Munich, Germany – The DTM is at the Nürburgring (DE) this weekend for races 15 and 16 of the season. It is the final showdown in the exciting series before the grand finale in Hockenheim (DE) on 17th/18th October. The BMW teams travel to the Eifel Mountains brimming with confidence on the back of impressive recent outings in Oschersleben (DE). Furthermore, BMW lines up as leader in the Manufacturers’ Championship for the first time this season.

BMW Team MTEK and BMW Team RBM both stood out at the “Motorsport Arena Oschersleben”, each claiming a one-two on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The weekend in the “Magdeburger Börde” region is also one that DTM rookie Tom Blomqvist (GB) will not forget in a hurry. The young Brit claimed his maiden DTM win for BMW Team RBM.

Although they must now line up with considerably more performance weight on board their BMW M4 DTM, the eight BMW drivers have their sights set firmly on scoring more valuable points on the 3.629-kilometre variant of the Nürburgring. Since 1984, this circuit has been a permanent fixture on the DTM calendar. BMW drivers did contest a number of races on the 20-kilometre Nordschleife in the 1980s and 1990s. In total, BMW Motorsport so far has ten DTM victories at the Nürburgring to its name.

Last year, pole-sitter Marco Wittmann (DE) led from start to finish to claim a valuable win en route to the Drivers’ title and present BMW Team RMG with its first home win in the Eifel Mountains. The 25-year-old also clocked the fastest lap of the race in a time of 1:23.175 – a track record in a DTM car.

Quotes ahead of the eighth race weekend of 2015 at the Nürburgring.

Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):

“After the successful weekend in Oschersleben, we now arrive at the Nürburgring leading the Manufacturers’ Championship. This is obviously only a snap-shot, and we will not let it go to our heads. We remain realistic, as there is a very thin line between success and defeat this season in the DTM. Whatever happens, I am very pleased that we are proving to be strong across the broad in 2015. When our overall package allows it, we have taken our chances to win and scored valuable points with many drivers. It will certainly not be easy in the Eifel Mountains. Despite this, we will do everything in our power to score as many points as possible. After all, we want to put on a great show out on the track for all the BMW fans at the ring – of whom there are traditionally a lot. We are looking forward to the weekend, as the races at the Nürburgring are always rather special.”

Stefan Reinhold (Team Principal, BMW Team RMG):

“We will always remember our victory at the Nürburgring in 2014. That success, on our own doorstep, was very special – and it goes without saying that we are looking forward to our home event again this season. The DTM remains exciting, and the latest results have shown that anything is still possible. We will be fully focussed on that fact again at the Nürburgring. We have to remain on the ball.”

Charly Lamm (Team Principal, BMW Team Schnitzer):

“BMW Team Schnitzer has many fond memories of the Nürburgring. Our successes at the 24-hour race were obviously special milestones, but Bruno Spengler’s DTM victory en route to winning the 2012 Drivers’ Championship was also a highlight. We scored points with both drivers in Oschersleben, and António Félix da Costa made it onto the podium. That felt good, and we are looking to build on that success in the Eifel Mountains, although they will certainly not be easy races.”

Bart Mampaey (Team Principal, BMW Team RBM):

“Sunday’s one-two in Oschersleben has obviously given us a big boost. My team has worked so hard all season, and we have now deservedly reaped our reward. Despite this, it will be a big challenge to produce another strong performance at the Nürburgring. We have often seen how the balance of power can shift from one weekend to the next in the DTM this season. Despite this, we are looking forward to the two races in the Eifel Mountains.”

Ernest Knoors (Team Principal, BMW Team MTEK):

“Our one-two in Oschersleben was a very special success for our team – undoubtedly the biggest in our DTM history. We are obviously looking to carry that momentum into the weekend at the Nürburgring. The circumstances there are obviously completely different. However, with a good performance in qualifying, we should be able to set our sights on the points again in the Eifel Mountains.”

Marco Wittmann (car number 1, BMW Team RMG):

“In the meantime, the Eifel region has become something of a second home to me. My team is based very close to the Nürburgring. That made our victory there last year very emotional. We would obviously like to follow on from that success. Our performance was good in Oschersleben, and I hope we can build on that and be up among the front-runners at the Nürburgring.”

Maxime Martin (car number 36, BMW Team RMG):

“Meeting the enthusiastic fans at the Nürburgring is always a great experience. The circuit has a long history, which makes it unique. The races are home outings for my team. I am really looking forward to my second start in a DTM car in the Eifel Mountains.”

Martin Tomczyk (car number 77, BMW Team Schnitzer):

“I have made it onto the podium a few times at the Nürburgring, and have also won there in the past. That is obviously one of the reasons why the Nürburgring, for me personally, is one of the very best circuits. I hope we will be competitive there. It is hard to judge how we will fare. We will only be able to say that once we are there, and can then set ourselves more definite goals.”

António Félix da Costa (car number 13, BMW Team Schnitzer):

“The Nürburgring is one of my very favourite circuits. Last year we were really quick there, so I am confident going into the next two races. Our car will be a bit heavier than last time out in Oschersleben, but hopefully we will be able to make up for that. If we do, we can challenge for points again.”

Augusto Farfus (car number 18, BMW Team RBM):

“I think we have a good chance of scoring valuable points at the Nürburgring. I would certainly like to make up some more ground in the Drivers’ Championship. And I believe that is certainly possible, as the performance of our car has been very good recently.”

Tom Blomqvist (car number 31, BMW Team RBM):

“My first DTM win in Oschersleben has obviously given me an extra boost. Despite this, we must first see how well-suited our overall package is to the Nürburgring this year. With the end of the season so close, there is a lot at stake for BMW in all the competitions. For this reason, we must push even harder to pick up points where possible. I am up for the fight.”

Bruno Spengler (car number 7, BMW Team MTEK):

“I really like the circuit and have won there a few times. Despite this, it is difficult to say how we will get on, as we will have more weight in the car. Regardless of this, we will obviously do our best and try to score plenty of points for BMW.”

Timo Glock (car number 16, BMW Team MTEK):

“Oschersleben was a fantastic weekend for BMW. Maybe we can carry the momentum from the Motorsport Arena over to the Eifel Mountains. I am looking forward to the race weekend at the Nürburgring, and hope we prove to be somewhere near as successful as we have been recently.”

Nürburgring Statistics:

Length: 3.629 km
2014 winner: Marco Wittmann, BMW
2014 pole time: 1:20.516 minutes (Marco Wittmann, BMW)
Top BMW in 2014: Marco Wittmann, 1st place
DTM debut: 1984
BMW wins: 10
BMW pole positions: 11
BMW fastest laps: 20
BMW podiums: 52

2015 DTM Calendar:

1st-3rd May – Hockenheim (DE), 29th-31st May – Lausitzring (DE), 26th-28th June – Norisring (DE), 10th-12th July – Zandvoort (NL), 31st July-2nd August – Spielberg (AT), 28th-30th August – Moscow (RU), 11th-13th September – Oschersleben (DE), 25th-27th September – Nürburgring (DE), 16th-18th October – Hockenheim (DE).

Drivers’ Championship:

1. Pascal Wehrlein (140 points), 2. Mattias Ekström (126), 3. Edoardo Mortara (110), 4. Jamie Green (107), 5. Bruno Spengler (104), 6. Marco Wittmann (98), 7. Gary Paffett (75), 8. Augusto Farfus (73), 9. António Félix da Costa (71), 10. Mike Rockenfeller (67), 11. Robert Wickens (57), 12. Timo Glock (56), 13. Christian Vietoris (56), 14. Paul di Resta (48), 15. Maxime Martin (46), 16. Tom Blomqvist (41), 17. Miguel Molina (29), 18. Nico Müller (26), 19. Daniel Juncadella (25), 20. Martin Tomczyk (24), 21. Timo Scheider (16), 22. Lucas Auer (10), 23. Maximilian Götz (6), 24. Adrien Tambay (3).

Team Championship:

1. gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG (196 points), 2. BMW Team MTEK (160), 3. Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline (155), 4. BMW Team RMG (144), 5. Audi Sport Team Rosberg (133), 6. BMW Team RBM (114), 7. Audi Sport Team Abt (113), 8. SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG (105), 9. BMW Team Schnitzer (95), 10. EURONICS/BWT Mercedes-AMG (85), 11. Audi Sport Team Phoenix (83), 12. PETRONAS Mercedes-AMG (31).

Manufacturers’ Championship:

1. BMW (488 points), 2. Audi (422), 3. Mercedes-Benz (417).

BMW Motorsport online:
Website: www.bmw-motorsport.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bmwmotorsport
YouTube: www.youtube.com/bmwmotorsport
Twitter: www.twitter.com/bmwmotorsport
Google+: www.plus.google.com/+bmwmotorsport

About the DTM:

The German Touring Car Masters – DTM for short – is the most popular touring car series in the world. The series sees the three premium automobile manufacturers BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz go head to head on the racetrack. BMW was first involved in the DTM with a works team between 1984 and 1992, during which time it won 49 races and three Drivers’ Championships (1984, 1987 and 1989). The manufacturer returned to the DTM in 2012 with the BMW M3 DTM, three teams and six drivers, winning five races and topping the Drivers’, Team and Manufacturers’ Championships at the first attempt. In 2013, BMW successfully defended its title in the Manufacturers’ Championship with four teams and eight drivers. Last season BMW Motorsport competed with the new BMW M4 DTM for the first time. By the end of the ten-race season, the Bavarian manufacturer had five race wins, 11 podiums, four pole positions and four fastest laps to its name, while Marco Wittmann became the youngest German DTM champion ever. Wittmann’s BMW Team RMG was victorious in the Team competition.

Eighteen races spread over nine weekends await the teams and drivers in 2015. For the first time since the 2000 season, each event consists of two races, each with the same points format. The season kicked off on 2nd/3rd May with two races in Hockenheim. This is followed by a further four rounds in Germany – at the Lausitzring, Norisring, Nürburgring and in Oschersleben – before the series returns to Hockenheim for the season finale on 17th/18th October. Zandvoort, Spielberg and Moscow host the three international rounds of the DTM. The ARD is broadcasting every race live. Tickets to all DTM races are available here: https://tickets.bmw-motorsport.com/index.html

Canadians In BOLD