Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“Once again, this past weekend, BMW M Motorsport teams thrilled us with spectacular races and successes. Congratulations to Berkay Besler and Gabriele Piana from the Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport team, who provided fans with fantastic racing in the BMW M4 GT4 at the GT4 European Series at Hockenheim. In North America, all eyes were on Virginia this weekend. In the GT World Challenge America, ST Racing and Turner Motorsport once again showcased the potential of the BMW M4 GT3, added by Justin Rothberg’s first win in the GT America. In the GT4 and TC America, the teams demonstrated that the BMW M4 GT4 and BMW M2 CS Racing are always among the favourites. The weekend also featured a highlight in Automotive Gaming with the iRacing 24h Spa-Francorchamps, where we can congratulate the BMW M Teams on a victory and a third place.”
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GT4 European Series (20th-21st July): Spectacular triumph for Berkay Besler and Gabriele Piana.
Berkay Besler (TUR) and Gabriele Piana (ITA) achieved a spectacular first season victory in the GT4 European Series. In the Saturday race at the Hockenheimring (GER), the Turkish-Italian duo triumphed after an outstanding comeback. Starting from 19th place in the #12 BMW M4 GT4, they fought their way through the field in the 30-lap race. About two minutes before the checkered flag, Piana made the decisive overtaking move, securing the first win of the year for the Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport team in this series.
In the second race, the duo in the #12 BMW M4 GT4 also made it to the podium, finishing third on Sunday and capping off a strong weekend at the historic circuit in Baden-Württemberg. This performance moved Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport to second place in the team standings.
Meanwhile, Ricardo van der Ende (NED) and Benjamin Lessennes (BEL) captured second place in the Silver Class driver standings at the fourth season event at Hockenheim. The duo finished seventh and fifth in the #17 BMW M4 GT4 on Saturday and Sunday. In the Pro-Am category, BMW M Motorsport also celebrated a podium finish at Hockenheim for Antoni de Barn and Gregory Guilvert (both FRA) who drove the #317 BMW M4 GT4 from Team CHAZEL Technologie Course to third place on Saturday.
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GT World Challenge America (20th-21st July): Double podium for ST Racing in Virginia.
The Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS held its fourth season event at the VIRginia International Raceway in Alton (USA). BMW M works driver Neil Verhagen (USA) and Samantha Tan (CAN) secured second place in the Pro-Am class (sixth overall) in both races in the #38 BMW M4 GT3 from ST Racing.
The first race was particularly turbulent. In a race characterised by numerous safety car periods, BMW M works driver Robby Foley and his teammate Justin Rothberg (both USA) in the #29 BMW M4 GT3 from Turner Motorsport battled for the Pro-Am podium. However, contact with Verhagen sent Foley off the track, resulting in a high-speed crash into the tyre wall. Fortunately, Foley, celebrating his 28th birthday that day, was uninjured, but his BMW M4 GT3 sustained significant damage. Foley and Rothberg were classified seventh in class. In the Pro category, Bill Auberlen and Varun Choksey (both USA) in the #28 BMW M4 GT3 from ST Racing were on course for victory but faced setbacks, including bad luck with a safety car period and an unplanned pit stop to check the car, finishing fifth in class (tenth overall).
In the second race, Choksey and Auberlen were in third place in the Pro class and fighting for the overall podium until a few minutes before the end, but contact between Auberlen and another competitor resulted in a drive-through penalty, placing the duo fifth in class (tenth overall). In the Pro-Am class, Verhagen and Tan once again gave a strong performance, finishing second on the podium. Turner Motorsport prepared the sister car from GT America overnight after the #29 BMW M4 GT3 was too damaged from Saturday’s crash. Starting from the back due to the chassis change, Foley made an impressive comeback, and he and Rothberg narrowly missed the Pro-Am podium, finishing fourth (eighth overall).
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GT America (20th-21st July): First victory for Justin Rothberg.
In the GT America races at the VIRginia International Raceway (USA), Turner Motorsport driver Justin Rothberg (USA) celebrated his first win in the series. He was the fastest in the #29 BMW M4 GT3 during practice and secured pole position in qualifying. Despite heavy rain and extremely challenging conditions, Rothberg won the Saturday race with a significant lead. In the second race, he fought for the win again, finishing second on the podium with only a 0.118-second gap.
In the GT4 class, Nicholas Shanny (USA) finished fifth in both races in the #21 BMW M4 GT4 from the Carrus Callas Racing Team. Additionally, Joseph Catania (USA / Rigid Speed) was seventh in the #33 BMW M4 GT4 in the second race.
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GT4 America (20th-21st July): Podium deluge in Virginia.
In GT4 America, the BMW M Motorsport teams celebrated five podium finishes at the VIRginia International Raceway (USA) last weekend. In the first race on Saturday, Colin Garrett and Zac Anderson (both USA) in the #51 BMW M4 GT4 from AutoTechnic Racing finished second overall and second in the Silver Class. Simultaneously, James Clay and Charlie Postins (both USA) won the Am category for BimmerWorld in the #36 BMW M4 GT4.
On Sunday, Kevin Boehm and Kenton Koch (both USA) in the #97 BMW M4 GT4 for Random Vandals Racing secured second place overall and second in the Silver Class. In the Pro-Am category, Mark Brummond and Mike Skeen (both USA) reached the class podium. The American duo from AutoTechnic Racing drove the #53 BMW M4 GT4 to third place in the Pro-Am category. In the Am category, Paul Sparta and Kris Wilson (both USA) in the #98 BMW M4 GT4 from Random Vandals Racing finished second.
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TC America (20th-21st July): Walsh continues mega series in Virginia.
Chris Walsh (USA) continued his impressive success streak in the TC America at the fourth race stop on the calendar. In both rounds seven and eight of the season at the VIRginia International Raceway (USA), Walsh in the #104 BMW M2 CS Racing made it to the podium. In the first race, Walsh finished second after encountering a problem. However, in the second race, he was unbeatable once again, the Carrus Callas Racing Team driver using his pole position to secure his seventh win in the eighth race of the season.
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iRacing 24h Spa-Francorchamps (19th-21st July): Victory and third place for BMW M Teams.
Last weekend, two official BMW M Teams triumphed at the final 24-hour iRacing Special of the year, securing a victory and a third-place finish on the podium. The virtual race in the GT3 class took place on the famous Spa-Francorchamps track.
Diogo Pinto (POR) laid the foundation for the success of the virtual BMW M Team Redline BMW M4 GT3 with an impressive second place in qualifying. Together with his teammates Chris Lulham (GBR), Florian Lebigre (FRA), and F1 champion Max Verstappen (NED), he led the race for extended periods and ultimately claimed a well-deserved victory.
BMW M Team BS+COMPETITION started from seventh position, but drivers Ryan Barneveld (NED), Phillippe Denes (USA), and Rainer Talvar (EST) showed great determination from the start. The ‘Zebras’ quickly moved into the leading group and secured third place in the end.