News

• Schubert Motorsport completes prologue to 50th ADAC TOTAL 24h Race at the Nürburgring
• BMW factory drivers Jesse Krohn, Jens Klingmann and Alexander Sims together with teammate Niklas Krütten finish inside the top-ten in both races
• Team Manager Marcel Schmidt: " The sessions were very important for us to try different directions in the set-up and to find a baseline as a team for the 24-hour race. It is extremely positive that we had an absolutely problem-free weekend"

• Schubert Motorsport secure P5 in 67th ADAC Westfalenfahrt
• BMW M4 GT3 and BMW M2 CS Racing successfully overcome challenges of Eifel season opener
• Team Manager Marcel Schmidt: “The BMW M4 GT3 ran really well on its first outing at world’s toughest race track”

• First competitive outing for Schubert Motorsport’s new BMW M4 GT3
• Top Ten finish in the TCX class for driver trio in the BMW M2 CS Racing
• Team manager Marcel Schmidt: “We learned a lot last week, which we can now build on.”

• BMW works driver Jesse Krohn with fastest lap in qualifying
• Schubert Motorsport achieve P11 in SP9 class with BMW M6 GT3
• Pairing with Torsten Schubert secures top-ten finish in BMW M2 CS Racing Cup
• Team Principal André Schubert: “Jesse posted a terrific lap in qualifying and pole position was a nice surprise for us”

• Schubert Motorsport return to the legendary Nordschleife for the 66th ADAC Westfalenfahrt
• Jens Klingmann and Stef Dusseldorp contest the SP9 class driving a BMW M6 GT3
• Company founder Torsten Schubert shares a BMW M2 CS Racing cockpit with his sons
• Team boss André Schubert: “For us, the return to the Nürburgring Endurance Series is an exceptionally good way to start the new motorsport year”

• Back to their roots: Schubert Motorsport have developed the M2 Competition in-house
• Baptism of fire: First competitive outing in the VLN 1 on 23rd March
• Torsten Schubert: “We saw our 20th anniversary as a great opportunity to return to our core competence”
Schubert Motorsport return from the winter break with a drum roll. The team will be competing in the season opener (22nd - 23rd March) of the VLN Endurance Championship on the Nürburgring-

After one VLN race and four starts in the ADAC GT Masters, Schubert Motorsport recorded a first win with the new BMW M6 GT3 in its sixth race. The team from Oschersleben (DE) was even able to celebrate a one-two result at the third race in the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring (DE). Jesse Krohn (FI), Jörg Müller (DE) and Marco Wittmann (DE) triumphed in car number 31 ahead of their team-mates John Edwards (US), Lucas Luhr (DE) und Martin Tomczyk (DE) in the number 39 BMW M6 GT3. 

This win did not just represent a perfect dress rehearsal for the upcoming 24-hour race at the Nordschleife for Schubert Motorsport. Team principal Torsten Schubert and everyone involved in this victory ensured that Schubert Motorsport made history for BMW Motorsport as the first team ever to record a win in the new BMW M6 GT3. 

Schubert Motorsport will compete at the 24-hour race with two BMW M6 GT3s and eight drivers. The six drivers who competed so successfully this weekend will be joined by Augusto Farfus (BR) and Jens Klingmann (DE). 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “This win was just reward for the hard work put in by my team over the last few days. We gave our all to give the cars the best preparation for the 24-hour-race and everything went well today. I think it was good to test what speed we can reach in racing trim. Being the first team to win a race in the BMW M6 GT3 is a special honour for us.” 

Jesse Krohn (BMW M6 GT3, number 31): “I did not realise that this was the first ever win for the BMW M6 GT3. It is great to be a part of this triumph and it makes me very proud. I put in a great lap in qualifying, which was good enough for pole position. We took this performance into the race and were able to secure the win. We hit all our targets this weekend and prepared for the 24-hour race in the best possible way.” 

Martin Tomczyk (BMW M6 GT3, number 39): “It’s always a great feeling for a driver to be standing on the podium – even if that was not the priority for us in this preparatory race. We wanted to prepare as well as possible for the highlight of the season in two weeks. That includes seeing just what the car can do, so we have shown just what is possible with the BMW M6 GT3. We are looking forward to measuring our performance against the competition in the 24-hour race.”

The 2016 endurance racing season has begun at the Nürburgring Nordschleife (DE), where the BMW M6 GT3 successfully completed its first race kilometres in the “Green Hell”. Schubert Motorsport used the season opener in the VLN Endurance Championship as a test under race conditions, to gain important experience with the new car ahead of the 24-hour race in May. 

The squad from Oschersleben (DE) competed with Augusto Farfus (BR), Jesse Krohn (FI) and Jörg Müller (DE) in the number 31 BMW M6 GT3, as well as John Edwards (US), Jens Klingmann (DE) and Lucas Luhr (DE) in the number 32 car. They were concentrating on testing, to find any of the car’s weak points and fixing small problems as they arose. The number 31 car finished outside the top-10, while number 32 retired after an accident on the last lap. 

Torsten Schubert (Schubert Motorsport Team Principal): ”Due to circumstances beyond our control we could not test on Friday, so it was clear from the start that we had to use the race for test purposes. That changed our attitude to the race: it wasn't about results but about completing as many test kilometres as possible. It was a great shame that our number 32 car had an accident on the last lap.“ 

Lucas Luhr (Schubert Motorsport): ”I had problems with the power steering and had to make an extra pit stop, which cost us a lot of time. However, overall I am very pleased with the BMW M6 GT3. Teething problems can occur with any new car, and it is more important that I feel fine behind the wheel. The BMW M6 GT3 drives particularly well through the fast corners and has a lot of potential.“

Schubert Motorsport successfully returned to the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The team from Oschersleben (DE) used the ADAC GT Masters summer break as an opportunity to take part in the fifth round of the VLN Endurance Championship today. Alternating at the wheel of the black number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 were Dominik Baumann (AT), Max Sandritter (DE) and Anders Buchardt (NO). After four hours of racing and 27 laps they crossed the finish line second in the SP9 class. In the overall result, Baumann, Sandritter and Buchardt just narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. The overall win went to the number 777 Ford GT, while the Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 won the SP9 class. 

Schubert Motorsport spent two days at the Nürburging. On Friday the team tested on the Grand Prix circuit, and on Saturday it successfully took part in the VLN race. The two days served as preparation for the next two ADAC GT Masters races, which will be held at the Nürburgring on 15th and 16th August. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We had a successful return to the Nordschleife. P4 overall and P2 in the class is a great result. All three drivers put in impressive performances. Dominik did two brilliant stints and Max and Anders were also really strong. Despite the fact that they have not raced the BMW Z4 GT3 very often this season, they drove very well. In addition, we managed to stay out of trouble in a race with numerous incidents. Of course, we would have liked to finish third overall on the podium, but we are happy with this success. The test on Friday also went well. At the Lausitzring we had found a good base set-up for the ADAC GT Masters races at the Nürburgring, and we were able to confirm this was the case at this test. Regarding the set-up, we are well prepared, we have a good feeling and are looking forward to returning to the Nürburgring in two weeks’ time.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 #20): “It was good to test here on Friday and to compete in the VLN race on Saturday. I did the first and the final stints. In the early stages it went very well, and I felt extremely comfortable in the car. The final stint, however, was pretty difficult, as there were numerous accidents and a lot of periods under yellows, with some of them very long. That meant it was anything but easy to keep the rhythm, but I succeeded in doing so pretty well. We certainly had hoped to improve by another position and finish on the podium, but overall we can be more than happy.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert put in a strong performance with its two BMW Z4 GT3s at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) – but was denied any rewards. The endurance classic saw an early end for both cars during the night. 

Martin Tomczyk (DE), who shared the cockpit of the HUAWEI sponsored number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 with Jens Klingmann (DE), Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE), took the lead right at the start and was in front during the opening laps. After one and a half hours, BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert had its first setback. With the onset of rain, the track became more and more slippery, and in these difficult conditions Hürtgen had a crash which resulted in heavy damage to the BMW Z4 GT3. The number 20 returned to the track after a long stop for repairs, but during the night the team decided to finally withdraw the car from the race.

The number 19 sister car, sponsored by KÄRCHER, suffered a similar fate after seven hours of racing. The quartet of Dirk Werner (DE), Dirk Müller (DE), Alexander Sims (GB) and Marco Wittmann (DE) had climbed up to second position in the early part of the night. But they also experienced some bad luck: Shortly after 11 pm it again started to rain heavily. Werner, who was running on slicks, spun on the slippery track and hit the barrier. He was able to drive the BMW Z4 GT3 back to the garage, but the car was too badly damaged and could not re-join the race. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “Unfortunately this time our hopes have been thwarted by two accidents. This can happen in these tricky conditions, as we have seen over the course of the race that also several other cars from the leading group have crashed out. This track is extremely difficult, and if you have the wrong tyres at the wrong point in time you always have the risk of an accident. It is really difficult to judge the conditions. It was a pity that we were no longer able to demonstrate the potential of our BMW Z4 GT3s.” 

Dirk Werner (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, retired): “It was raining heavily on my lap, with it starting from the Bergwerk section. There had already been a lot of accidents out on track. I was running on slicks and when I entered the Döttinger Höhe I suddenly lost the rear. As a result I spun and slid into the barrier. I still managed to bring the car back to the garage, and the team put all its efforts into repairing the BMW Z4 GT3. However, this was not possible. It is a real shame and I am obviously very disappointed.” 

Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, retired): “What can you say? For sure, it is really a pity that we had to retire, but everyone could see how difficult the conditions were out there. I had just changed and was on my way to the garage to take over the driving duties when Dirk had the accident. It was just a lot of bad luck. We win together and we lose together. Now we keep our fingers crossed for our colleagues in the other BMW Z4 GT3s.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, retired): “I jumped over a crest in Pflanzgarten. The spot I landed in was every wet and I lost the rear. I didn’t have a chance. I tried to slam on the brakes, but the car spun 360 degrees and I hit the crash barrier with the front right of the car. There was no warning that it would be so wet at this point on the circuit.” 

Martin Tomczyk (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, retired): “It was great to have the lead right from the first corner, and to keep all the others behind me for the entire first stint. That was a new experience for me, but a lot of fun! Unfortunately the end of our race soon followed. Having to give up such a race that early is a real shame for everybody in the team.“

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dirk Müller (DE) produced outstanding performances in the Top-30 Qualifying session ahead of the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE). Klingmann clocked a fastest time of 8:18.814 minutes in the HUAWEI-sponsored number 20 BMW Z4 GT3. He and his three team-mates Dominik Baumann (AT), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) will start the race from third on the grid when it gets underway at 16:00 on Saturday. Dirk Müller (DE), at the wheel of the KÄRCHER-sponsored number 19 car, was just a few hundredths of a second slower than Klingmann. He and team-mates Alexander Sims (GB), Dirk Werner (DE) and Marco Wittmann (DE) also start from the second row of the grid in fourth place. 

Pole position at the 43rd staging of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring also went to a BMW Z4 GT3. Augusto Farfus (BR) set the fastest time of 8:17.394 minutes. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “We are very happy with the qualifying result. It is particularly important for us to start from the front and not have to work our way through all the traffic. Our cars may now be able to take advantage of a clear track on the opening laps. We are looking forward to what will hopefully also be a successful race.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, 3rd): “Augusto showed today that he is one of the fastest drivers on the Nordschleife. Congratulations to him on the pole position. I am also very happy to have been able to convert the speed of the car into a very good starting position in the Top-30 Qualifying. That is a very good starting position for the car, because you are able to keep out of the close battles in the middle of the pack in the first few corners. Despite this, a 24-hour race is obviously very long – and we have not won anything yet.” 

Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, 4th): “I am very happy. Fourth place on the grid is a fantastic result. To have two completely clear laps of the Nordschleife – that only happens very rarely. Therefore, I really enjoyed qualifying in the BMW Z4 GT3. I would like to thank the team for providing me with a perfect car. Four BMWs in the top six: that is a great basis for tomorrow’s race.”

The eight-minute barrier on the VLN version of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) has been broken. The man to crack the magic mark at the sixth round of the season was Jens Klingmann (DE) at the wheel of the BMW Z4 GT3 fielded by BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert. He tore through the “Green Hell” in a time of 7:59.045 minutes on lap two of the four-hour race to set the new lap record in the VLN Endurance Championship. Never before had a GT3 car completed this version of the circuit so quickly. 

Klingmann had already flirted with the eight-minute mark in qualifying and on the opening lap of the race, but came up just nine and three tenths of a second short. After making history in his first stint – the first of the race – Klingmann handed the car over to team-mates Max Sandritter (DE), Thomas Jäger (AT) and Dominik Baumann (AT). At the end of the race, the quartet crossed the finish line in second place. The race was Jäger’s first on the Nordschleife in a GT3 car. 

Stefan Wendl (Teammanager Schubert Motorsport): “Right from the outset, our goal was to break the eight-minute barrier. We worked towards this goal with Jens Klingmann and Dominik Baumann, who are both quick and experienced. It is nice and important for the team to have set this record. We were able to show what our total package is capable of, and that victory at the 24-hour race would certainly have been possible. I find it remarkable that the BMW Z4 GT3 had a full tank of fuel when Jens broke the record. Respect for that performance. The priority for our two younger drivers, Max Sandritter and Thomas Jäger, was to have fun and learn from the race. They did their job very well. Second place is a great result. On a weekend like this, it is not so tragic that we did not quite manage to get the win.” 

Jens Klingmann: “What a lap! I am proud to be the first to break this magical barrier. We knew we had the basic speed to go under eight minutes. However, you cannot plan to beat this record on such a long and demanding track as this. We saw this in my failed attempts in qualifying and on the opening lap of the race. Even the lap on which I broke the record was not absolutely perfect. I had to overtake a few cars right at the end. I had to take quite a few risks, but fortunately it all worked out very well. After the bad luck we suffered at the 24-hour race, this is a very nice reward for our team.”

The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE) is in full swing – and BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert has eventful hours in the “Green Hell” behind it. Claudia Hürtgen (DE), Jens Klingmann (DE), Dominik Baumann (AT) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) go into the night running third in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 shortly after midnight. An incident-packed start phase saw Hürtgen involved in a collision, as a result of which she lost valuable time. However, the quartet has consistently worked its way up the field since then, and has established itself in the top five. 

In stark contrast, the race is already run for their team-mates Dirk Werner (DE), Lucas Luhr (DE), Dirk Müller (DE) and Alexander Sims (GB). Suspension damage resulted in Sims crashing in the fourth hour of racing. A part of the chassis damaged the oil pump of the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3, causing irreparable damage to the engine. 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “I drove through dusk and into the night. That is actually one of the nicest moments of a 24-hour race. On the whole I am very happy with my stint. I was able to make up some time. The car is running superbly. I will take a short break now and be back in the car at about three o’clock.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “The incident with the other BMW Z4 GT3 was very frustrating and unnecessary at this early stage of the race. Fortunately I was then able to work my way back through the field until we were relatively close to the front-runners. As such, we were able to do a decent job of damage limitation. All in all, things are looking good now.” 

Lucas Luhr (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “We actually made a good start to the race, and managed to stay out of all the mayhem. It is obviously a great shame that we have had to retire so early in the race. Everyone in the team was really committed and had worked very hard. Personally, I had hoped my first big race for BMW would pan out differently, but at least I made a good start. The car was running superbly until the incident. We will now keep our fingers crossed for the remaining BMWs.” 

Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “The retirement is hugely frustrating. I am extremely disappointed. I also feel sorry for young Alex Sims, who was in the car at the time. Thank heavens nothing happened. I’m back in action next week in a USCC race. But I obviously wanted to head off to America on the back of a good result. Hopefully the number 20 car can come up with a good result for our team.”

A spectacular Top-30 Qualifying ahead of the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE) saw Dirk Werner (DE) secure fifth place on the grid for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert. The BMW works driver clocked the fastest time of 8:14.848 minutes, meaning his BMW Z4 GT3 will start the race from the third row at 16:00 on Saturday. Werner will share the cockpit with Lucas Luhr (DE), Dirk Müller (DE) and Alexander Sims (GB) over the course of the 24 hours. 

Jens Klingmann (DE) qualified eleventh in the second Schubert car (number 20). He and his team-mates Dominik Baumann (AT), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) are thus well-placed going into the race. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “We reached our target and are happy with the result. You could see that the battle for the front of the grid was a very close affair. Despite this, we did not set the car up for one flying lap, but used the normal race set-up for qualifying. We are fully focussed on the race and looking forward to getting started. We are really up for this.” 

Dirk Werner (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Thank you to my team for allowing me to drive in qualifying. This is the only time you ever get two free laps of the Nordschleife. The car was superb and I was able to push really hard. The starting positions of all the BMW Z4 GT3s give us a lot of confidence going into the race.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “It is great fun to have a free lap of the Nordschleife. Eleventh is okay and we completed our programme as planned. Unfortunately I had some traffic and a yellow flag on my fastest lap. That is why we are not starting from a higher position.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert put in another good display at the final test ahead of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE). Dominik Baumann (AT), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Jens Klingmann (DE) recovered to finish fourth in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 after being spun by a rival at the start, meaning they had to fight their way through the entire field. 

Lucas Luhr (DE), Dirk Müller (DE), Alexander Sims (GB) and Dirk Werner (DE) were also well-placed until the number 19 car suffered a puncture upon entering the Nordschleife, so dashing any hopes the quartet may have had. They eventually had to settle for 19th place. The fourth round of the VLN Endurance Championship was suspended after just over three of the four hours scheduled following a crash. The highlight of the endurance season – the Nürburgring 24 Hours – will take place on 21st/22nd June. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “The big challenge throughout the entire preparations for the 24-hour race has been to adapt to the tyres from one race to the next. They have behaved differently every time and constantly demanded a lot of set-up work. We will also have to deal with this topic over the five weeks in the run-up to the big race. Generally speaking, however, we are very happy with our preparations – although we were unlucky at the start of today’s race, and then again with the late puncture on the number 19 car. The fightback produced by the number 20 car was fantastic. Our great first pit stop, in particular, put us right back in the race for a place on the podium.” 

Alexander Sims (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “I was unlucky in both of my stints today. First I suffered a slow puncture at the start of the Nordschleife just three laps in, and had to driver very slowly for a complete lap. That was a set-back, after which we did not have a chance. Then, shortly after I returned to the track after the tyre change, the race was suspended. Because of this, I hardly got to do any driving today. That makes me all the happier that I was able to use the races beforehand to gain as much experience with the car and on the track. I feel well prepared for the 24 Hours.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “I got an awful lot out of this race again. I had loads of duels on the Nordschleife – more than in all the races up to that point put together. That was obviously also down to the fact that we had to work our way through the field after the early spin. However, we did that very well. The performance of the car is good. I think we are ready for the big day in five weeks.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert took 6th and 10th at the third race weekend on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) quickly worked themselves up the field from 11th on the grid, but constantly became embroiled in two-car battles in what was an extraordinarily close race. They finished up in 6th as a result of this. Their sister car, with Alexander Sims (GB) and Dirk Werner (DE) behind the wheel, was still on track for a podium spot just before the finish, but then fell back into 10th due to a tyre failure.

The scheduled four-hour race had to be stopped after less than 60 minutes because of a serious accident that fortunately resulted in no serious injuries. The race was continued approximately three and a half hours later after the heavily damaged crash barriers were replaced in the Pflanzgarten section of the track. The total race time was reduced to three hours.

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager, Schubert Motorsport): “The race was chaotic and very difficult to plan out due to the interruption and the resulting reduced running time. The field was very close and we didn’t manage to break away from our opposition on the Nordschleife. That meant we were put under pressure again and again in slipstream duels on the Döttinger Höhe. Nevertheless, our number 19 car was still on track for a podium place shortly before the end of the race, but then unfortunately we had a tyre failure. It’s a shame.”

Alexander Sims (BMW Z4 GT3, Number 19): “It’s a shame that I could only drive one stint because the race was shortened, but it’s still really helped me prepare for the 24 Hour race. In contrast to the qualification races, I was able to learn a lot today about driving and overtaking on the Nordschleife.”

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, Number 20): “The race unfortunately had to be interrupted due to a serious accident – that made it pretty hectic. Nevertheless I think we managed to make the best out of the day. Once again, we didn’t have any technical problems, and we were able to gain some more important experience. The anticipation for the 24 Hour race in June is growing with every kilometre we drive.”

The qualifying race for the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE) finished with two podium spots for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert. Jens Klingmann (DE), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) finished second in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3, directly ahead of their team-mates Dirk Werner (DE), Dirk Müller (DE), Lucas Luhr (DE) and Alexander Sims (GB). First place in the one-two-three-four for BMW Motorsport went to BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS. Maxime Martin (BE), Marco Wittmann (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) were victorious in the number 25 BMW Z4 GT3. 

In qualifying on Sunday morning the two cars from BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert finished tenth and 11th. Thanks to finishing tenth, the number 19 car secured a place in the top 30 qualifying at the 24-hour race in June. The sister car narrowly missed out on this early qualifying. However, there are still more chances to obtain a place in the top 30. The next one being next weekend at the second race in the VLN Endurance Championship. 

Stefan Wendl (team manager Schubert Motorsport): “We couldn't have expected such a result after qualifying. In qualifying one of our cars narrowly missed out on a top ten spot, which was due to the fact that we focussed our set-up strongly on the race. Overall BMW Motorsport did a fantastic job with the BMW Z4 GT3. The vehicle runs extremely reliably. 

That is what's most important on the Nordschleife. We held on while our rivals had all manner of technical problems. We can be proud of that.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “We concentrated on a set-up that worked better in the race than in qualifying. In qualifying we saw that we had a lot of work to do. But we were consistent and reliable, which is what counts on the Nordschleife. We were also fortunate that our rivals had to battle with various problems.” 

Dirk Werner (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “It was an important test for us. Being able to drive so many laps with relatively little traffic on the track and to get into the swing of things was invaluable with regard to the 24-hour race. The car held up very well, but it's quite difficult to say what this result means. So many top cars had problems or didn't start with their best drivers. But the most important thing is that we qualified in the top ten and are therefore in the top 30 qualifying in June.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert made a successful start to the new racing season on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). Martin Tomczyk (DE), Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) finished third in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 at the opening race of the VLN Endurance Championship. A good strategy and some impressive driving saw the trio fight through the field from eleventh on the grid to claim a well-deserved podium.

The second BMW Z4 GT3, with drivers Dirk Werner (DE), Lucas Luhr (DE) and Alexander Sims (GB), was also on course for a podium until shortly before the end of the race. However, the number 19 car failed to finish the 60th ADAC Westfalenfahrt following a crash with Sims at the wheel. Victory went to Audi drivers Frank Stippler (DE), Marc Basseng (DE) and Laurens Vanthoor (BE).

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “All in all that was a positive start to the Nordschleife season. It was a very tactical race for us. We did not qualify as high up as we would have hoped, so we sent both cars into the race with different strategies. The aim was to stay out of traffic. We were then able to work our way through the field bit by bit. Unfortunately we missed out on an impressive team result of third and fourth when Alexander Sims crashed out in the Aremberg section of the circuit shortly before the end of the race. Despite this, we are obviously pleased with the podium.”

Martin Tomczyk (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “It feels good to start the season with a podium. The focus for us was obviously on continuing our preparations for the 24-hour race. As a racing driver, however, you always want to get a good result. And we did exactly that today. The team did a great job and I now head to next week’s DTM tests in Budapest with plenty of momentum.”

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “This third place shows that both the team and drivers have done a good job so far. Knowing that you are in the frame right from the start of the season gives everyone in the team a lot of confidence. My stint went to plan, and there were not too many yellow flags. The final phase was far more complicated for Jens Klingmann. We are happy with this result – and will now continue to work hard.”

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “Personally, I did not find it very easy to get into a good rhythm at the end. There was one yellow flag after another, and it would have been easy to lose track of what was going on. With that in mind, we can be very happy with the result. Our car is running well and we covered the distance without any technical problems. There was also a good chemistry between the drivers. It all fills me with optimism for the challenges ahead.”

Lucas Luhr (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “It was actually impossible to tell that that was my first race in the BMW Z4 GT3. I feel right at home in that car. We had a slight problem in qualifying, which meant we started from quite a long way back. However, we then made good progress. After the start I was able to overtake several cars on the outside in Querspange. That was definitely a good decision. It is obviously a shame that the crash meant we were not rewarded with a good result. However, we will hopefully have a few more opportunities over the course of the year.”

For over twelve hours, it looked as though SX Team Schubert could possibly win the 24 Hours of Dubai (AE) for the second time, having previously triumphed in the desert emirate in 2011. However, two collisions in the early hours of morning saw the number 76 BMW Z4  GT3 drop back down the field. The team eventually came home tenth after 583 laps. 

Drivers Dirk Werner (DE), Bill Auberlen (US), Paul Dalla Lana (CA), Dane Cameron (US) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) showed consistently good speed throughout the first half of the race, lapping among the leading group right from the word go and actually leading the race for a long period. However, shortly before five in the morning local time, two collisions with slower cars in quick succession resulted in SX Team Schubert dropping back down the standings. 

The subsequent repair work caused the car to lose several laps on its rivals, and the gap to the leaders proved too much to overcome at the end of the race. 

Racingdivas Team Schubert had more reason to celebrate. Natasja Smit-Sø (NL), Gaby Uljee (NL), Sandra van der Sloot (NL), Paulien Zwart (NL) and Shirley van der Lof (NL) recovered from problems early on in the race to produce a magnificent charge in their BMW 320d. They stormed through the field in the A3T class to snatch the class victory. In doing so, they were able to repeat last year’s success – this time against far stronger opposition. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “We paved the way to a good result in the first half of the race. We did not take too many risks and kept out of trouble. That worked very well and, after lapping consistently and a few problems for our rivals, we found ourselves at the head of the field. Unfortunately we then had our share of misfortune. We had to repair the car twice after collisions. Despite the excellent and fast work performed by our team, this cost us a lot of time. Despite this, the race was generally encouraging for the remaining endurance races this year, as the BMW Z4 GT3 ran without any technical problems from practice right through to the finish – and that despite all the stresses and strains. Our drivers were also magnificent. Paul Dalla Lana, in particular, was extremely consistent. Congratulations to our Racingdivas, who produced an energetic performance to pick up the class win despite several collisions.” 

Dirk Werner: “It is a real shame that we were not able to convert the good performance of our car into a place on the podium. It could have been so much better, so you are obviously going to be disappointed after such a tiring race. I was in the car for the first of the two collisions. A Ferrari drove into my rear wheel when turning into the corner. That broke the wishbone. We were very unlucky, as it was not such a hard contact on the rear axle. Despite everything, I still really enjoyed being able to work with Team Schubert. I met a lot of familiar faces and the BMW Z4 GT3 is a very good car to drive. Those are the positives I will take away with me from Dubai.”