This week saw the BMW M6 GT3, which completed its first outing at the start of February, testing in Monteblanco (ES). With BMW works drivers Lucas Luhr (DE) and Maxime Martin (BE) at the wheel, the engineers continued the extensive development programme with the prototype of the GT racing car. In Portimão (PT) the first joint test involving all DTM manufacturers gets underway on Monday. The BMW M6 GT3 will also be on the track once again in Portugal. Dominik Baumann (AT), Jens Klingmann (DE), Jörg Müller (DE) and Luhr will take it in turns at the wheel of BMW’s new challenger in GT racing.
DTM: Individual car numbers for the 2015 season confirmed.
The 2015 DTM season has another new feature in store. With immediate effect, the car numbers of the drivers will no longer be based on the team they drive for and the overall standings of the previous year. Instead, each driver will compete with an individually selected number. The BMW DTM drivers have chosen the following numbers: As reigning champion, Marco Wittmann (DE) will sport the number 1 on his Ice-Watch BMW M4 DTM. In case he has to hand over the title in the future, he has chosen car number 11 as an alternative. Bruno Spengler (CA) chose number 7, which was the number he had in 2012 when he was DTM champion in the BMW Bank M3 DTM. António Félix da Costa (PT) will drive with number 13 in 2015, Timo Glock (DE) with number 16, Augusto Farfus (BR) with number 18, DTM rookie Tom Blomqvist (GB) with number 31 and Maxime Martin (BE) with number 36. Martin Tomczyk (DE) chose number 77 for his BMW M Performance Parts M4 DTM.
DTM: Motorsport magazine crowns DTM best touring car series in the world.
Internationally renowned motorsport magazine “Autosport” crowned the DTM the best touring car series in the world. This title is the result of an analysis of those touring car race series around the world that the magazine sees as the most important. As well as the DTM, the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), the FIA European Touring Car Cup (ETCC), the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), the Australian V8 Supercars, the Argentinian Super TC2000, the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship (STCC) and the Brazilian V8 Stock Cars were evaluated according to the criteria of entertainment, competition, vehicles, prestige and diversity. The DTM achieved top marks in each of the categories of competition, vehicles and prestige, and prevailed over the other race series with the highest total number of points.
DTM: Glock competes against bobsledding stars at the BMW Kart Challenge.
Title sponsor BMW opened the “2015 BMW FIBT Bob & Skeleton World Championship” in Winterberg (DE) on Tuesday with an extra special action-packed event: Ahead of the competitions in the ice channel, the best bobsledders in the world took the opportunity to see how well they measured up in an entertaining event – and not just against each other, a motorsport professional was one of the competitors. There was no stopping BMW DTM driver Timo Glock (DE) from taking on world champion Francesco Friedrich (DE), junior world champion Nico Walther (DE), Olympic Games winner Steven Holcomb (US), Olympic medal winner Beat Hefti (CH), world cup overall winner Oskars Melbardis (LV) and numerous other German and international bobsledding stars. To start with he briefed them on the rules and tricks on the kart track, then came a qualifying session, followed by a race that Glock and the winter sports athletes really enjoyed. Friedrich, who walked away from Winterberg with two Gold medals under his belt, said: “I’m not the best at karting, but I enjoyed it anyway. Timo gave us some good tips, it was really interesting. When he was driving in front of me I managed to keep up for two or three corners, but when he really puts his foot down, you don’t stand a chance.”
Three questions for… Timo Glock.
Timo, how much did you enjoy the kart race against the best bobsledders in the world?
Timo Glock: “A lot. It was so much fun to finally be able to take the wheel once again after the long winter break. And if the beaming faces of the bobsledders after the race were anything to go by, they also really enjoyed this change from their competitions in the world championship. You can tell that it isn’t just in the bobsleigh that they have a great feeling for speed and precision steering, it’s a general skill. Some of them were really fast in the kart.”
What are the chances of seeing you on the bobsleigh run?
Glock: “Sure. I’d love to. I’d really like to try racing a bobsleigh down the ice channel. My DEUTSCHE POST BMW M4 DTM and the bob sleighs of the German national team have the same sponsor and the same distinctive yellow colour. No doubt the close cooperation between BMW and Deutsche Post means that this should be possible.”
How much are you looking forward to working with BMW Team MTEK and your new team-mate Bruno Spengler in the DTM this year?
Glock: “Just like all of the other DTM drivers, I’m really happy that the winter break has come to an end and I can finally get back to doing what I enjoy most: driving a race car. It was funny to see that a lot of the DTM drivers have been competing against each other online in the official DTM race simulation ‘DTM Experience’ in recent weeks. You can tell that we’re all really looking forward to getting back to business. The new set-up with Bruno as my team-mate will be very exciting. He has been one of the most consistent DTM drivers for more than a decade, won the title in 2012 and has finished in the top five of the drivers’ standings in almost every season. He will set very high standards for me, but I think the team and I will be able to benefit greatly from his experience. After all our goal in our third year of working together is to maximise our potential and get the best possible results.”
