Tag Archives: Championship

Jaguar to remain in Formula E after reinvention as premium EV model

Jaguar will stay within the Formula E World Championship till the tip of 2030, saying that it’ll proceed to speed up its improvement of its new era of electrical highway vehicles.

The British model has raced within the electrical single-seater sequence for the reason that 2016-17 season and can contests its a hundredth ePrix in Monaco this weekend.

Jaguar has taken 13 victories in Formula E and is presently main the producers’ championship for the 2023-24 season.

It has now dedicated to Formula E’s forthcoming Gen4 guidelines, which is able to start within the 2026-27 season and run till 2029-30. It will proceed as each a powertrain producer and with its Jaguar TCS Racing manufacturing facility staff. 

Jaguar will likely be reinvented as a premium electric-only model within the coming years, with the primary of a deliberate preliminary line-up (which, as exclusively revealed by Autocar, will likely be led by a big limousine) of three fashions set to reach in 2025.

Remaining in Formula E till the tip of 2030 will subsequently give Jaguar a showcase to spotlight the energy of its EV expertise and showcase its reinvented model picture.

Jaguar motorsport boss James Barclay mentioned the Formula E staff will “continue to drive the rapid development of EV technology on the track”.

He famous that the dedication was proof of the JLR board’s “confidence in the value of competition” and aligned with the agency’s wider Reimagine enterprise technique.

Jaguar has lengthy insisted that motorsport is a useful proving ground to develop new technology for electrical powertrains. That contains work with Wolfspeed on silicon-carbide to be used in semiconductors and with Castrol to re-refine used transmission fluid for competitors use.

The model mentioned each of these applied sciences will likely be utilized by its next-generation EVs.

While technical particulars are nonetheless being finalised, Formula E bosses have mentioned the longer term Gen4 vehicles can have 804bhp and as much as 939bhp of regenerative braking, up from 469bhp and 804bhp for the present Gen3 vehicles.

The chassis will once more be developed by France’s Spark Racing Technologies, whereas Italy’s Podium Advanced Technologies will substitute WAE because the provider of the batteries. Marelli will proceed to provide the entrance motors, that are largely used for regen. Manufacturers are free to develop their very own rear motors.

Jaguar is the second producer to decide to Formula E’s Gen4 period, following Nissan.

2024 BTCC season preview: assembly the person who makes it occur

Alan Gow, boss of the massively profitable Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for all however three of the previous 34 seasons, is the personification of a decisive chief.

He spends most of his time making clear, fast choices aimed toward enhancing what’s extensively acknowledged to be the world’s greatest automobile competitors of its sort. For many years, his authority has been each bit as nice as Bernie Ecclestone’s was in his Formula 1 heyday.

Not that there are a lot of different similarities between Gow and Ecclestone. Bernie was small, enigmatic and scary; Gow is tall and laconic, an Australian immigrant who arrived from a profitable Melbourne-based motorsport profession in 1990. He thrives on wisecracks and vibrant language, and for all his word-is-law authority, he’s a remarkably modest man.

“People think all the big decisions come from me,” he says. “But they actually come from me listening. I don’t have a sole franchise on good ideas, so I surround myself with people with interesting opinions, some a lot smarter than I am. So you listen, you sort wheat from chaff, and usually you find the truth somewhere in the middle. I’m a magpie. I’ll pinch anyone’s good idea if I think it will improve the BTCC.”

Typically, Gow has a collection of latest concepts yearly, and it’s the identical for 2024. They are designed to sharpen the competitors and the spectacle. “If you don’t have great racing,” he says, “you don’t have anything.”

This 12 months would be the third for the hybrid powertrains, a world-first he cooked up throughout lockdown with the assistance of Cosworth. After one season to search out the bugs and a second to iron them out, he’s satisfied 2024 shall be a fantastic 12 months for hybrids, making the prospect of 1 driver scoring runaway championship wins (already powerful) virtually unattainable.

“This year we’re doubling the boost available through the driver’s push-to-pass button,” he explains. “It’s a combined turbo and hybrid-electric boost, worth about 80bhp. At the first race this season everyone will get 15 seconds of boost per lap. But as soon as a driver wins a race his boost will fall to just one second, and there are graduated reductions down to 10th place. That will really change things.”

FIA WEC: BMW M4 GT3 triumphs at Imola – Strong race for the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8.

Imola. Great outcomes for BMW M Motorsport and Team WRT on the second spherical of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The 6 Hours of Imola (ITA) ended with a one-two outcome for the BMW M4 GT3 within the LMGT3 class. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) triumphed forward of their team-mates Maxime Martin (BEL), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA). It was the primary victory for a BMW M Motorsport automotive within the historical past of the FIA WEC. BMW M Team WRT additionally celebrated success within the Hypercar class. After a difficult begin in Qatar, Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) gave a really sturdy efficiency, battled for the rostrum for a very long time, and finally completed in sixth place.

 

The climate circumstances, with rain setting in across the midway level of the race, turned the occasion into a technique gamble. However, all BMW M Motorsport groups made the correct tyre decisions and have been rewarded with excellent outcomes. The BMW M Hybrid V8 made huge enhancements in comparison with the season opener and was aggressive underneath all circumstances. On the moist observe, last driver van der Linde even had the rostrum inside attain, however issues over the last pit cease and a subsequent drive-through penalty pushed the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 again to a still-strong sixth place. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 with Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) within the cockpit was unfortunate and received innocently concerned in a collision firstly. After about an hour of repairs, the group managed to get the automotive again on observe for necessary take a look at kilometres.

The celebration was even better within the LMGT3 class. Both BMW M4 GT3 crews continued on slick tyres because the rain started to fall, making the correct choice. No competitor may match their velocity, and so they drove to a commanding one-two end. Never earlier than had a BMW M Motorsport automotive gained a race on this collection because the founding of the FIA WEC in 2012.

 

Comments after the race at Imola:

 

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “That was an extremely positive FIA WEC event at Imola. In Hypercar, we made great progress after the challenging start in Qatar. We had the pace to achieve a top result on our own. I am pleased that car #20 was able to hold its own in the leading group throughout the race, even under difficult conditions. The early unprovoked accident of car #15 was very unfortunate and annoying. Many thanks to BMW M Team WRT, which rebuilt the car and sent it back on track. That allowed us to finish the race and collect important data to continue improving. On the LMGT3 side of the garage, it couldn’t have gone better. Congratulations to all drivers and crew members for very strong performances. Thank you to everyone at BMW M Motorsport and the team for a very successful weekend!”

 

Vincent Vosse (Team Principal BMW M Team WRT): “What a great weekend for our LMGT3 crews! Qualifying and the race went very well, and we did the little things right. Augusto and Maxime stayed on slicks on a wet track and were able to show incredible pace. That gave us a good lead and ultimately the one-two result. In Hypercar we were in the window where we belong this time after the big disappointment in Qatar. We are taking one step at a time and have already done some things very well here. On to the next race at Spa-Francorchamps.”

 

Sheldon van der Linde (BMW M Team WRT, #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, sixth place): “In the end, that was one of the most challenging and craziest stints I’ve ever driven. I thought several times that I would lose the car. I knew I had to bring it home so we could score very good points. Luckily, that worked out. The team did a great job improving the car so much since Qatar. We can be very proud of that. Thank you to everyone!”

 

Marco Wittmann (BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, 18th place): “That was a wild start phase, where some of our competitors quite misjudged themselves. I was hit from behind and spun around. That was very annoying. The guys did a great job repairing the car and getting us back on track. That allowed us to collect important test kilometres. My stint after the repair was great. The car felt good, and we could have made up some places. The pace and balance were good; we need to build on that. Hopefully, we’ll have more racing luck next time.”

 

Augusto Farfus (Team WRT, #31 BMW M4 GT3, 1st place): “I am incredibly happy and proud. We showed today that it’s about having the best team in this championship, not just the best car or the best individual driver. In my stint, the track was always differently wet, and it was a constant question of which tyres were better. We stayed on slicks the whole time, and I felt very comfortable in the BMW M4 GT3 under those conditions. The team always stayed calm and did everything right in the end. It’s my son’s birthday today – I couldn’t have given him a better gift.”

 

Sean Gelael (Team WRT, #31 BMW M4 GT3, 1st place): “I’m super happy! Darren qualified the car in fourth place on Saturday and drove a strong first stint. I had quite a bit of fun after that and was able to make up some time. Then I handed over to Augusto, who was sensational on the track and put pressure on Maxime. It was not so bad today.”

 

Darren Leung (Team WRT, #31 BMW M4 GT3, 1st place): “Winning in just my second FIA WEC race – that’s just incredible! We did an outstanding job as a team. The turbulent start phase was difficult for me, but I got through it very well and was able to hand over the car in a good position to my colleagues.”

 

Maxime Martin (Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3, 2nd place): “A fantastic result for the team. We had a strong car and decided on a bold strategy. That made the difference in the end. Congratulations to the #31 crew on the victory! We collected a lot of points and will continue to work hard in the next races.”

 

Valentino Rossi (Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3, 2nd place): “I am very happy about the one-two for Team WRT, for BMW M Motorsport, and my first podium in FIA WEC. We already had a strong car on Saturday in qualifying, and Ahmad achieved a very good third starting position. In the race, we then decided to stay out on slicks. Augusto was a bit faster than Maxime at the beginning and took the lead. Nevertheless, I am very happy with the result.”

 

Ahmad Al Harthy (Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3, 2nd place): “My first podium with Team WRT – that’s an incredible feeling! Many thanks to the team, which did a fantastic job. We took a calculated risk, and it paid off in the end.”

Victory and podiums for the BMW M 1000 RR in WorldSBK and FIM EWC: Successful Super Weekend for BMW Motorrad Motorsport at Assen and Le Mans.

Assen / Le Mans. Two World Championship occasions with the BMW M 1000 RR in a single weekend – and far celebration at BMW Motorrad Motorsport on a very ‘Super Weekend’. At the third spherical of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Assen (NED), Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team celebrated a sensational victory within the second primary race on Sunday after ending second on Saturday. In the FIM Endurance World Championship, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team began the 2024 season with a second-place end on the Le Mans (FRA) 24 Heures Motos.

 

WorldSBK at Assen.

At the WorldSBK occasion at Assen, Razgatlioglu was heading in the right direction for victory within the first primary race on Saturday. In extraordinarily changeable circumstances, ranging from third place, he was on his solution to taking the lead when the race was red-flagged, thus ending second on the rostrum. A difficult Superpole race on Sunday morning didn’t deter him. Razgatlioglu completed ninth and needed to begin the second race within the afternoon from that place. However, ‘El Turco’ charged by way of the sector and took the lead for the primary time on the eighth lap. In the ultimate levels, he secured the highest spot definitively, thus incomes Razgatlioglu his third victory with the BMW M 1000 RR following the successes at Barcelona (ESP). After Assen, he’s in second place within the championship standings.

Razgatlioglu’s teammate Michael van der Mark (NED) additionally fought for podium positions at his Assen dwelling race. Starting from thirteenth place, he completed seventh within the shortened first race. In the Superpole race, he was the most effective BMW rider, ending eighth. In the second primary race, van der Mark was among the many contenders within the main group earlier than ending sixth. Due to a penalty, he was categorised as ninth. In the Bonovo motion BMW Racing Team, Scott Redding (GBR) secured two top-ten finishes, eighth in race one and tenth within the Superpole race. The finest consequence for his teammate Garrett Gerloff (USA) was eleventh place within the Superpole race, adopted by twelfth place in race two.

FIM EWC at Le Mans.

The well-known 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans marked the opening spherical of the 2024 FIM EWC. The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, led by Team Manager Werner Daemen (BEL), made a powerful begin to the brand new season with the #37 BMW M 1000 RR. The three common riders, Markus Reiterberger (GER), Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), and Sylvain Guintoli (FRA), secured second place on the rostrum. The trio began the twice-around-the-clock marathon from fifth place. With flawless performances from the riders and the crew’s glorious work within the pit, the #37 shortly climbed into the rostrum positions and was already in second place on Saturday after just a few hours of racing. The crew maintained this place till the end on Sunday afternoon.

In the FIM EWC Superstock class, the Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Team fought for its second Le Mans victory with the #9 BMW M 1000 RR. Starting from second place in school, Kenny Foray (FRA), Jan Bühn (GER), Loïc Arbel (FRA), and Hannes Soomer (EST) had been briefly within the lead. After a crash in the course of the evening, they labored their manner again as much as fourth place in school, nevertheless attributable to a technical subject, the #9 bike retired prematurely.

Reactions after the race weekend.

 

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “I’m extraordinarily glad – it has been an excellent weekend. Of course, I may solely partly observe Le Mans from Assen, however I watched it till 1 a.m. on Saturday evening and from 6 a.m. on Sunday morning. It’s nice that the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team secured P2 there. We had been additionally a bit fortunate with points at different groups, however that’s additionally a part of a 24-hour race. After ending third final 12 months and second this 12 months, you possibly can think about what the purpose is for subsequent 12 months. It has been a fantastic begin to the FIM EWC 2024.

Here at Assen, it was my dwelling race and a mega occasion for me personally. The many followers, together with the numerous Turkish followers, created a improbable environment. On Saturday, we had been disillusioned to not have a win within the first primary race as a result of we had been very shut nevertheless it confirmed that now we have the tempo to make it. The Superpole Race was barely disappointing; all 4 BMWs had tyre points, leading to positions eight to eleven, however we made up for it within the second primary race. It was a fantastic battle on the entrance with seven or eight bikes inside a second, and Toprak and Mickey proper in the course of it. In the tip, we celebrated one other victory with Toprak and at the moment are additionally within the prime group of the championship. Mickey’s sixth place was sturdy too, although he was sadly moved again. We noticed that the bike has the efficiency, not solely with Toprak, although he squeezes out that further bit. We take these constructive boosts with us.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team (SP: 3 / R01: 2 / SP Race: 9 / R02: 1): “I am very happy. We did a very good job this weekend, especially in race two. It was not easy to take the win but in every lap I pushed hard. Everyone was working so hard this weekend and we finally won in race two. It was my first victory at Assen in the Superbike class, and also the first win here for BMW so I am very happy. It was not really important that I started from P9 because if you are really fast this is not a problem. The only problem was that after the first corner, Alex Lowes almost crashed and I closed the gas. After that, I tried to pass all the riders step by step. I felt confident and especially after ten laps I had very good pace. When the rain came, I just closed the gas because I did not want to take a risk. I just followed Alvaro Bautista who is more experienced than me. Then I started to push again. I wanted to win this weekend and I did.”

Michael van der Mark, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team (SP: 13 / R01: 7 / SP Race: 8 / R02: 9): “I think we should be quite happy with the results this weekend. This morning in the Superpole race, the goal was to be in the top nine and we managed to do it so we had a better start position for race two. I then had a good start and gained some places straight away. I had good pace and the top group was just in front of me. At some point it started raining again in the middle sector. We had some really nice battles and it was great to fight with the guys in front. I struggled a bit at the end of the race with the riding style and fell back a bit into my old habit. I tried to push too hard to follow the guys. Then at the end I got a time penalty. It was a shame to lose P6 but it is what it is. If you look back on the weekend we showed that we are strong. It was also fantastic to see Toprak taking another win today so I am pretty sure that soon we will have two BMWs on the podium.”

Scott Redding, Bonovo motion BMW Racing Team (SP: 15 / R01: 8 / SP Race: 10 / R02: DNF): “The warm up was very cold, but the Superpole Race was pretty good. I managed to find a better feeling again from yesterday which was the goal. It was a lot to play for with the tyres. Everyone went more or less with the same tyre, but it was dropping a lot. We could see that with the lap times and the performance of everyone but I actually felt quite good. The changes we made from yesterday to today were positive so going into race two I had a bit more confidence. I felt ready for the race. My start was ok, but I was stuck a little bit with two guys, struggling to pass them but then while braking into the last corner I lost the front, which I was a bit upset about because I felt I had good pace today for another top-ten or maybe even more. I’m just upset with that. I want to apologize to the team, they’ve been great. We’ll come back for Misano and try again.”

Garrett Gerloff, Bonovo motion BMW Racing Team (SP: 17 / R01: 16 / SP Race: 11 / R02: 12): “Today was better than yesterday. It was nice to just be higher up the order but I’m still so far back it’s getting frustrating. I’m trying different solutions to the things we’re struggling with, but it hasn’t been very clear. I’m pushing but it’s not coming yet. We just have to keep working and see if we can make some improvements for the next race.”

Werner Daemen, Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “I am very proud that we finished in second place. All three riders made a tremendous job. Nobody crashed, we had some difficulties in the night when it was very cold but all three riders coped with the conditions and I am very proud of them. They went for it over the entire week, worked together well and we had a very good atmosphere in the team. We showed that we are a strong team and I think that the second place is just the start of a fantastic season. I am hundred percent sure that we can fight for the victory in Spa, Suzuka and Le Castellet.”

Sylvain Guintoli, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (2nd place 24 Heures Motos): “It was a good weekend. In the end we finished second and we have to be happy with that. We’ve learned a lot and it has been my first experience with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team with Markus and Ilya. It has been a good experience. It’s a bit of a shame that we didn’t win because we wanted to bring it home but I’m sure that all the experience gained during this weekend and this race, which was pretty tough, will help us to get better in the future. It’s a good base to build on for the rest of the season.”

Markus Reiterberger, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (2nd place 24 Heures Motos): “We are very satisfied with the second place. Of course, we would have liked to win, but in such a tough, long race, with so much happening, so many crashes and mistakes, we did quite well. We had good pace, and especially at night, we were very fast when it was really cold. It was a real challenge due to the cold and tricky conditions. Thanks to the team and my teammates who gave it their all. I believe we have shown that we can be contenders in the World Championship. We also know where we need to make adjustments to get even better. Overall, it was a successful weekend with the second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

Ilya Mikhalchik, BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (2nd place Heures Motos): “I am really happy about the result. It has been a very difficult race, especially in the night stints when it was almost zero degrees outside. It was a bit cold to ride the bike and the conditions were tricky but even then our bike performances really well, the tyres were working well and everything was okay. We were fighting for the podium places and in the end we got P2 so for sure we are happy. Thanks to the entire crew who worked through all the night and especially thanks to my team-mates who were really fast and did their best in all the stints, no matter what the conditions were.”

IMSA Long Beach: Strong tempo of the BMW M Hybrid V8 goes unrewarded – Turner Motorsport on the GTD podium.

Long Beach. In the primary dash race of the season within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Long Beach (USA), BMW M Team RLL was unable to realize the hoped-for first podium end of the 12 months after a powerful qualifying. Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) began the 100-minute race from second place however initially fell again throughout their pit cease in a yellow flag interval and later resulting from a broken entrance on the tight avenue circuit in California. While Philipp Eng (AUT) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) within the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 completed in sixth place, Turner Motorsport celebrated a podium within the GTD class .

 

In the third race of the season, following the endurance classics at Daytona and Sebring (each USA), BMW M Team RLL was denied the primary podium of the 12 months 2024 regardless of the sturdy tempo of the BMW M Hybrid V8. In the primary half of the race, Yelloly held his floor within the main group and even took the lead. However, a yellow flag simply earlier than the deliberate pit cease for the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, which introduced the sphere again collectively, resulted in De Phillippi falling again to fifth place. There, he was repeatedly concerned in tight duels, resulting in collisions and in the end a broken entrance that needed to be modified within the pits. A number of laps earlier than the tip, the race for automobile #25 ended after a slip into the tyre obstacles. De Phillippi and Yelloly have been categorized ninth within the GTP class. Eng and Krohn, ranging from ninth place, discovered it troublesome to maneuver ahead on the road circuit however collected essential factors with a sixth-place end.

BMW M works driver Robby Foley and his teammate Patrick Gallagher (each USA) had purpose to have fun. The duo made a powerful comeback within the Turner Motorsport #96 BMW M4 GT3, ranging from seventh place and ending second on the rostrum within the GTD class.

Reactions after the race:

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “Part one of the first double-header with our BMW M Hybrid V8 in the IMSA series and the FIA WEC unfortunately did not bring the hoped-for first podium of the season. After starting from second place and showing strong pace in the race, the positions of sixth and ninth are disappointing. Nevertheless, it is good to see that our LMDh car is competitive on all tracks and over all race distances in its second year in the IMSA series. We will continue to work hard to reward ourselves with corresponding results. The next opportunity to do so will be in May at Laguna Seca. Congratulations to Turner Motorsport, Robby Foley, and Patrick Gallagher on the podium in the GTD class. I am pleased to see that the circuit in Long Beach continues to be good ground for the BMW M4 GT3 after the last two years’ victories.”

Jesse Krohn (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8, sixth place): “The field was so close together that it was extremely difficult to move forward. Due to the yellow flags, the lapping of the GTD drivers, which we had hoped to take advantage of, did not come into play as expected. That is of course disappointing because the performance of the car was much better than the result. At least we took some points. Now we focus on Laguna Seca.”

Nick Yelloly (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8, ninth place): “The race did not go well. My stint was okay, even though I was unlucky once when lapping and lost a place because of it, but the yellow flag just before our pit stop put us on the back foot. We wanted to make up ground with a late stop, but the regrouping of the field nullified this strategy. We had a very strong car here in qualifying, and we were also among the fastest in the race when we could run freely. Especially in the corners, we were better than our competitors. We will continue to work on improving even further.”

Next cease Assen: BMW Motorrad Motorsport prepared for the WorldSBK races on the ‘Cathedral of Speed’.

Assen. The third spherical of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship 2024 (WorldSBK) brings BMW Motorrad Motorsport to the ‘Cathedral of Speed’. From nineteenth to twenty first April, WorldSBK visits the well-known Assen TT Circuit, Netherlands. Following a profitable season begin with wins and podium finishes for BMW Motorrad manufacturing unit rider Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) and ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, the objective is to deliver the BMW M 1000 RR onto the rostrum at Assen as properly.

Assen is the house race for Razgatlioglu’s teammate, BMW Motorrad manufacturing unit rider Michael van der Mark (NED), who lately confirmed his return to the highest subject with top-four outcomes at Barcelona (ESP). The Bonovo motion BMW Racing Team may also think about the spherical within the Netherlands a house race, as its staff base in northern German Cuxhaven is simply two and a half hours away from Assen. The staff goals to proceed the place it left off in race two at Barcelona and to combat for the highest ten with each BMW Motorrad manufacturing unit riders Garrett Gerloff (USA) and Scott Redding (GBR).

 

Quotes forward of the Assen spherical.

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Assen is always something special. The circuit has a long history, and the enthusiasm of the fans there is always great. The first two race weekends of the season have gone excellently, and accordingly, we come to Assen with a lot of optimism. We have shown on tracks that don’t necessarily suit us well how competitive the BMW M 1000 RR is, not only with Toprak’s wins and podiums, but with good results for our entire WorldSBK squad. However, we do not rest on our laurels, but we all work hard to continue this path at Assen. The past races have once again confirmed how tight it is in WorldSBK, but our goal is to be contenders in the top field at Assen as well.”

Garrett Gerloff (#31 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo motion BMW Racing Team): “I’m looking forward to Assen. It’s a track that I really enjoy and a track that I feel that I flow very well with. I think also that with some of the changes we have made with the bike it will be a good track for the BMW M 1000 RR and something that I can flow on. I’m looking forward to getting to the track and to seeing my team again after a couple of weeks off and putting our heads down and try to do the best we can.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu (#54 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “I am very happy to come back to Assen again. We don’t know yet how the weather will be, but it is always a bit difficult there. It looks like it will be cold and with maybe some rain; we will see. It’s Mickey’s home race and maybe he can help me a little bit because it’s my first time there with BMW and Mickey is always strong there so maybe he can help me with some lines and some data. We are always working together and I am very happy for that. My target is to fight for the podium again, but I am there with the BMW M 1000 RR for the first time and maybe my feeling is very good and I will be fighting for the win. We will see at the race weekend. In general I am happy, and as it is Mickey’s home race, I hope that we finish the race on the podium together. I am ready, I keep training every day, and I was pushing especially in the past five days with training two or three times per day. I’m feeling really ready to fight, and everyone in the team works a lot. This is also a very good motivation for me. We have done a very good job so far and I think we can also do so at Assen. We will see at the race weekend.”

Scott Redding (#45 BMW M 1000 RR, Bonovo motion BMW Racing Team): “I’m really looking forward to Assen. It is a track that I really love! A lot of history there and I enjoy racing on circuits like this. This weekend I am hoping for more potentially after finding some good directions at the end of the Barcelona race weekend. I hope for good weather and I look forward to seeing all the fans at the Cathedral of Speed.”

Michael van der Mark (#60 BMW M 1000 RR, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “It’s really nice to come to Assen, my home round, and I think that we come there at the right time. We had two very good rounds before arriving at Assen with a lot of confidence which is always nice so I’m looking forward to it. It will be a busy weekend for me with a lot of friends and family but it’s great. It’s only once a year so I will enjoy it and I think we’ve shown now that the base of the bike is really good and we can be really competitive. My goal for the weekend is to fight for the podiums and it would be fantastic to get on the podium at my home round.”

BMW Motorrad Motorsport welcomes OUTDO CORP as new Technical Partner within the WorldSBK undertaking.

Munich. BMW Motorrad Motorsport has a brand new Technical Partner by its aspect within the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) this season: the globally famend battery producer and energy options supplier, OUTDO CORP. This new sturdy partnership was formally introduced in the course of the WorldSBK race weekend in Barcelona (ESP). The collaboration between BMW Motorrad Motorsport and OUTDO CORP encompasses each WorldSBK groups, the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the Bonovo motion BMW Racing Team.

OUTDO is an revolutionary firm specializing within the analysis and growth, manufacturing, gross sales, and after-sales service of rechargeable batteries. It owns globally famend manufacturers equivalent to OUTDO, OD, LEO, and so on. For 27 years, the varied sequence of battery merchandise produced by OUTDO have been in demand in over 100 international locations worldwide, receiving excessive recognition from international companions and customers available in the market.

“We are very pleased to welcome OUTDO into our BMW Motorrad Motorsport family,” mentioned BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers. “It’s great to have a Technical Partner like OUTDO by our side. As a globally renowned battery manufacturer, OUTDO brings extensive experience and leading technologies in the field of rechargeable batteries. The strong partnership with OUTDO is a significant asset to our entire WorldSBK project and helps us take the next step forward. We look forward to a successful collaboration!”

Chairman of OUTDO, Mr. Zhimin Ke, acknowledged that the company tradition and targets of OUTDO align properly with these of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “OUTDO has always emphasized on continuous technological research and development and product innovation capabilities. OUTDO will provide excellent products and leading technical support to BMW Motorrad Motorsport, injecting new vitality into the WorldSBK championship through the strong new alliance.”

The new partnership kicked off with a profitable first official joint weekend: in Barcelona, OUTDO CORP and BMW Motorrad Motorsport celebrated collectively a pole place, two victories, and one other podium end for Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.

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Final preparations for the 2024 FIM EWC: BMW Motorrad Motorsport on the Pre-Test for the 24 hours of Le Mans.

Le Mans. At BMW Motorrad Motorsport, the countdown to the beginning of the 2024 season within the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) is underway. With the two-day Pre-Test at Le Mans (FRA) this week, the ultimate section of preparations for the season opener has begun. It will happen from 18th to twenty first April on the identical venue, that includes the racing traditional 24 Heures Motos. The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, which is able to compete in 2024 with Markus Reiterberger (GER), Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) and new addition Sylvain Guintoli (FRA), labored on fine-tuning the #37 BMW M 1000 RR for the 2024 season throughout the take a look at.

While the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team with Reiterberger, Mikhalchik and Guintoli competes within the highest class, Formula EWC, for total victories and the title, the Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Team enters its second full season within the FIM EWC’s Superstock class. Like final 12 months, Kenny Foray (FRA), Jan Bühn (GER), and Loïc Arbel (FRA) will alternate on the #9 BMW M 1000 RR. Also current on the take a look at at Le Mans was BMW’s new addition Hannes Soomer. The 26-year-old Estonian will help each groups because the fourth rider within the upcoming season.

Additionally, two extra BMW groups from the Superstock class ready for the season opener on the take a look at. The Japanese Team Etoile is utilizing the #25 BMW M 1000 RR and Team T2C Racing from France is competing with the beginning quantity 2.

Reactions to the Pre-Test at Le Mans.

Werner Daemen, Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “In the end, I think we can be very happy with the test. We know what to do for race week. For sure, not everything was perfect but it looks like we have found a good way. All three riders did a very good job so I think we are well prepared for the race in two weeks’ time and I have a good feeling.”

Sylvain Guintoli: “It was a positive test. We got a lot of work done and had all the conditions that we could get. We had rain and then dry and then rain again, so we did a lot of testing in the wet as well which was good. The pace was good in wet and dry for everybody so it’s looking good and we managed to find some interesting solutions for the setup which was the idea of these two days. We’re happy with the progress and now I’m very much looking forward to the race in two weeks’ time. Hopefully we can fight for the win; that’s the objective.”

Ilya Mikhalchik: “The test was quite tricky with the weather conditions but in the wet, we did not have a bad feeling and then in the end we had a few hours in dry conditions. That also went pretty well but we still have some work to do for the race weekend to further improve the bike. That will be our focus in the next two weeks. We are ready to fight again and will try to bring our bike to the top.”

Markus Reiterberger: “We finished the test in third place, and all three of us were within four-tenths of a second. Unfortunately, I encountered some traffic on my fast lap and couldn’t quite show my best but we are quite satisfied. We sorted out a lot and tried things during this test which is important for the race. It was also positive that we made good progress in the rain. All three of us were at or near the front in all conditions. Of course, we all need to keep working hard to achieve our goals because there’s always room for improvement. We have now identified everything, understood the new package for 2024, and the new team composition, and know which direction we need to work in to be at the front in two weeks. Many thanks to the team, and now we keep pushing!”

A Porsche 718 Cayman Makes a Surprisingly Excellent Drift Car

What do you do while you’ve simply received a Formula Drift championship? Buy a Porsche, apparently. Reigning FD champ Chelsea DeNofa simply purchased a 718 Cayman S to show it right into a drift automobile, and it is likely one of the coolest issues we have seen in a minute. A mid-engine Porsche might look like an unlikely drift automobile, however with some modification and DeNofa’s fast fingers, it really works extraordinarily nicely.

 

DeNofa is detailing the construct on his YouTube channel, and it is fascinating. The Cayman is surprisingly nicely fitted to a conversion right into a drift automobile. DeNofa was in a position to preserve the inventory rear suspension geometry, and easily put in new arms that permit for extra adjustment of roll heart and anti-squat and ditch the inventory rubber bushings for heim joints. 

After dropping the gearbox, DeNofa put in a stronger clutch, beefed-up 2nd, third, and 4th gears, and welded the differential, all of which was surprisingly easy. He selected to go together with a Cayman with a turbocharged flat-four quite than a naturally aspirated flat-six for the large energy potential for the boosted engine. Right now, they’re working about 400 hp over the inventory 350, however the objective is to get nearer to 600. That ought to require a brand new exhaust, which is already fitted to the automobile, and a brand new turbocharger.

This will not be a Formula Drift automobile, so DeNofa is making an attempt to maintain as many Porsche elements as attainable. Aside from a cage, seats, harnesses, and naturally, a hydraulic handbrake, the inside is being saved inventory. He’ll possible do away with the small radiators forward of the entrance wheels for a bigger unit to be mounted at an angle within the entrance trunk a la the brand new 911 GT3 RS. That’s to maintain the radiator much less uncovered to impacts. DeNofa assumes it will need cooling upgrades too.

There was additionally the matter of electronics. With any trendy automobile, all of the programs discuss to 1 one other, and while you begin messing with one, the remainder go haywire. DeNofa does not go into particulars, however it took plenty of work to primarily “unlock” the automobile for it for use for this goal.

We’re excited to see this construct unfold. DeNofa dives deep on all of the points of the automobile right here, and there is a lot past cool sideways pictures of the automobile. Though, we’re blissful watching drift pictures again and again.

2024 BTCC race season to be streamed dwell through TikTok

The 2024 season of the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) will probably be streamed dwell through TikTok, in a transfer designed to carry the UK’s standard occasion to a brand new, youthful viewers.

ITV Sport, the media outlet chargeable for the protection, has mentioned that that is the primary time a serious organisation like itself has livestreamed an whole competitors throughout the social media platform.

Every race is about to be proven in full through ITV Sport’s TikTok account.

The transfer to social media additionally means the BTCC will probably be broadcasted dwell around the globe for the primary time in its 66-year historical past and is claimed to be “one of the most significant [decisions] in the history of the BTCC”. 

All races and occasions will moreover be lined on the present ITV community, together with ITV4 tv and ITVX streaming.

Highlights and catch-up programmes for the tin-top championship may even be accessible throughout the tv community.

The full broadcasting schedule is about to be revealed within the coming weeks. You can discover the total race calendar here.

BTCC chief government Alan Gow mentioned: “This is a very groundbreaking transfer for the BTCC. I’m extremely proud that we would be the first main motorsport championship on the planet to have its whole race season streamed dwell on TikTok.

“It’s the true cherry on the highest of our ongoing and huge UK protection, which is dwell and free on ITV4 and ITVX.

“Most importantly, this settlement will introduce the BTCC to an enormous new and fully completely different demographic – a youthful and extra numerous viewers, which is precisely what we, and in reality all of motorsport, wish to obtain.

“This may be very large information for the BTCC, our groups and our companions as we cement the way forward for the UK’s most prestigious motorsport championship.”

The opening ceremony for the 2024 season will happen at Donington Park on 16 April, alongside the ultimate pre-season check forward of the aggressive marketing campaign starting on the 27 April.

Prior to the season’s launch at Donington’s National circuit, the primary check day will happen at Brands Hatch (Indy) in Kent on 3 April, with the following scheduled for one week later (10 April) at Croft in North Yorkshire.