50 years of BMW M and the 50th staging of the Nürburgring 24 Hours – this year’s Eifel endurance classic is all about special anniversaries. It will also be the first outing for the new BMW M4 GT3 at the highlight of the Nordschleife season. A strong contingent of BMW M Motorsport works drivers will have their sights set on challenging for overall victory. In total, BMW M Motorsport teams will field no fewer than seven BMW M4 GT3s in the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
ROWE Racing competes with two BMW M4 GT3s in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Alternating at the wheel of one of the two cars will be Augusto Farfus (BRA), Philipp Eng (AUT), Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Connor De Phillippi (USA). The team’s other BMW M4 GT3 will be driven by Nick Catsburg (NED), Marco Wittmann (GER), John Edwards (USA) and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA).
Driving the BMW M4 GT3 for Schubert Motorsport will be BMW M Motorsport works drivers Jesse Krohn (FIN), Jens Klingmann (GER) and Alexander Sims (GBR). The BMW Junior Team, consisting of Max Hesse (GER), Neil Verhagen (USA) and Dan Harper (GBR), will also start in a BMW M4 GT3. This will be run by BMW M Team RMG at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Walkenhorst Motorsport will field three BMW M4 GT3s in the PRO, Pro-Am and AM classes at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Preparations begin this Saturday (26th March) with race one of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS). The prologue, with the qualification race, will take place from 6th to 8th May, before the 24-hour race itself takes centre stage from 28th to 29th May.
Quotes.
Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport: “The Nürburgring 24 Hours is a race that sets the pulse of any motorsport enthusiast racing so we are all really looking forward to this classic. During the development of the BMW M4 GT3, we gained an awful lot of experience with the car on the Nordschleife. That will now be very valuable to us in the preparations and the race. Our BMW M Motorsport works drivers are real Nordschleife experts, as are the teams, therefore we have all the ingredients in place to go into this iconic race with a healthy portion of optimism.”
Nick Yelloly (ROWE Racing): “I am excited to get back to the Nordschleife with ROWE Racing. It’s my favourite circuit and the 24 Hours is without a doubt my favourite event. I love the atmosphere. We won it in 2020, I was on pole in 2021 but unfortunately had problems in the race, so we have to make sure we return to the front this year with our new BMW M4 GT3.”
Augusto Farfus (ROWE Racing): “I am very excited to participate with ROWE Racing in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. The team has been among the most successful GT3 teams in the sport. I never had the chance to drive for them, so I am very excited to do that now. Our line-up is extremely strong, so I think we have all the right cards to be very strong.”
Connor De Phillippi (ROWE Racing): “Returning to the Nürburgring in the new BMW M4 GT3 is going to be a major highlight in my 2022 season and I’m so excited to be a part of the programme! It is my favourite event of the year, with one of the most unforgettable racing atmospheres and I cannot wait to be back driving there with ROWE Racing.”
Nick Catsburg (ROWE Racing): “I am already really looking forward to the Nürburgring 24 Hours. This is my favourite event, and our overall victory in 2020 is obviously one that I will never forget. It is going to be fantastic to line up at the classic again with ROWE Racing and the new BMW M4 GT3.”
John Edwards (ROWE Racing): “The Nürburgring 24 Hours is the most intense race on earth. There’s nothing like a 24-hour race at the most challenging and rewarding track on the planet! Last year, we had a good car but some bad luck put us out. This year, we have a new car and I am very confident.”
Jens Klingmann (Schubert Motorsport): “The absolute highlight of the season marking the 50th anniversary of BMW M is the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, and the objective is clear: to return to Munich with the 21st overall victory. That would be the best possible birthday present for BMW M. Last year, I was able to compete on the Nordschleife with the BMW M4 GT3 which allowed me to gather some initial experience and I am looking forward all the more to the Nürburgring this year. I think that we have a pretty strong package overall with Schubert Motorsport and the BMW M4 GT3.”
Alexander Sims (Schubert Motorsport): “I am really looking forward to driving the BMW M4 GT3 on the Nordschleife. I’ve heard good things about the car in its development and so to drive it on one of the best tracks in the world will be another great experience with BMW. As always though, we compete to win so the focus will be on understanding and optimising the package as best as we can to be well prepared for the 24 hours.”
Max Hesse (BMW Junior Team): “We are really looking forward to going racing again on the Nordschleife. This is the first time we will have driven the BMW M4 GT3 there, but BMW M Team RMG already gained experience with the car on the Nordschleife last year. That will definitely be beneficial. We will use the first NLS races and the qualification race to prepare meticulously for the 24-hour race. It is about finding a good rhythm, practicing driver changeovers and pit stops, and fine-tuning the set-up. It would be nice to have every kind of weather during the preparations, as we all know that the weather can change very quickly on the Nordschleife. All three of us are very much looking forward to the coming weeks at the Nürburgring.”
Overview of BMW M Motorsport works drivers at the 24h Nürburgring.
ROWE Racing:
Philipp Eng (AUT)
Augusto Farfus (BRA)
Nick Yelloly (GBR)
Connor De Phillippi (USA)
Nick Catsburg (NED)
Marco Wittmann (GER)
John Edwards (USA)
Sheldon van der Linde (RSA)
Schubert Motorsport:
Jesse Krohn (FIN)
Jens Klingmann (GER)
Alexander Sims (GBR)
BMW Junior Team:
Max Hesse (GER)
Dan Harper (GBR)
Neil Verhagen (USA)
Source. BMW
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