However, the biggest highlight of 2012 was still to come: Spengler’s victory at the finale at Hockenheim, and the ensuing titles for him, his team and BMW. Even today, the Canadian still gets goosebumps when he thinks about that day: “I had to win the race to win the championship. For us then to win all three titles was a very emotional moment. I remember driving into Parc Fermé and how I was given such a great reception by all the mechanics and engineers who had worked so hard. That was very special.”
Spengler’s team-mate back then was Martin Tomczyk, who also looks back on 2012 as “one of the best years”. “Partly because Bruno, with whom I had battled for the title the previous year, was now my team-mate. We were both in a promising position – for me, it was about defending my title. For him, it was an opportunity to win his first title.” However, instead of rivalry, what developed was a strong team spirit. “We valued and respected each other. Together, we actively helped BMW find its feet so quickly and successfully in the DTM era. It was a very formative year for me, and obviously a successful year for BMW. Generally speaking, the team spirit we have within BMW is outstanding. That is not only the case in the DTM, but that solidarity runs throughout the entire BMW Motorsport family and all of BMW’s activities.”