue design, as it did last year.

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Munich. Nurturing young racing talent has been one of the cornerstones of BMW M Motorsport’s programme for decades. Most recently, BMW Junior Team made waves in GT racing for several years, nurturing talents such as Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER), and Neil Verhagen (USA) into accomplished BMW M works drivers. In a high-profile line-up, they join forces with Charles Weerts (BEL) to form the group born after the turn of the millennium. For the 2024 season, BMW M Motorsport has given them a name and a new logo: Gen2K.

“Generation 2000”, comprising the three members of the BMW Junior Team and Weerts, who has already achieved numerous successes in GT racing at a young age with Team WRT in recent years, embodies BMW M Motorsport’s approach to infuse its line-up with not only experience but also youthful dynamism making it as versatile as possible.

The Gen2K racing programme is also diverse. Harper, Hesse, and Weerts will contest the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER) in June in the BMW M Team RMG BMW M4 GT3. While Harper and Hesse have grown up on the Nordschleife as part of their training and have contested many races there, Weerts will make his debut at the endurance classic in the Eifel region. The trio will hit the track for the first time in the BMW M4 GT3 this coming weekend during test sessions ahead of the start of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NES) season.

Moreover, all three drivers will compete in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, albeit for different teams. Harper and Hesse for ROWE Racing, Weerts for BMW M Team WRT. Additionally, Hesse will undertake race outings for BMW Team Italia Ceccato Racing in the Italian GT Championship, while Harper will participate in selected events of the British GT Championship, where he clinched the driver’s title in 2023. Verhagen will contest the entire season of the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS for ST Racing in North America, as well as the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races for Paul Miller Racing.