Next year’s activities range from the return to Le Mans (FRA) in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) with the new BMW M8 GTE, to the works programme in the DTM and preparations for entering the FIA Formula E Championship with a works team in Season 5.
The updated BMW M6 GT3 will also be in action in GT classics at the Nürburgring (GER) and in Bathurst (AUS), to name but a few. The new BMW M4 GT4 will contest its first season in the hands of private BMW drivers around the world. 2018 will also see BMW Brand Ambassador Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) commence his preparations for the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA) the following year.
In 2018, BMW Motorsport will go into its seventh season since returning to the DTM in 2012 with six BMW M4 DTM cars and two teams. Like last year, BMW Team RMG and BMW Team RBM will both run three cars. Two-time DTM champion Marco Wittmann, Timo Glock and Augusto Farfus will continue to drive for Stefan Reinhold’s RMG team. BMW Team RBM welcomes two new faces into the fold. 2012 champion Bruno Spengler is joined by BMW works driver Philipp Eng and former BMW Motorsport Junior Joel Eriksson, who will both be making their DTM debuts.
“Continuity and experience are very important in the DTM. At the same time, we also wanted to provide some new impetus in 2018. Philipp Eng and Joel Eriksson have made it into the DTM squad on the back of strong performances last year, and having made a very good impression at the Young Driver Test. I am confident that they will also do well in the BMW M4 DTM.”
Marco Wittmann
Augusto Farfus
Timo Glock
Bruno Spengler
Philipp Eng
Joel Eriksson
After intense preparations, BMW Team MTEK and team principal Ernest Knoors will field two new BMW M8 GTE cars when BMW Motorsport makes its debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The regular drivers for the complete season will be Nick Catsburg, Augusto Farfus, António Félix da Costa and Martin Tomczyk. Over the course of the season, they will be supported at individual races by BMW works drivers Tom Blomqvist, Philipp Eng and Alexander Sims.
“The drivers in our WEC squad have been intensely involved in the development work on the BMW M8 GTE from the outset. The combination of GT experience and race talent means we are ideally positioned to achieve good results in our first season in uncharted territory.”
António Félix da Costa
Nicky Catsburg
Augusto Farfus
Martin Tomczyk
The new BMW M8 GTE will also be in action in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) in 2018. In the hands of BMW Team RLL and team principal Bobby Rahal, the new car will make its race debut on the final weekend in January, at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Americans Connor De Phillippi and John Edwards will contest the entire season at the wheel of the two cars. De Phillippi is a newcomer to the BMW Motorsport family. The two regular European drivers are Alexander Sims and former BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn. New BMW NA Brand Ambassador Bill Auberlen, Nick Catsburg, Philipp Eng and Augusto Farfus will also drive for the team in endurance races.
“In Connor De Phillippi, we have brought another absolute GT specialist into the team. I am also pleased to see our former BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn promoted to the works programme. At this point, I would like to once again express my respect for Bill Auberlen. No other driver has been as closely associated with BMW as he has. 400 races for one manufacturer – that is unique.”
John Edwards
Connor De Phillippi
Alexander Sims
Jesse Krohn
Season 4 of the FIA Formula E Championship is in full swing. For BMW, the collaboration with the MS&AD Andretti Formula E Team, and its owner Michael Andretti, will intensify over the coming season. In Season 5 BMW will enter the series with a works team. António Félix da Costa is the regular driver for Season 4. As of race three in Marrakech in January, Andretti has named BMW works driver Tom Blomqvist for the seat in the second car. He switches from the DTM to the Formula E series. Alexander Sims will be the official reserve driver for the team.
“We are pleased to have two of our drivers in action as of the race in Marrakech, in the form of Tom Blomqvist and António Félix da Costa. We are confident that Tom will be competitive alongside António.”
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