Tag Archives: Hockenheim

BMW

DTM checks: Three Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3s on the racetrack for the primary time in new designs.

Hockenheim. Schubert Motorsport took benefit of the official DTM take a look at drives at Hockenheim (GER) on Tuesday and Wednesday to intensively put together its three BMW M4 GT3s for the season begin on the finish of April. The BMW M works drivers René Rast (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Marco Wittmann (GER) hit the monitor for the primary time within the new automobile designs of the BMW M Motorsport Partners RoboMarkets, Shell, and Schaeffler. At the top of the 4 take a look at periods, the drivers drew a optimistic conclusion .

In addition to the DTM, the ADAC GT Masters additionally performed take a look at periods at Hockenheim. The FK Performance Motorsport crew participated with two BMW M4 GT3s.

On the sidelines of the testing, ADAC introduced the continuation of the BMW M2 Cup. In the 2024 season, the vehicles will not be centrally deployed and managed however can be run by a number of groups. Along with this alteration, the portfolio of fashions eligible for the Cup has expanded. Three automobile classes are eligible to begin, together with the BMW M2 CS Racing within the 450 HP and 365 HP variations, in addition to the 340 HP BMW M240i Racing. The BMW M2 Cup occasions are compact and happen over two days. Practice, qualifying, and races are held solely on Saturday and Sunday. The junior sequence will compete at a complete of 5 DTM occasions and can maintain two races lasting 25 minutes every weekend. The season begins from 24th to 26th May on the Lausitzring (GER).

Comments on the DTM take a look at:

Björn Lellmann (Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport): “When you walk through the Hockenheim paddock during the test drives, you immediately get the unique DTM feeling that still makes this race series special. The Schubert Motorsport team and our BMW M works drivers used the two days for intensive preparation. The professional attitude of all participants is impressive and gives me confidence that the team led by Team Principal Torsten Schubert will play an important role in the title race in the 2024 season. I also wish FK Performance Motorsport success in the ADAC GT Masters and ADAC GT4 Germany for the great effort they are putting into the upcoming season. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for everyone and look forward to the season start in just over two weeks when Schubert Motorsport will celebrate its home game at Oschersleben.”

Marco Wittmann (#11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3): “I am very satisfied with the first test. We were able to try a lot, and everything went well. For me, it was primarily about getting to know the team and the engineers. This is crucial because we can only be successful during the season if we trust each other blindly.”

Sheldon van der Linde (#31 Shell BMW M4 GT3): “The test could hardly have gone better. I am very satisfied with the processes in the team and the fact that we were able to complete our programme without any problems. I also really like the new design of my car. It’s a real eye-catcher in the starting field and is sure to be easy to recognise in the races.”

René Rast (#33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3): “It was a good test. We had no problems over the two days, were able to try out many things, and were also fast in the end. All very positive. Having three cars in the garage was a bit of an adjustment at the beginning, but Schubert Motorsport already has the processes well under control. Let‘s keep it up.”

BMW

Podium! René Rast finishes third at Hockenheim, ending the DTM season on a positive note

The 2023 DTM season concluded at the Hockenheimring with an impressive crowd of 88,000 spectators. René Rast made a remarkable comeback in the Sunday race, climbing from 23rd on the grid to secure a third-place finish. Sheldon van der Linde finished fourth, wrapping up his last DTM race for now. Thomas Preining emerged as the title winner. Marco Wittmann had a disappointing season with ninth and 17th-place finishes in the two Hockenheim races.

Schubert Motorsport had a successful season, securing two wins and eight podium finishes. Van der Linde finished fourth in the driver standings with Rast closely following in fifth place. Rast’s performance was particularly impressive considering he missed a race weekend due to a scheduling conflict. Schubert Motorsport finished fourth in the team standings, while Wittmann ended the season in 13th place.

The highlights of the year for BMW M Motorsport were the race weekends at the Norisring and the Red Bull Ring. Van der Linde secured his only season win at the Norisring and finished third in the second race. Rast achieved his first podium finishes as a BMW M works driver with second-place finishes in both races. Wittmann, however, missed out on a podium finish in the 2023 season.

In response to the DTM season finale, Andreas Roos, the Head of BMW M Motorsport, expressed satisfaction with Rast and van der Linde’s results and congratulated Preining and Porsche Motorsport on their titles. Rast himself was pleasantly surprised by his podium finish, highlighting his impressive climb through the field. Van der Linde described the race and the season as bittersweet, acknowledging that they didn’t always maximize their potential. Wittmann, on the other hand, expressed disappointment with the season and is looking forward to the winter break and new challenges in 2024.

BMW

BMW M Team WRT earns podium finish at Hockenheim in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup

Hockenheim. The BMW M Team WRT achieved another podium finish at the Hockenheimring in Germany during the third race weekend of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC) Sprint Cup. Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts finished in third place in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 in the Saturday race, and secured fifth place on Sunday. Valentino Rossi and Maxime Martin made an impressive comeback on Saturday, starting from 35th place and finishing in eighth position in car #46. On Sunday, they finished in seventh place.

Although no BMW M4 GT3 managed to reach the top three in the Sunday race, both driver pairings collected valuable points in the overall standings. Vanthoor and Weerts currently hold third place in the standings after six out of ten races, while Rossi and Martin are in fifth place.

In the Gold Cup, Niklas Krütten and Calan Williams celebrated a class victory on Saturday in the #30 BMW M4 GT3. However, a tire issue on Sunday limited their performance, and they could only secure fourth place in the Gold Cup. Nevertheless, they lead the driver standings in their category. Thomas Neubauer and Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer finished eleventh in both races in the #31 BMW M4 GT3.

Here are some reactions from the drivers after the races:

Dries Vanthoor (#32 BMW M4 GT3): “Overall, the weekend was rather disappointing, but we managed to collect as many points as possible. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the pace to compete for the win against the others. Hopefully, we’ll perform better next time!”

Charles Weerts (#32 BMW M4 GT3): “Despite not having the same pace as some of our competitors, we secured a podium and a fifth-place finish. The team did an outstanding job, taking advantage of the opportunities and keeping our championship hopes alive.”

Valentino Rossi (#46 BMW M4 GT3): “We faced more challenges at Hockenheim compared to Brands Hatch and Misano. Tire wear was particularly difficult for us. However, we managed to earn good points with the eighth and seventh places. Saturday’s comeback was fantastic. On Sunday, we had higher expectations, but it was challenging to maintain our pace, especially in the second half of the race. Overall, it wasn’t too bad.”

Maxime Martin (#46 BMW M4 GT3): “Finishing in the top ten in both races is a solid result. The Saturday race, where we went from 35th to eighth, was especially impressive. Such a comeback is unexpected. On Sunday, we started and finished in seventh place. There was more potential, especially after my strong start where I was third. However, we experienced a minor issue during the pit stop that cost us some time. Additionally, it seems we struggled to maintain our speed compared to the competition over the race distance.”