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Marco Wittmann celebrates his first victory of the season at Zolder

Two-time DTM champion, Marco Wittmann, celebrated his first victory in two years, and his first of the DTM GT3 era, at the sixth race of the season at Zolder, Belgium. Wittmann took pole for the second race in the BMW M6 GT3, entered by Walkenhorst Motorsport, with a lap time of 1:26.687 minutes. He was able to defend his advantage at the start and also bring the M6 GT3 to the finish line after leading for all 39 laps. For the Walkenhorst Motorsport Team, which is contesting its debut season in the DTM, it was the first triumph in the racing series in only their sixth race.

BMW officially pulled out of DTM at the end of the 2019 season as the whole DTM series underwent a revamp and relaunched as a GT3 series. BMW Motorsport supported the privateer teams like Walkenhorst and Rowe Racing by loaning them their factory drivers. It paid dividends for Rowe Racing as South African driver Sheldon van der Linde finished 7th in the same race in the Rowe Racing M6 GT3.

Two-time DTM champion Marco Wittmann on his way to victory in the Walkenhurst Motorsport M6 GT3 in Round 6 of the DTM Championship at Zolder

24H Spa: A personal victory for Boutsen Ginion Racing

BMW Motorsport never entered this year’s 24 hour race at Spa, so it was down to the privateers to uphold BMW honour at this famous endurance race. Flying the BMW flag was Boutsen Ginion Racing, which was running an M6 GT3 in the Pro-Am Class. In the early stages, marked by a long full-course yellow flag phase and subsequent heavy rain, the #10 BMW M6 GT3, driven by German racer Jens Klingmann, thrilled with a courageous first session. Starting from 45th place overall, he ploughed through the field, moving the car up to 25th place and took the lead in the Pro-Am class.

Unfortunately, 24-hour races have their own laws. Like many other teams, the Boutsen Ginion Racing M6 GT3 wasn’t spared technical problems, ones that required longer pit stops. But the team of drivers – Jens Klingmann (GER), Karim Ojjeh (KSA) and Jens Liebhauser (GER) – kept fighting, and after battling horrendous conditions they managed to reach the finish line in eleventh place in the Pro-Am class and 35th overall.

German racer Jens Klingmann started the Spa 24H Race brightly in the Boutsen Ginion Racing M6 GT3, scything through the field to move up from 45th to 25th place to take the lead in the Pro-Am Class. Unfortunately, technical issues would blight the team during the evening

Three podiums for BMW, at a packed Oulton Park.

Lancashire-based Ciceley Motorsport were in a buoyant mood coming to their home circuit in neighbouring Cheshire, with Adam Morgan winning last time out at Brands Hatch. Sad news from Brands, reached the paddock on Saturday, that a marshal had been struck by a crashing car. A minute silence was to be held on Sunday.

Qualifying

Adam Morgan was top BMW in qualifying, with a fine 6th place in the Car Gods backed 3 Series. Next up was Stephen Jelley in 8th, Colin Turkington 9th, local lad Tom Oliphant was 14th, and Tom Chilton was 22nd in the second Ciceley car. Senna Proctor took pole position in the Norlin Honda Civic Type R.

Race 1

Great start by Adam Morgan put him in 3rd going into the first corner (Old Hall). Pole man Proctor down in 4th. The two Halfords Hondas were first and second, Gordon Shedden taking it. Jelly was not far behind in 5th, closely followed by Colin Turkington in the sister WSR BMW. Going into Cascades, Colin Turkington was forced wide onto the grass, followed by an Infiniti and a Toyota. Turkington re-joining dead last!

Ending the first lap, Rory Butcher tagged Adam Morgan, putting the 330i on two wheels on the grass, but Morgan kept control and 3rd position. Lap two now and the two Hondas upfront started to pull a bit of a gap. Stephen Jelley in 5th was being hounded by Senna Proctor, trying to make up from his poor start.

Drama on lap seven, 13th-placed Tom Oliphant was tagged by Jason Plato’s Vauxhall Astra spinning the WSR BMW at Lodge corner and was hit heavily from behind by the Hyundai of Chris Smiley, then Rick Parfitt. Oliphant’s car was very badly damaged, as was Smileys. The red flag came out to recover the stricken cars.

Racing resumed, and it was a six lap sprint! The Honda’s led again and stayed there till the end, Dan Rowbottom taking his first win in the BTCC. Adam Morgan was a brilliant 3rd, just behind Gordon Shedden. Stephen Jelley finished 5th, Tom Chilton 17th, and Colin Turkington 18th.

Race 2

From the off the top three from race one went nose to tail into the first corner. Going into Cascades, Rory Butcher came flying past Morgan first, and then the two Hondas in short order, in his Motul backed Toyota. Stephen Jelley was down in 7th, Tom Chilton 11th (up six places), and Colin Turkington 16th. Oliphant, a nonstarter, after his race 1 shunt. The front three stayed pretty much like that to the flag, Butcher getting his first win of the season, from Rowbottom. Adam Morgan was 3rd again, the BMW running well with the success ballast. Stephen Jelley was 7th, Colin Turkington 12th and Tom Chilton 13th, with some welcome points.

Race 3

The reverse grid draw put Senna Proctor once again on pole. Could he win this time with another bite of the cherry? Adam Morgan was placed in 7th alongside Dan Rowbottom. Colin Turkington would start 12th. Tom Oliphant was starting from the back. WSR doing a brilliant job to repair the car. From the off, reigning champ Ash Sutton took the lead, but drama at Cascades when Sam Osbourne touched the grass and went spinning off, collecting four cars in the process! The race was red flagged, the cars parking back on the starting grid. Drivers got out of their cars while the cars were recovered.

The cars would start from their original grid positions for the restart. Senna Proctor took the lead from Sutton, who spun and damaged his car. Stephen Jelley was 2nd, and Adam Morgan 5th. Team mate Tom Chilton 9th, a whisker ahead of Colin Turkington. Drama

Adam Morgan ahead of Rory Butcher to take the first of two podiums!

Adam Morgan would do this twice today!

again on lap 10 as Carl Boardley spun out at superfast Druids. His Infiniti collecting race 2 winner Rory Butcher’s Toyota, bringing out yet another red flag. A result was declared and Senna Proctor got his win, to go with his pole position. Stephen Jelly was a brilliant second, BMW’s visiting the podium in every race. Adam Morgan finished 5th and jumped from 12th to 5th in the championship, and top BMW driver.

A very good weekend for BMW; Adam Morgan getting his championship back on track, as the teams now headed North to Knockhill, in the Kingdom of Fife.