Japanese Super GT: ARTA claims record win at Fuji.
Autobacs Racing Team Aguri (ARTA) won round five of the GT3000 class in the Japanese Super GT Championship at Fuji (JPN). Drivers Shinichi Takagi (JPN) and Sean Walkinshaw (GBR) took the chequered flag in the #55 BMW M6 GT3 with a sizable lead after 164 laps of racing. The success was particularly special for Takagi, as his 20th victory in the GT300 class makes him the most successful driver in this category in the history of the championship. Takagi and Walkinshaw also moved to the top of the overall standings on the back of their victory.
British GT: Podium for Century Motorsport at Brands Hatch.
Following a perfect qualifying, with first and second place for the two BMW M4 GT4s, Century Motorsport finished the race on the podium at the fourth race weekend of the British GT Championship at Brands Hatch (GBR). Ben Green and Ben Tuck (both GBR) brought the #42 car home second in the GT4 class. They had led the race in the early stages but were forced to take a longer pit stop than their rivals due to the regulations regarding success handicaps.
They were almost able to overcome this disadvantage over the course of the two-hour race, as they produced an impressive fightback. Second place earned them victory in the GT4 Silver class. The #43 car finished seventh in the GT4 class and third in the Silver category which was good enough for Jack Mitchell (GBR) to successfully defend his lead in the Drivers’ Championship. Green and Tuck are second, level on points, going into the season finale.
ADAC GT Masters: Tough weekend for BMW teams.
The BMW teams were unable to back up the fine results of previous rounds at the fourth race weekend of this season’s ADAC GT Masters at the Nürburgring (GER). Jens Klingmann (GER) and Christopher Zöchling (AUT) finished 18th in the MRS GT-Racing BMW M6 GT3 in Sunday’s race in the Eifel Mountains. The two BMW Team Schnitzer cars, with BMW works driver Timo Scheider (GER), BMW Motorsport Juniors Mikkel Jensen (DEN) and Dennis Marschall (GER), and Victor Bouveng (SWE) at the wheel, had to settle for 28th and 29th place. Jensen and Scheider were well placed to score valuable points on Saturday, but were forced to retire from the race following a light collision in turn one after the start. The remaining two BMW M6 GT3s also failed to complete the race. “I basically travelled here straight from the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps with the win in my sails following the BMW one-two,” said Klingmann. “Unfortunately, we were not able to produce a similar performance at the Nürburgring. The narrow layout and the high temperatures simply did not play into the hands of the BMW M6 GT3. We were the best BMW team on Sunday but, on the whole, we expected more from this weekend. I am now looking forward to Zandvoort. That circuit ought to suit us far better.”
IMSA: BMW Team RLL sixth and seventh at Road America.
In qualifying ahead of the Road America (USA) race in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the two BMW Team RLL M8 GTEs finished sixth and seventh in the GTLM class. The time of 2:03.331 minutes set by Jesse Krohn (FIN) and John Edwards (USA) in the #24 car was roughly three-tenths of a second faster than Alexander Sims (GBR) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) in the second car. In the GTD class, the Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 starts from eighth place on the grid.
IMSA: Chaz Mostert set for debut in the BMW M8 GTE at Road Atlanta.
Australian Chaz Mostert will make his race debut at the wheel of the BMW M8 GTE at the season finale of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Road Atlanta (USA). Mostert, who has caught the eye with his results, including pole position at February’s 12 Hours of Bathurst (AUS) in the BMW M6 GT3, will share the cockpit of the #24 BMW M8 GTE with regular BMW Team RLL drivers John Edwards (USA) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) at “Petit Le Mans” on 12th/13th October. Connor De Phillippi (USA), Alexander Sims (GBR) and BMW of North America brand ambassador Bill Auberlen (USA) will share the driving duties in the #25 car. As well as the IMSA finale, BMW M Motorsport will also be involved in the DTM season finale at Hockenheim (GER) and the WEC race at Fuji (JPN) at that weekend.
CTSC: BimmerWorld Racing wins in the ST class.
Nick Galante and Devin Jones (both USA), of the BimmerWorld Racing team, won the ST class in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge at Road America (USA) on Saturday. The duo was victorious at the wheel of the #81 BMW 328i for the third time this season and leads the overall standings. In the GS class, the two BMW M4 GT4s – the #82 and #19 cars – run by the BimmerWorld Racing and Stephen Cameron Racing teams, came home ninth and tenth.
Australian GT Championship: Valuable points for BMW Team SRM.
Steve Richards (NZL) and Ricky Capo (AUS) scored valuable points for BMW Team SRM in all three races of the Australian GT Championship in Sydney (AUS). Going into the season finale, they currently lie third in the overall standings. The duo in the BMW M6 GT3 finished sixth in both the Saturday race and the first of Sunday’s two races at the Sydney Motorsport Park. The #100 car came home ninth in race one on Sunday.
