Nürburg. After an exciting Top Qualifying session on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (GER), there was jubilation in the BMW M Team RMG garage. Max Hesse (GER) secured pole position in Top Qualifying 2 for the #72 BMW M4 GT3 in the design of BMW M Motorsport Premium Technology Partner Shell. This makes Hesse the youngest driver ever to win the Glickenhaus Trophy for pole position at the 24h Nürburgring. The 22-year-old shares the cockpit with Dan Harper (GBR) and Charles Weerts (BEL). All three are members of Gen2K, the BMW M works drivers born in 2000 or later.
The #99 BMW M4 GT3 from ROWE Racing, driven by Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), Robin Frijns (NED), and Augusto Farfus (BRA), will start the 24h Nürburgring from seventh place. The sister car #98, in which Farfus alternates with Marco Wittmann (GER), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Maxime Martin (BEL), is in 21st place. The race starts on Saturday, 1st June, at 16:00 CEST.
In the first part of Top Qualifying, a total of 14 cars took to the track, including the three BMW M4 GT3s. Their goal was to secure one of the remaining five spots for Top Qualifying 2. Twelve other cars had already qualified for this decisive shootout. Van der Linde led the field for a long time in the ROWE Racing #99 BMW M4 GT3 with his best time of 8:11.716 minutes and ultimately finished the first part in second place. Harper in the #72 BMW M4 GT3 from BMW M Team RMG followed directly behind with a time of 8:12.070 minutes in third place. Farfus took ninth place in the #98 BMW M4 GT3 (8:14.696 minutes).
In Top Qualifying 2, different drivers had to take the wheel than in the first part. In the #72, it was Hesse. With a time of 8:10.992 minutes on the first of his two flying laps around the Nordschleife, he was unbeatable. Farfus then piloted the #99 BMW M4 GT3 and secured seventh place with a time of 8:12.127 minutes.
Video statements for editorial use.
We also provide you with video statements from the 24h Nürburgring for editorial use. They can be downloaded from the following link:
https://b.mw/24h_NBR_Media_Videos
Currently available for download are statements from the presentation of the new BMW M4 GT3 EVO on Wednesday evening, comments after Top Qualifying for the 24h Nürburgring, and an assessment by Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH, on the importance of the race for BMW M. More videos will follow throughout the weekend.
Comments after Top Qualifying.
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “Securing pole position in Top Qualifying – it couldn’t be better. Congratulations to BMW M Team RMG, to Max Hesse, and also to Dan Harper, who laid the foundation to even reach Top Qualifying 2. Max then drove an outstanding lap. We are very satisfied because this is obviously the best starting position for the 24-hour race. The #99 BMW M4 GT3 from ROWE Racing also has a good starting position with seventh place. Unfortunately, car number 98 has to start from a bit further back, but we saw last year that anything is still possible from there.”
Max Hesse (#72 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team RMG): “I am super happy about the pole position. Five years here on the Nordschleife were full of long, hard work, and now it has paid off with my first pole position at the 24-hour race. I am overjoyed. Thanks to BMW M Team RMG, to BMW M Motorsport, to Dan and Charles, and everyone who did a great job. The car ran really, really well. But 24 hours is long, and having pole doesn’t mean you’ve won the race. That is our focus, and we will continue to work on it.”
Augusto Farfus (#98 & #99 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing): “In TQ1, in car #98, I unfortunately could not get a good run. The balance was not really on the window so it’s a shame that I could not bring the car to TQ2. The run in the #99 was good. Well done to Max for putting it on pole position. I think they showed that they have a strong package. The BMW M4 GT3s are running very strongly so let’s try to keep the momentum for tomorrow.”
Sheldon van der Linde (#99 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing): “First of all it’s an honour to drive this track without any traffic and without crazy things going on in front of us. It was only my third Top Qualifying in my career and everytime I do it, it’s more and more fun. I really had a lot of fun out there today. The conditions have been changing the whole week with rain and a lot of dust on the track so the key to success was to adapt to that, even on the lap as well. I knew that I had one lap to do it, we had a peak in the tyre and the full performance was all in the first lap. It was a very clean lap from my side without any mistakes so I was very happy to get our car into TQ2.”
Dan Harper (#72 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team RMG): “It was good fun. It’s always special to get a clear lap on the Nordschleife and to get through to Top Qualifying 2 is even better. Obviously it’s a huge privilege to get the trust to do it from BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team RMG. We have been really fast in all sessions from yesterday on so we were confident, but obviously you never know. All the competition gets closer and you never know what the situation with traffic is so this was the first time with clear laps for everybody. So it’s great to get through to the next part.”