The BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team takes the green flag for the 2010 season of the American Le Mans Series at the 58th annual 12 Hours of Sebring on March 20th. The team has entered two BMW M3s, each competition-hardened from their inaugural year of racing.

The classic endurance race starts the nine-race ALMS championship that will see new competitors in the increasingly competitive GT2 class[1]. After a dose of teething problems at the opening round in 2009, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team found strength in the second half of the season. The team ultimately finished with one win, five more podiums, two poles, and three fast race laps.

“We’ve essentially been preparing for this race for one year,” said Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager. “Gremlins struck last year at Sebring, but following a successful 12 hour simulation here in January and two excellent days at the recent Winter Test, I believe we are ready. Last year, the target was to take one checkered flag; this year the target is two.”

“After such a strong finish to the 2009 season, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team has been eagerly anticipating getting back to competition in 2010 with the 12 Hours of Sebring,” said Bobby Rahal, team principal. “Our preparation has been excellent, the cars are strong, the drivers are ready to go, and the entire organization is looking to start the season in style in one of the world’s great endurance races.”

The new driver combinations of Bill Auberlen and Tommy Milner in the No. 92 M3 and Joey Hand and Dirk Müller in the No. 90 machine proved to be a excellent change with both M3s near the top of the time sheets in the ultra-competitive GT2 class at the Winter Test.

Joey Hand, Driver, No. 90 M3 – “In our second year as a team, everything is moving faster. It’s easier to communicate and that allows more time to dial in the handling and speed of the car. The team made excellent gains in the off season. I feel like I’m the best I’ve ever been and I’m excited because I know my teammate and I will be contenders from the start of the season.”

Dirk Müller, Driver, No. 90 M3 – “I am very excited to race my first event with my new teammate and the No. 90 crew. The BMW Rahal Letterman Racing guys did not lean back over the winter and we are all extremely motivated.”

Bill Auberlen, Driver, No. 92 M3 – “The ideas that make our BMW M3 better are developing even faster than last year. We have worked on reliability and successfully completed a 12 hour test. We have some staff with F1 background on our team and it is stellar to watch an idea form in their minds, and then see it almost immediately put into the race car. As an example, they have made substantial improvements with our traction control. Just when you think it can’t get any better, they do something completely different and revolutionary. But what do you expect… that’s BMW!”

Tommy Milner, Driver, No. 92 M3 – “After a year of racing and testing our BMW M3, the team’s mindset is completely evolved from what it was in 2009. We arrive at Sebring this year with an M3 that I’m confident can compete for the win. We know it’s reliable after testing here for 12 hours in January. The car seems quicker already, thanks to a lot of work done by the team to refine the M3 in all areas.”

BMW Motorsport drivers Dirk Werner and Andy Priaulx will join the team for Sebring. Werner, of Kissenbruck, Germany, tested with Hand and Müller at the Winter Test and will join them for the race. Priaulx, of Guernsey, raced with the team at the Petit Le Mans and will join Auberlen and Milner for Sebring.

In its 2010 season, BMW of North America celebrates the 35th anniversary of the company’s March 1975 incorporation, as well as its first major sports car racing victory, an overall win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, also in March of 1975.

Following four days of testing, qualifying will be held on Friday at 2:55 p.m. The 58th annual 12 Hours of Sebring will start at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 20th. The race will be televised live on SPEED channel.

Our own Andrew was present at Sebring two weeks ago and reported live his impressions of the winter testing session.

Let’s have a look.

In this video:
The 2010 BMW M3 GT.
Joey Hand, Driver, No. 92.
Bobby Rahal, Team Principal.
Martin Birkmann, BMW NA Motorsport Manager.
Bill Auberlen, Driver, No. 92.
Dirk Mueller, Driver, No. 90.
Tommy Milner, Driver, No. 92.
The BMW-RLR Crew and Engineers.

Watch the 2010 American Le Mans Series 12 Hours of Sebring Live on SPEED TV, March 20, 2010.

These are the type of news that should excite many BMW enthusiasts. BMW USA announces that for the first time ever in the United States, you can purchase authentic BMW Motorsport parts select BMW dealerships.

For those of that are looking for more details and to find out what part are available, check out BMW Motorsport’s statement below and also the parts catalogs.

“This BMW Motorsport/racing/off-road Parts Catalog gives you an overview of the specially developed BMW Motorsport parts. Some parts may not be available in the US and may not be approved for all racing series or class. All parts listed are intended for use on approved motorsport/racing/off-road series BMW vehicles ONLY.

The parts are Not DOT-approved, homologated or street legal and may adversely affect the original manufacturer’s limited warranty on the vehicle. Installation of motorsport/racing/off-road parts on a vehicle may render it nonstreet legal. Suspension parts (including but not limited to struts, shock absorbers and springs) must be used together as a system and should not be partially installed or combined with anyother components from BMW or other manufacturers. Purchasers of motorsport/racing/off-road parts will be required to sign a disclaimer, waiver and release.”

Catalog 2008 Z4

Catalog E36 M3 Group A

Catalog E46 M3

Catalog E90 320si S2000

Catalog E92 M3 GT4

Here are the BMW Motorsport Centers:

Illinois
Laurel BMW
430 E. Ogden Avenue
Westmont, IL 60559
Phone: 877-454-9352
Contact: Kevin Hale
Click here to email this dealer.

Georgia
Global Imports
500 Interstate Parkway North
Atlanta, GA 30339
Phone: 770-951-1119 x227
Contact: Jon Allen
Click here to email this dealer.

New Hampshire
BMW of Stratham
71 Portsmouth Ave
Stratham, NH 03885
Phone: 800-989-5200
Contact: Mark Wilkins
Click here to email this dealer.

Ohio
BMW of Cleveland
6135 Kruse Drive
Solon, Ohio 44139
Phone: 440-542-0600
Contact: Bill Kenney
Click here to email this dealer.

Thanks for the tip BimmerBoost !

It was dark, humid, and overcast when I started the day at 6AM in Sebring, Florida. However, by the time I was showered and dressed at 6:45AM I could already hear the roar of high-powered machinery echoing across the flat landscape.

Walking into the track at 7:30 sharp, the trailers and staging areas for all of the teams and cars were very quiet with only a few engineers wandering around with an assortment of various tools or lightweight rims adorned with slick tires. Upon spotting a large trailer and an empty, covered corral under underneath a cluster of BMW flags I found the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team.

The space was large enough to hold two cars plus crews and was immaculate considering it was set up in the middle of a concrete field behind the paddock. Eventually, after catching up with our contacts and having a delicious breakfast I made my way to the pitlane. “Your pass will let you right up to the cement barrier.” Taking advantage of that I walked straight to the pitwall just short of the BMW crews and came face to face with the 2010 M3 GT #90 of Bill Auberlen and Tommy Milner – getting a fresh set of tires and checks by its crew.

Ironically, I received my first glimpse of the car’s rear – one of the most different portions of the 2010 M3 GT over the 2009 iteration. The 2010 livery shows off BMW’s new, all-encompassing moniker of “Joy” with a plethora of slogans exemplifying the very things that make up the personality of BMW. It’s a subtle yet aggressive livery for what BMW intend for the 2010 American Le Mans Series as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 2010 is an important year after all as this marks both the 35th anniversary of the incorporation of BMW North America – turned over from Max Hoffman’s import car business – and, ironically, also the 35th anniversary of the first overall BMW victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring whith a E9 CSL . Additionally, after a disappointing season start in 2009 with both M3’s proving unreliable and unable to complete their first race at the 12 Hours of Sebring BMW-RLR are ready to bring home another victory for their class.

However, thus far, BMW-RLR is looking strong right out of the gate. In terms of the team, RLR manages the support, logistics and mechanics/chassis of M3’s while BMW retains at least two engineers who oversee the highly secretive V8 powertrain based on the road-going M3’s S65 engine, though with a heavily-revised fuel injection system. BMW also retain the contracts of the 4 works drivers of Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand, Dirk Muller and Tommy Milner – all well respected drivers coming from exceptional backgrounds such as the World Touring Car Championship in Europe or IMSA or the Grand AM Rolex Series. Also, it is the team of drivers who piloted the M3’s in the inaugural season of the ALMS.

BMW spent February 22nd and 23rd getting both the #90 and #92 M3 GT’s ready for the historic 12 Hours of Sebring that takes place this coming weekend. The RLR team maximized their time on track during both days to ensure that the M3 GT is running well and that as many potential faults or gremlins are dealt with prior to 10AM Saturday. One of BMW-RLR’s biggest focuses in the off-season has been to ensure that the issues that plagued the M3 in its first race last year do not rear their heads this year. One such example being that a new starter has been fitted to the motor – an item that caused problems for one of the M3’s last year at the start of the race resulting in the loss of precious time. Additionally, this allowed the team to size up competition noting that the Ferrari 430GT’s from Risi Competitione and the Tequila Patron team are proving to be equally fast with the M3’s.

The M3’s ran successfully throughout the morning with little if any teething issues to keep them from the track and to help simulate the actual 12 hour endurance race. BMW have made it known that they will be on the track at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and that the 12 Hours of Sebring would be both a great place for them to kick off their second year in ALMS GT2 class with the M3 and get the car and team ready for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We asked why the aging Sebring track was such a good test for Le Mans. The answer was simple: the track is so hard on cars that 12 hours on the central Florida track duplicates the stress and strain of the full 24 hours that a car must endure at the iconic French track. The reason for this is that Sebring is essentially an old 1950’s airfield converted to a road-racing course whose massive slabs of concrete cause for a inconsistent racing surface for the cars and drivers and provides quite the challenge. The rough surfaces are most notable through Turn 17 – the last turn of the course before the home stretch over the finish line where cars must brake from the fastest straight to a very long, undulating right-hander. In standing on the turn-in point of Turn 17 we were able to watch how composed the M3 GT was turning in and then managing the extremely bumpy surface that causes many cars to skip across the center of the turn.

After a successful morning on the track, we were invited back to trailer and staging area as mechanics and engineers spent a bit of time after lunch extracting data from the car and examining how both M3 GT’s held up to that morning’s torture. The engineers and mechanics should be given due credit for the art they perform on these cars to keep them in shape. During the few minutes we were walking around the corral and speaking with driver Joey Hand, engineers managed to partially extract the 4 liter V8 of the Milner/Auberlen M3 and make repairs to an exhaust header and return the lump to the engine bay – without us even noticing! That is how quick, precise and efficient these engineers have become. This is also what it takes for teams to remain competitive, they must be fast both on the track and in the pits.

While the hood and truck were removed and doors open, our host was able to show some of the less known features of the M3 GT that keep it highly competitive – namely the aerodynamic features engineered into the car. One of the most interesting yet subtle features are the air channels built into the door frames that help dissipate heat from the exhaust and undercarriage of the M3 while at speed. The effect being that the higher the speed of the car, the greater the suction strength of the vaccum and the more heat that can be dispensed. Additionally, hidden behind the dual kidney grille are the two “trumpets” that funnel air into the engine for cooling which are also flanked by two massive ducts that pipe over the engine and into the cabin to provide air conditioning for the drivers – something much appreciated in the hot, humid Florida air. Also, in person you can truly appreciate how fat the lower carbon front lip of the M3 is and you can imagine how much front down force it provides drivers for massive front grip on the custom Dunlops made specifically for the M3.

Later in the afternoon, the M3’s were back to the track and running strong against the rest of the field. Their V8’s unbelievably loud as that roared down the front straight and back out into the 3.7 mile course. For an engine as close to road-going spec( the primary differences being the bump in horsepower and the injection system) you just cannot imagine how strong the engine note is – especially as its note reverberates off of the walls of the paddock. By about 5PM the dual M3 GT’s, along with the rest of the field were beginning to wrap up the day – though the M3’s did go out for one last run of about three laps so that they could be chased by a heavily modified M3 sans a hood, passenger door and modified trunk carrying two heavy-duty camera rigs front and rear and one in place of a passenger. Each rig equipped with a handful of Canon 5D Mk II digital cameras to shoot video. The commercial was shot by the Bandito Brothers of the M3-themed – Living in the Lights viral video. However, we will have more on that for you soon!

The two days of testing proved to be productive as the drivers felt confident about the set up of the cars and that the rest of the team looked impressive in action working on the cars. As everyone knows, BMW has a lot to live up to for the 2010 12 Hours of Sebring and they are aiming to shut down the competition right out of the gate. From what we have seen and from the alleviation of mechanical woes that plagued the 2009 car – we think BMW is positioned just right to bring home a class victory.

A special thanks goes out to BMW NA for bringing us to the 12 Hours of Sebring testing to cover this event!

Tired of the  BMW Z4 GT3? Well, we’re not yet, so we’ll continue with new information and photos. Paris hosted the pre-season FIA GT3 launch event. Next to the BMW Z4 GT3, some of its competitors were on display as well: Aston Martin, Ferrari, Porsche, Chevrolet and Lamborghini.

While visually, the Z4 seems competitive, it is still unclear whether Schubert Motorsport’s race car is fast enough for the highly competitive GT3 championship.

Last year, ALPINA B6 GT3 scored several immediate successes, but this year the Buchloe based company are no longer represented as a factory team, instead, the B6 GT3 based on the 6 Series Coupe will be competing under the umbrella of S-Berg Racing team from Austria.

“We showed that we‘re in a position to develop a race car capable of victory in a very short time, and we now wish to focus on developing our customer team business. We are looking forward to continuing last year‘s successes with new customers S-Berg Racing, for example,” said team boss Andreas Bovensiepen.

The Austrian S-Berg Racing Team will purchase the two BMW ALPINA B6 GT3s that were campaigned so successfully by ALPINA in 2009. S-Berg Racing will compete in the FIA GT3 European Championship, as well as the ADAC Masters Championship.

After last week’s photos of the BMW Z4 GT3, we return again with new high resolution shots of the FIA approved car.

BMW Z4 GT3 is an addition to the BMW product range and offers drivers and teams the opportunity to compete in international and national championships in accordance with GT3 regulations – such as the FIA GT3 European Championship, International GT Open and the ADAC GT Masters – as well as in 24-hour endurance races.

Z4 GT3 is powered by the 4.0 liter V8 engine found in the current M3 producing approximately 480 horsepower. When it comes to electronics, the private teams can look forward to innovative BMW solutions, which have proven themselves in the BMW M3 GT2: the engine is controlled by the modern ECU 408, while the Power400 control unit is responsible for operating all actuators.

The transmission takes place via a sequential, six-speed gearbox. The scope of delivery also includes rims with locking and safety clips, as well as racing ABS and optional air conditioning.

The BMW Z4 GT3 in its racing version is available from the second quarter of 2010 at an estimated price of 298,000 euro or over $400,000. Not a bargain, but well worth it according to people familiar with the product.

We return today with new, high resolution photos of the BMW Z4 GT3. As part of its customer racing program, BMW Motorsport is offering private teams the Z4 GT3 built on the current generation E89 model.

This sports car is an impressive addition to the BMW product range and offers drivers and teams the opportunity to compete in international and national championships in accordance with GT3 regulations – such as the FIA GT3 European Championship, International GT Open and the ADAC GT Masters – as well as in 24-hour endurance races.

Z4 GT3 is powered by the 4.0 liter V8 engine found in the current M3 producing approximately 480 horsepower. When it comes to electronics, the private teams can look forward to innovative BMW solutions, which have proven themselves in the BMW M3 GT2: the engine is controlled by the modern ECU 408, while the Power400 control unit is responsible for operating all actuators. The transmission takes place via a sequential, six-speed gearbox. The scope of delivery also includes rims with locking and safety clips, as well as racing ABS and optional air conditioning.

The BMW Z4 GT3 in its racing version is available from the second quarter of 2010 at an estimated price of 298,000 euro.

Thanks for the photos Alex!

Just two months ago, BMW Motorsport softly announced a new model due out in the second quarter of 2010: BMW Z4 GT3. Based on the current generation E89, the Z4 GT3 is powered by the 4.0 liter V8 engine found in the current M3 producing approximately 480 bhp. The engine is controlled by the modern ECU 408, while the Power400 control unit is responsible for operating all actuators. The transmission takes place via a sequential, six-speed gearbox.

The BMW Z4 GT3 has an estimated price of 298,000 euros ($427,000 at the current rate exchange).

The first team to show their E89 Z4 GT3 is Schubert Motorsport backed and the car was spotted during a training session in Paul Ricard High Test Track in France.

Courtesy of Jon Sibal, we have some exclusive photos today, but expect to see more higher resolution photos in the next few days.

Today, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team began the 2010 American Le Mans season with a new livery on both BMW M3 racing cars, helping to tell BMW’s worldwide Story of Joy. The 2010 BMW M3 GT debuted at the traditional pre-season ALMS Winter Test in Sebring, Florida. The new livery features words and phrases emblematic of the spirit of the campaign, which was launched in North America on February 12th during coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the XXI Winter Olympic Games.

“Story of Joy” introduces a new creative aesthetic characterized by strong, colorful images often conveying people and their experiences with the subtlest of references to BMW products punctuated by various three-word headlines leading off with “Joy Is…”

“These days, there isn’t much chance for a winter break but our crew certainly earned what little vacation time they got,” said Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager. “Now, since the turn of the new year we’ve been getting ready to start what we expect will be a great second season. Car construction is complete, testing has begun, and everyone is excited. We look forward to giving BMW fans a good show at the Winter Test and of course the legendary 12-Hour event next month. For 2010, we have created the Joy livery as a special tribute to our most enthusiastic fans, as they have helped us define the joy of driving and racing in the US for 35 years.”

“In the spirit of the new BMW philosophy, all of us at the team share tremendous joy in getting the 2010 season underway,” said Bobby Rahal. “While we certainly had a successful inaugural season in 2009, everyone connected with the program has kept pushing throughout the winter months to make the BMW M3 the best car it can possibly be, and striving to meet the standards of excellence that are associated with BMW and Rahal Letterman Racing.”

2010 will see the return of BMW’s celebrated inaugural-season pilots, with Bill Auberlen and Tommy Milner sharing the No. 92 M3, and Joey Hand with Dirk Müller co-driving the No. 90 M3. For this two-day test at Sebring, BMW Motorsport driver Dirk Werner has been invited to assist.

In its 2010 season, BMW of North America celebrates the 35th anniversary of the company’s March 1975 incorporation, as well as its first major sports car racing victory, the 12 Hours of Sebring, also in March of 1975.
In 2010, the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring will be held on Saturday, March 20th.

[Source: BMW ]

February 22nd and 23rd mark the official start of winter testing for the 2010 season of the American Le Mans Series. The ALMS is the U.S. equivalent of the Le Mans endurance races that originated in Europe. With rules pulled directly from the Automobile Club de L’Ouest, organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ALMS provides most entrants a direct invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans held in France during June each year. Traditionally, the ALMS season is always kicked off at historic endurance race the 12 Hours of Sebring. Coincidentally, Sebring is also the location of the winter testing each year.

2009 marked BMW’s first year back to the American endurance series by way of the M3 GT2. The M3 GT (the 2010 name replaces last year’s “M3 GT2″ moniker denoting both model and racing class), debuting as early as 2008, is equipped to do battle with a modified, high-revving 4.0L DOHC V8 based directly on the road-going S65 4.0L V8 but producing 485HP over the 414HP of the stock road car. Additionally, the GT2-spec M3 is only burdened with about 2,750 lbs to carry around the track versus the 3,700 lbs of the road-going coupe

At the onset of the 2009 season, the M3 GT2, managed by RLR and headed by motorsport icon Bobby Rahal, entered and qualified 7th for the 12 Hours of Sebring. On race day, resulted were unexpectedly disappointing with neither of the M3’s finishing – one suffering from electrical problems at the drop of the flag and the second bowed out a few hours later also suffering from mechanical problems. However, no race cars aren’t without their teething issues.

This season, BMW is back to win it with the M3 GT still competing in the GT2 class despite the slight name rearrangement. To celebrate the resurgence, BMW have equipped the M3 with a new livery as seen in these teaser photos. In looking at the pictures, the interesting “worded” livery has one continuous theme: Joy. With much of the design scheme reflecting what could be further proof that BMW is moving towards the addition of the singular “Joy” to describe their products and as a means of complimenting the existing ubiquitous “Ultimate Driving Machine” tag line. One thing must be said, the new livery looks like it will be very interesting over the subdued M tri-color pattern of last year. In looking at these pictures, BMW contracted drivers Dirk Werner and Tommy Milner look very serious about this M3 as they discuss protocol with Chief Mechanic Greg Cates.

For those unsure of BMW’s intense focus on the 12 Hours of Sebring – the Bavarians have quite a storied history at the Florida track. As early as 1975, a 3.5 CSL driven by Brian Redman and Allan Moffat came first overall at Sebring with another overall victory in 1999 with the powerful prototype LMR V12 piloted by “Mr. Le Mans” Tom Kristensen. So, for the E92 M3 GT, it has quite a name it must make for itself this year to compete with its predecessors.

We will be on-hand Tuesday as the 2010 M3 GT takes to the track for the first time to begin shakedowns on all of the car’s systems.

“2010 marks the 35th anniversary of BMW of North America and we are pleased to increase our support for both professional and private teams racing in GRAND-AM events,” said Martin Birkmann, BMW of North America Motorsport Manager. “BMW cars and BMW-powered racers had an excellent start to the year at Daytona and we wish them continued success throughout the season.”

In the January 30-31 Rolex 24 at Daytona, the No. 01 TELMEX BMW Riley, fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, finished second in the classic twice-around-the-clock endurance race with drivers Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas, Justin Wilson, and Max Papis finishing one position ahead of the No. 95 Crown Royal/NPN Racing BMW Riley driven by Christophe Bouchut, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Lucas Luhr, Scott Tucker, and Richard Westbrook.

The day prior, two BMW M3s raced to a 1-2 finish in the Fresh From Florida 200, the season-opening race of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. In the Grand Sport class, Matt Plumb and Gianluis Bacardi, driving the No. 13 Rum Bum Racing M3, took the overall win by only .107-seconds over Charles Espenlaub and Charles Putman driving the No. 48 Fall-Line Motorsports M3. In the Street Tuner class, Seth Thomas and Bill Heumann finished second in their No. 81 BimmerWorld/GearWrench BMW 328i.

The Rolex Sports Car Series and the Continental Sports Car Challenge will hold their second rounds at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 5 and 6.

More information about 2010 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge can be found at www.grand-am.com.

[Source: BMW | Photo by Eurotuner]

Formula 1 and the Strategy Shift

If you have watched F1 in the last few years, and been paying attention, you would have seen Mario Theissen. As high stress – if you are not winning – high visibility jobs go, being an F1 Team Principal is right up there with Premiership football managers. So I can’t help thinking that a part of Theissen might have been secretly pleased when the BMW board announced, last July, that the company was pulling out of this branch of the sport at the end of the 2009 season.

He is a tall, quite youthful 50 something, dressed in the typical ‘business casual’ style that you find so often in Germany. His office is a tidy person’s dream, with an almost complete lack of clutter or decoration. Just a few scale model cars here and there, to hint at the automotive world that surrounds us. His frameless glasses add a slightly scholarly air, backed up by a quiet and measured speaking style, in excellent English.

He explains the rationale behind the withdrawal.

MT: “There was a shift in overall corporate strategy. The board decided that Motorsport should be more clearly directed towards technologies which are relevant for future mobility, and although we will always be in motor sport, F1 did not comply with the mainstream of this new strategy. On the other hand F1 takes most of the resources in this area, and so this brought about the decision to stop F1 and focus on other areas of motor sport as well as other things that came about with the new strategy.”

The Green Agenda, then….

Changing Emphasis for BMW Motorsport

He seems pretty relaxed about it now – though clearly with some regrets – seeing the strategy as being very positive for BMW Motorsport as a whole, allowing much greater focus on GT and WTCC racing.

He is however thoroughly convinced of the benefits that F1 participation has delivered to BMW and its road cars, over the last 10 years justifying the original rationale for their investment – which has amounted to more than pocket money – by saying “One of the main reasons for our involvement was that we believed it would benefit our capabilities in vehicle electronics and so we took the decision to do all of this in-house.”

I ask him how much of the operation was dedicated to F1 and what sort of difference this will make for 2010.

MT: “F1 took 85 – 90% of BMW Motorsport’s resources, and that refers to personnel as well as to budget” says Theissen, “We will now be able to focus better on GT and WTCC racing.”

This seems to imply that they were almost the poor relations until now, and Theissen is a little guarded in his response when I put this to him.

MT: “Not really. Over the past 5 years the F1 budget itself has been cut by half, and we had enough money….enough funding for the other programmes, although they did not get enough attention. Now with the new situation we are fully focused on the other programmes, and GT racing especially will play a bigger role for BMW Motorsport than it used to do.”

GT Racing to take Centre Stage

So why does this freeing up of resources increase emphasis on GT racing, rather than touring cars, is it something to do with the competition in each series?

MT: “Traditionally, we have competed in the WTCC 2 litre class and this is still a very important field for us, because it is not just about WTCC. The strong position of WTCC means that most championships – the national championships that is – are run on the basis of Super 2000 regulations, production based tin-top cars with 2-litre engines and limited scope for development. That means that if we can develop one car for WTCC then it is automatically eligible for the other series as well, and it has always been our Motorsport policy that we develop cars not just for our own works efforts, but also for our big private base, the private teams who are able to buy the cars and then race them. It means that such a programme has a big spread and leverage for us, and it makes sense for us to spend the money on designing and developing such a car. It would make sense even if we were not in WTCC – we have to serve our customer base and we would therefore offer a car for S2000 regulations”

So why the stronger emphasis on GT racing – is this part of a wider marketing effort?

MT: “For the touring car side – we would love to have other premium manufacturers as competitors in the WTCC but this is not the most important part of the story..” he continues “..the brand focus of sportiness and dynamics is on the M3 and this why we have decided to concentrate on this car for future GT activities. Last year we brought the new M3 to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Originally it was a GT car designed for the GT2S rules, then before the series started they abandoned the GT2S class and offered us the possibility to compete in GT2.”
Targeting

I suggest that this means a very different sort of competitive benchmark from WTCC.

MT: “The car is well balanced and it competes on a level with Porsches and Ferraris, and of course the Corvette. We saw great racing last year, so we decided to expand this programme and bring the car to racing in Europe as well.”

So, in effect you are going to compete in each of the key sales territories for the M3, making your motorsport programmes very closely integrated with marketing?

MT: “Yes – the plan is that we continue with the US programme, so racing with the BMW Rahal/Letterman team in ALMS, and compete in the major European endurance races with Schnitzer. We are working on this programme now. Nürburgring 24 hours is a definite, Le Mans 24 is a highly probable, and Spa 24 is still ‘in progress’.”

BMW had a big presence this year in both cars and engines throughout the multiple classes in the field. Dinan-tuned BMW V8’s sitting amidships the the Riley-built chassis and run by both the Chip Ganassi Level 5 teams. Additionally, Turner Motorsport entered an M6 into the GT class to battle it out with the many Porsche GT3’s and two Ferrari F430’s. Corsa PR1 also entered a Pratt & Miller chassis M6 powered by a hefty Dinan-tuned V8. Needless to say, BMW was well represented during the race – and what a race it was.

When the flag dropped at 3:30PM, the competitors found themselves in nasty conditions as Daytona Beach had been exposed to heavy downpours for approximately two hours leading up to the race start. As a result, the first few laps found cars corralled behind the pace cars until the rain began to let up. Thankfully, within the first few hours, the rain stopped and the track was able to begin to dry out. As conditions improved the BMW-powered cars were able to show the field what it means to have one of the german V8’s onboard. As darkness fell across Eastern Florida, things really got interested. Nightfall saw a back in forth with lead changes until the next morning, the Ganassi BMW driven by Memo Rojas, Scott Pruett, Justin Wilson, and Max Papis entered the pits from with bad vibrations – also conceding the first place position, which, unfortunately would not be regained. When the checkered flag fell in overcast Daytona, the DInan-BMW-engined Ganassi car found itself only 53 seconds behind the leading Porsche V8-powered Action Express Racing Riley-Porsche – thus grabbing a second place in Ganassi’s first race with the Dinan-tuned engines. An impressive result while the Crown Royal/NPN Riley-BMW of Scott Tucker, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Lucas Luhr, Richard Westbrook, and Christophe Bouchut came in four laps down from the leaders for third place giving BMW Power two spots on the podium.

In the GT class, the BMW M6’s of Turner Motorsports and the Corsa PR1 M6 both crossed the finish line – eighth and eleventh, respectively. Both M6’s fell to the back of the pack during the night with unanticipated pit stops – the Turner falling victim to cooling problems followed by issues with overheating of brakes. However they had top talent behind the wheel with a driver line-up of Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand, Boris Said, and Paul Dalla Lana – Auberlen, Hand and Said certainly being no strangers to BMW’s! The PR1 M6 piloted by Jeff Westphal, Thomas Merrill, Rob Finlay, and Max Hyatt was also in the pits for braking issues as well as problems with loose bearings throwing off the steering – this a result of paint swapping on the track. Ultimately, the GT class was taken by Mazda RX-8’s.

Overall, BMW performed quite well in a race of 40+ cars over the full 24 hours of the race. With two podium finishes in the Daytona Prototype class and with finished for the M6’s BMW is off to a solid start for the season. Look for these cars to roll back out and go head-to-head again with the competition in Homestead, Florida on March 6th.

Special thanks to Matt Russell and Bill Cobb at BMW for our incredible behind-the-scenes access!

[Some photos were provided by Tim Hourihan at VelozMedia | CarGuyDad - see full gallery ]

The C29 monopost uses Ferrari engines and gearbox, at some levels similar to the ones used by the “Italian scuderia”. One distinctive feature of the C29 is the highly raised nose and also extremely long undercut at the transition from chassis into underbody. All these changes are expected to play an important role in the aerodynamic numbers.

Willy Rampf, Technical Director at BMW Sauber, explains that new regulations banning refueling during races and a reduced width for the front tires, have had a direct impact on the car’s new design.

BMW Sauber’s latest drivers are a combination of young and ambitious driver,  Kamui Kobayashi, with the experience brought by a long-timer in the F1 ring, Pedro De la Rosa.  The spanish driver has raced in 71 Grands Prix and scored several podium finishes. He was also a test driver for seven years at McLaren.

Kobayashi will race for the first time in Formula 1 as a full time driver, after racing as a substitute for Toyota in 2009.

The BMW Sauber C29 will begin testing at Valencia, Spain, on Monday.

Technical Specifications

Chassis
* Chassis: Carbon-fibre monocoque
* Suspension: Upper and lower wishbones (front and rear), inboard springs and dampers, actuated by pushrods (Sachs Race Engineering)
* Brakes: Six-piston brake callipers (Brembo), carbon pads and discs (Brembo, Carbon Industries)
* Transmission: Ferrari 7-speed quick shift gearbox, carbon, longitudinally mounted, carbon-fibre clutch
* Chassis electronics: MES
* Steering wheel: BMW Sauber F1 Team
* Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
* Wheels: OZ

Dimensions
* Length: 4,940 mm
* Width: 1,800 mm
* Height: 1,000 mm
* Track width, front: 1,495 mm
* Track width, rear: 1,410 mm
* Weight: 620 kg (incl. driver, tank empty)

Ferrari 056 engine
* Type: Naturally aspirated V8, cylinder angle 90 degrees
* Cylinder block: Sand cast aluminium
* Valves / valve train: 32 / pneumatic
* Displacement: 2,398 cc
* Bore: 98 mm
* Weight: > 95 kg
* Electronic injection and ignition

[Source & Photos: PaddockReport | Automarket ]

In what appears to be a “perfect storm,” the most successful BMW race team in North America has paired the new BMW M6 and the best BMW drivers in the business to compete in the prestigious 48th annual Rolex 24 at Daytona, a grueling 24-hour survival of the fittest, taking place at Daytona International Speedway on January 30 and 31. Their driver line-up includes veteran BMW factory drivers Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand, who surprised many competitors with their fast pace while driving the BMW M3 GT2 in the American Le Mans Series last year. They will be joined by fellow road-racing legend and NASCAR driver Boris Said, as well as rookie sensation Paul Dalla Lana who had an impressive 2009 season driving the Turner Motorsport E90 328i.

“We’re feeling really confident,” said team owner and company president Will Turner. “The Rolex series is definitely ‘the big show,’ and we knew we had our work cut out for us when we made the decision to run the M6 in the 24. Our goal is to win, and we believe we have the right combination to do just that.”

The news of Turner’s move into the GT class and entry in the Daytona 24 has not only captured the attention of BMW racing fans worldwide, but also documentary filmmaking company Veloz Media, who is producing a behind-the-scenes Web TV series to chronicle the team’s tremendous efforts and journey to the 24 hour race. This video production will provide a behind-closed-doors experience of preparing for and making it through this race of endurance and perseverance. A “teaser” video has been posted on the web and can also be viewed at http://www.TurnerMotorsport.com/journey24

Turner Motorsport’s latest weapon in the BMW arsenal is a very special BMW M6 coupe. The chassis is built by Riley Technologies and features a tubular frame and all-carbon-fiber-body-work to keep the car both light and strong. The team had initially looked at bringing an M3 to the event; however it was felt that the superior aerodynamics of the slippery M6 coupe would be better suited for the long banked straights of Daytona. The power plant is an M Power 5.0 liter BMW V8 specially built to be both fast and reliable for the Rolex 24.

“Our biggest challenge is going to be staying out of trouble and running a smart race strategy so that we can be up front in the end,” said Turner. “I know we have a great car, great drivers and a great team ˆ it’s going to be all about putting it together.”

The Turner team will also be debuting their new V8 powered GS class E92 M3 at the opening of the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series, previously called the Koni Challenge Series. The opening race is scheduled at Daytona on 1/29, the same weekend as the Rolex 24. The team has worked closely with its existing sponsors and technology partners to once again bring the best prepared BMW M3s.

Turner Motorsport 2010 Rolex GT M6 Teaser from Turner Motorsport on Vimeo.

Last year Turner Motorsport BMW M3s finished 3rd and 5th in the GS team championship, with Turner Motorsport driver Matt Bell taking 3rd in overall drivers points. Turner M3s mustered 9 podium finishes (the most ever for Turner), 3 wins, 5 poll position starts, and 14 top 5 finishes. Despite not taking the overall championship, and narrowly missing giving BMW the manufacturer’s championship by 1 point, 2009 was the most successful season since 2005, when Turner Motorsport, Bill Auberlen and Justin Marks scored 5 race victories.

Live TV coverage of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will be provided by SPEED TV on Saturday January 30 at 3:00 PM eastern and on Sunday January 31 at 7:00AM eastern. Tape delay coverage of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will also air on SPEED TV, with the time to be announced.

About Turner Motorsport
Turner Motorsport is the leading BMW tuner in North America, bringing technology and expertise from the racetrack to the street. Turner Motorsport is not about clever marketing tricks or gimmicks. Racetrack results speak themselves. The Turner Motorsport team has won five professional racing championships in two different series since 2003. This storied success is passed into every component that Turner Motorsport designs and sells through their website catalog. Our race team, R&D engineers and Sales team work together, allowing practical knowledge and state-of-the-art engineering to flow in both directions. Few companies in North America can claim such a close relationship to what they sell and what they race.

About Veloz Media
Veloz Media started with a vision to push the limits of film production by uniting a love of the adrenaline rush with creative technology. Do More. See More. Veloz prides itself on having an ideal blend of professionals who understand the newest video production technology and who have the tenacity to do whatever it takes to get the project done. Our creative process begins with a concept that is carried through to the final product, and our obsession with perfection ensures optimal results. Every project is of utmost importance, regardless of size or budget; each is approached with the highest production values and limitless creativity.

We are a company that pays no attention to the details, Why? Because we craft the details. We reveal the details. We are proud to be a company that not only tells a story by words and scripting, but also pays close attention to the best ways of visually telling your story. All of our equipment is broadcast quality High Definition, from our lipstick cameras to our more robust camera systems. It does not matter what the budget is, we Do More so our clients can See More.
2010 ROLEX GT SCHEDULE

Television coverage by SPEED

Jan. 29-31 | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach FL
March 6-7 | Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead FL
April 9-10 | Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham AL
April 24-25 | Virginia International Raceway, Alton VA
May 28-29 | Lime Rock Park, Lakeville CT

The SPEED Channel will provide LIVE TV broadcast for all Rolex GT races, and tape delay coverage for Continental Tire Challenge races throughout the year. Stay tuned to TMSRacing.com or SPEEDTV.com for broadcast dates and times.

[Source: CarGuyDad | Photo: Motorsport ]

In an recent interview with Motorsport-Total, BMW Motorsport director, Mario Theissen, confirmed that BMW will develop a similar engine in the in the coming year. The engine could be fitted into the BMW 320si and it could be used beyond the 2011 racing championships.

Another topic that came up in the interview was around the BMW Z4 GT3 reported by us yesterday. The 480 horsepower car, powered by the M3’s V8 engine, comes out in 2010. The 298,000 euros Z4 GT3 will be available for private racing teams.

GT racing remains very highly valued at BMW and in 2010, Motorsport division will focus more on the GT program. Theissen mentioned that the American LeMans Series will continue next year, therefore Dirk Muller, Tommy Milner, Joey Hand and Bill Auberlen will race around in the coming year with the two M3 GT4 cars.

Theissen also talks about a possible BMW M3 GT2 returning as a customer’s car, but there are still many regulations to consider at this moment.

With more and more powerful four-cylinder turbocharged engine, we cannot wonder what the future will bring in the production models as well.

[Source: BimmerToday ]

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen says: “I am pleased that we are able to offer our fans an attractive motorsport programme in the first year since our withdrawal from Formula One. In production car racing, BMW has enjoyed countless triumphs throughout the course of its long racing history – whether with close-to-production touring cars or imposing GT sports cars.

We want to follow on from this success in 2010, in both the World Touring Car Championship and the ALMS. In addition, our programme will include works entries at 24-hour classics for the first time since 2005. Promoting junior racing drivers remains an important pillar of our activities: Formula BMW Europe is once again a permanent feature in the general Formula One programme, and we will also be supporting talented youngsters in Formula BMW Pacific as they take their first steps in single-seater racing. Furthermore, we will also expand our customer racing programme, and will be offering a new car in the form of a BMW Z4 that complies with GT3 regulations. In general, we are well positioned to demonstrate the performance of our cars to our customers around the world in 2010.”

BMW will be represented at numerous GT events by its long-term test and development team Schnitzer Motorsport. The focus of this commitment is on the classic 24-hour races. As well as the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE), it is also planned for the BMW M3 GT2 to start in Le Mans (FR) and Spa-Francorchamps (BE). BMW Motorsport is currently in positive discussions with organisers and governing bodies regarding the approval of the car.

In addition, and as preparation for these classics, the programme also includes race starts in the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring and in the Le Mans Series (LMS). Jörg Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE), who joins the 2010 BMW works drivers line-up, will be the regular drivers for the GT races. Works drivers Andy Priaulx (GB), Augusto Farfus (BR) and Dirk Müller (DE) will also be involved with the GT programme. Uwe Alzen (DE) and Dirk Adorf (DE) complete the strong squad for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

As last year, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, under the flag of BMW of North America, will send two BMW M3 GT2 cars into battle for the GT2 title in the ALMS. In 2009 Bobby Rahal’s (US) team celebrated a one-two result at Road America (US) and finished on the podium seven times. Next year the driving quartet will once again consist of Dirk Müller, Tommy Milner (US), Bill Auberlen (US) and Joey Hand (US).

BMW will be lining up in a different format to previous years in the World Touring Car Championship. Priaulx and Farfus will be battling for points and victories as team-mates. Bart Mampaey’s (BE) RBM team will be responsible for the two BMW 320si WTCCs. While Priaulx won three World Championship titles between 2005 and 2007, Farfus was the most successful BMW driver last season with six victories and third place overall. The two drivers have a combined total of 27 victories so far in the World Touring Car Championship.

In past years, Formula BMW has proven to be the ideal springboard into the world of Formula One for many drivers. Last season alone, five former BMW drivers lined up in this series – and with great success. Nico Rosberg (DE), Timo Glock (DE), Adrian Sutil (DE) and Sébastien Buemi (CH) all scored World Championship points. Sebastian Vettel (DE) even celebrated four Grand Prix victories and finished the season as runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship, behind Jenson Button (GB). Nicolas Hülkenberg (DE) and Bruno Senna (BR) will join the quintet in 2010 as regular F1 drivers. A number of other Formula BMW graduates can also hope to get a taste of Formula One as test and reserve drivers.

The experienced quartet piloted two GT-class BMW M3s to third in ALMS Manufacturer points in 2009 in a first-year season that delivered one victory, five podium finishes, two 1-2 M3 qualifying efforts, and three fastest race laps. Auberlen and Hand drove to the team’s first win at Road America on August 16th and finished the season 14th in Driver points. Milner and Müller finished fourth in Driver Points and brought home the team’s second 2009 victory on October 31st at the inaugural Asian Le Mans Series race in Okayama, Japan.

In 2010, BMW of North America will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the company’s March 1975 incorporation, as well as its first major sports car racing victory, the 12 Hours of Sebring, also in March of 1975.

“2009 was the inaugural season for this new M3 racing car and we needed to prove our competitiveness,” said Martin Birkmann, Motorsport Manager, BMW of North America. “Looking back this can be seen as accomplished. Looking forward, becoming better yet is a target. Using the well oiled machine of cars, drivers and team who all have developed tremendously over the past season is the best way to further raise the bar. And, if ‘09 is an indication then our fans should be ready for a great show delivered by the team, these four men, and the two cars.”

“Simultaneously developing a new race car and a new team is always particularly challenging to the drivers involved, but last year Bill, Joey, Tommy, and Dirk made things go much more smoothly than we had hoped,” said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal, Rahal Letterman Racing. “Continuity is a key component in building a championship race team, and we couldn’t be happier to see that all four of these talented drivers will be returning with us for 2010.”

The first official test of the 2010 American Le Mans Series will be held at Sebring International Raceway on February 22 – 23, four weeks before the season-opening race, the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 20th.

That means eliminating the national teams system it had in place, consolidating and putting its WTCC-spec 320si in the hands of Team Schnitzer (BMW Team Germany), which gains triple champion Andy Priaulx from BMW Team UK to partner with multiple race winner Augusto Farfus.

Two-time CART champion, Alex Zanardi, who was racing for BMW Team Italy-Spain, is moving to the Superstars Series.

Could this be a cost cutting measure?

A few months back, BMW announced its retirement from the Formula One championship, mostly due to the high costs associated with the competition. Of course, the unsatisfactory results in 2009 influenced the decision.

At the same time, BMW announced that the savings resulted from this move will be used for further developments, mostly in the EfficientDynamics programme.

There are no news on the Formula BMW, a series that helped launch a series of talents, from Michael Schumacher to Nico Rosenberg and Sebastian Vettel.

The BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team is still on track for 2010 and there are no reports of future cuts in the American LeMans Series.

[Source: Autoblog ]

Dr Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG with responsibility for Development, stated this morning: “We are very happy with this solution. This fulfils the most important requirement for a successful future for the team. Our relationship with Peter Sauber has always been excellent and marked by absolute respect. We would like to express our thanks to Peter Sauber and the whole team for the excellent cooperation during the recent four years.”

Peter Sauber added: “”I am very relieved that we have found this solution. It means we can keep the Hinwil location and the majority of workplaces. I am convinced that the new team has a very good future in Formula One, whose current transformation with new framework conditions will benefit the private teams. Our staff here are highly competent and motivated, and I look forward to taking on this new challenge together with them. I would like to thank BMW for four shared years that have in the main been very successful.”

This means that the sale to Qadbak Investment Ltd. that was initially planned will not be completed.

A further agreement with Peter Sauber proposes personnel cuts from the current level of 388 to around 250 employees. The restructuring of the team and compliance with future framework conditions have made this essential. Notices of redundancy have therefore been issued today. BMW AG regrets the need for these personnel cutbacks and will support the restructuring. At this moment in time, due to the aforementioned restructuring of the team, it is not possible to exclude the possibility of further redundancies in the near future.