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So near yet so far…

BMW Motorsport’s M4 GT3s improve hugely in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring race, but ultimately miss out on a podium finish…

The performance of BMW Motorsport’s M4 GT3s improved immensely for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring race, after their poor showing last time out at the 24H of Daytona, where they were so far off the pace it was embarrassing! The #24 and #25 BMW M Team RLL M4 GT3’s qualified in 7th and 8th places for the race in the GT Pro Class, while the M4 GT3s of Turner Motorsport and Paul Miller Racing qualified in 2nd and 4th in the GTD Class.

Race – The race started uneventfully for the #24 M4 GT3 M4 GT3 as they held their qualifying position in the first couple of hours. The #24 M4 GT3 then started to move up through the field into the podium positions and briefly lead the GT Pro class by the halfway mark. From then on it was involved in a thrilling battle for the lead with a Corvette C8.R and Lamborghini Huracan GT3 as the second six hours turned into a proper sprint race. The car ran like clockwork, the team acted cleverly on strategy as drivers Eng, Yelloly and Wittmann faultlessly completed their laps. Then, while lying in second position and with just one hour before the chequered flag, the #24 suffered a gearbox issue and dropped off the podium positions, finally finishing in

The #24 M4 GT3 looked like it was going to clinch a class win before gearbox problems meant the team had to be happy with a 4th place finish

fourth spot.

The sister #25 M4 GT3 raced into the top three in the opening stage of the race, showing great promise but suffered a setback after two hours. A power steering issue resulted in a long repair. This dropped the trio of Augusto Farfus (BRA), John Edwards (USA) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) down the field but they continued the race. They brought #25 home in tenth place.

The two BMW M teams in the GTD class also had an eventful 12 hours, but did not end with the results they would have deserved. At Turner Motorsport, Sebring marked the 500th BMW race for Bill Auberlen and, until the eighth hour, it looked that the Californian would be celebrating that milestone. Auberlen, who shared the #96 M4 GT3 with Robby Foley and Michael Dinan, had taken the GTD lead but then got hit at the rear by another competitor and spun into the grass. This dropped the #96 back to eighth in class. But the Turner Motorsport drivers fought their way back and with three and a half hours to go, Auberlen brought the car back in the lead. The #96 M4 GT3 comfortably held on to top spot before losing ground in the final stages due to a team mistake, crossing the line in fourth place in class.

The newest BMW Motorsport family member, Paul Miller Racing, experienced bad luck in the race too. In the first three hours, the #1 BMW M4 GT3 was fighting for the lead with the Turner Motorsport M4 GT3 in the GTD class. But then the Paul Miller Racing M4 GT3 was hit by a prototype racer that was avoiding a spinning car. This was a major setback for the #1 car as it was on for a very strong result in its first race. Madison Snow, Bryan Sellers and Erik Johansson (SWE) eventually finished 16th in the GTD class after the team performed miracles in repairing all the damage to get the car back in the race…

Team BMW 2022 British Touring Car Championship livery revealed

Team BMW are proud to present the definitive colours of the WSR-run BMW 330e M Sport that will compete for British Touring Car Championship glory in 2022 as BMW M celebrates its 50th anniversary.

A predominantly white race car is not only inspired by classic BMW race machinery of the past, but also aligns with the BTCC’s move to hybrid-electric powerplants and a push for greater sustainability.

Dominating the rear section of the car is the iconic BMW M colours of red, blue and violet created in 1972 by BMW designer Wolfgang Seehaus, which has become synonymous with success in touring car racing across generations.

Devised by renowned studio Nick Moss Design, the new creation was unveiled at WSR’s headquarters in Sunbury-onThames.

Four-time BTCC Champion Colin Turkington and team-mate Stephen Jelley, with a combined 63 race victories in the series, were present to take the covers off.

Having broken the series’ all-time record by winning a sixth consecutive Manufacturers’ crown in 2021, WSR-run Team BMW seek to extend the record further this year as well as aiming to add the Drivers’ and Teams’ titles.

The 64th British Touring Car Championship season kicks off at Donington Park, in the East Midlands, on April 23-24.

Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “It’s always an exciting day when we showcase our new livery for the season. It’s no different in 2022 and this year we have two extra factors in both the move to hybrid powertrains and greater sustainability as well as celebrating BMW M’s 50th anniversary. I was involved in several BMW Motorsport projects in the 1970s with Formula 2 and the BMW M1 Procar series, and I don’t think I’d have predicted to still be involved all these years later. The livery combines both the traditional M colours with a modern look and I think fans of the BTCC are going to love it.”

Ciceley Motorsport recently announced that Nottinghamshire driver, George Gamble would drive the second 330M, alongside Adam Morgan. George, who has driven in the Ginetta support series, and the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, is looking forward to the task ahead.

George said, “I am under no illusion that the racing will be a step up from what I am used to, the level in the Championship is so high and the racing so close, but I feel with the experience of the team and a quick driver in Adam as my teammate, I can have a solid first season and a good run at the Jack Sears Trophy title.”

George Gamble signs for Ciceley Motorsport, overlooked by team Principal Russell Morgan George Gamble tries the BMW 330M for size