BMW will be represented at numerous GT events by its long-term test and development team Schnitzer Motorsport. The focus of this commitment is on the classic 24-hour races. As well as the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE), it is also planned for the BMW M3 GT2 to start in Le Mans (FR) and Spa-Francorchamps (BE). BMW Motorsport is currently in positive discussions with organisers and governing bodies regarding the approval of the car.

In addition, and as preparation for these classics, the programme also includes race starts in the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring and in the Le Mans Series (LMS). Jörg Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE), who joins the 2010 BMW works drivers line-up, will be the regular drivers for the GT races. Works drivers Andy Priaulx (GB), Augusto Farfus (BR) and Dirk Müller (DE) will also be involved with the GT programme. Uwe Alzen (DE) and Dirk Adorf (DE) complete the strong squad for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

As last year, the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, under the flag of BMW of North America, will send two BMW M3 GT2 cars into battle for the GT2 title in the ALMS. In 2009 Bobby Rahal’s (US) team celebrated a one-two result at Road America (US) and finished on the podium seven times. Next year the driving quartet will once again consist of Dirk Müller, Tommy Milner (US), Bill Auberlen (US) and Joey Hand (US).

BMW will be lining up in a different format to previous years in the World Touring Car Championship. Priaulx and Farfus will be battling for points and victories as team-mates. Bart Mampaey’s (BE) RBM team will be responsible for the two BMW 320si WTCCs. While Priaulx won three World Championship titles between 2005 and 2007, Farfus was the most successful BMW driver last season with six victories and third place overall. The two drivers have a combined total of 27 victories so far in the World Touring Car Championship.

(Quelle: BMW-Motorsport)

Car number 92 was running one lap down on the winning Ferrari trio Melo/Kaffer/Salo, when the race was red-flagged after 4 hours 49 minutes. The number 90 BMW M3 with Jörg Müller’s fellow works driver Andy Priaulx (GB), Bill Auberlen (US) and Joey Hand (US) at the wheel came 12th following an early radiator puncture which made a pit stop of more than 80 minutes necessary. The BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team celebrated its seventh podium of the season. In addition, Dirk Müller set the fastest lap of all the GT2 drivers in 1:21.366 minutes.

The race was started on a damp track, but conditions again got worse over the course of the endurance classic. Torrential rain hit the 2.54-mile circuit in Braselton (US), Georgia, and so the race which had been scheduled for 10 hours was red-flagged shortly before the halfway mark. The teams sat there waiting for the re-start for more than three hours, but it never happened.

(Quelle:BMW-Motorsport)

Priaulx will be hoping for victory in the GT2 class with the BMW M3 GT2 in the classic Petit Le Mans event at Road Atlanta (US) as team-mate to Bill Auberlen (US) and Joey Hand (US). Jörg Müller joins forces with Tommy Milner (US) and Dirk Müller (DE).

After the Petit Le Mans event, the BMW M3 GT2 will contest two races in the VLN Endurance Championship, both held on the Nürburgring’s classic Nordschleife. The Schnitzer Motorsport Team will manage the entries of the BMW M3 GT2 on 3rd and 17th October 2009. The first VLN event will see the 485 horsepower race car shared by Jörg Müller and Augusto Farfus (BR), with Dirk Müller and Priaulx doing driver duties a fortnight later.

Following its debut in Europe, the BMW M3 GT2 will be on the grid in Asia. On 31st October / 1st November 2009 the Asian Le Mans Series features on the World Touring Car Championship programme at Okayama (JP). The BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team has entered one of its ALMS cars, to be driven by Dirk Müller and Milner.

(Quelle: BMW-Motorsport)

The two diesel-powered racing sports cars will be driven by Dindo Capello (Italy) and Allan McNish (Scotland) as well as the two Germans Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner. DTM racer Mike Rockenfeller is planned to be the team’s reserve driver.

At the same time, Audi Sport will support the market launch of TDI technology in North America by participating in the popular “Petit Le Mans” race. The Audi Q7 TDI 3.0 has been available in the USA since the beginning of the year and the Audi A3 TDI 2.0 will arrive at U.S. dealerships in fall.

Audi will contest the “Petit Le Mans” race for as much as the tenth time this year and has been unbeaten there so far. The Audi R8 won six times, the Audi R10 TDI three. Now, the plan is for the Audi R15 TDI to continue this impressive string of exploits.

(Quelle: Audi)

The 3.634 km (2,258 Miles) track is situated scenicly between hills and is classified as one of the most challenging tracks in the USA. Like on many american tracks it goes uphill and downhill. The Mid-Ohio track surface is a lot more even than for example Lime Rock, there are less bumps and surface changes because the track was resurfaced in 2006. There are some spectacular and interesting sectors, especially exciting is the jump but you have to be careful because just after the jump is a breaking point which you shouldn’t miss. Most of the incidents happen at that point.

Till today Pierre hasn’t raced on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course like he hasn’t done on a lot of ALMS tracks but despite that he and his team mate Jaime Melo together with the Risi Competizione Team will aim for the podium.

Pierre before his departure to the USA: “I am so looking forward to get back in my Risi-Ferrari to learn a further new track in the USA. This year it is my first year of doing the whole ALMS season and this means that most of the tracks are new for me but exactly that makes it interesting for me. I love the challenge to race new tracks with the Ferrari F430 and the great Risi-crew. I know that the car will be prepared perfectly again this time and we will fight for another victory like we did it in every ALMS race.”

After five rounds Pierre and his team mate Jaime are on second place in the GT2 ranking with 75 points just behind Patrick Long and Jörg Bergmeister with 100 points. All chances of winning the GT2 class still remain open.

(Quelle: Pierre Kaffer / Bosch Car Service Rhein-Berg)

Based on the Corvette ZR1 supercar, the next-generation Corvette C6.R has even stronger links to the production version of America’s performance icon than its predecessors. The GT2 rules require the use of many production-based components, expanding the opportunities for the two-way transfer of technology between the race track and the showroom. The updated Corvette C6.R utilizes the ZR1′s body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and other components. The race team has prepared the cars for the rigors of endurance racing with safety and performance modifications as permitted by the GT2 rules.

Corvette Racing will open a new chapter with the competition debut of the next-generation Corvette C6.R at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 6-8. In anticipation of a single GT class in 2010, Corvette Racing will test and develop the latest Corvette C6.R in the GT2 category in the final five rounds of the 2009 American Le Mans Series. With the upcoming move to a unified GT category, the twin Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars will compete against rivals representing Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Viper, Panoz, and Ford.

Based on the Corvette ZR1 supercar, the next-generation Corvette C6.R has even stronger links to the production version of America’s performance icon than its predecessors. The GT2 rules require the use of many production-based components, expanding the opportunities for the two-way transfer of technology between the race track and the showroom. The updated Corvette C6.R utilizes the ZR1′s body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and other components. The race team has prepared the cars for the rigors of endurance racing with safety and performance modifications as permitted by the GT2 rules.

In the remaining races in 2009, the Corvette race cars will be powered by 6.0-liter GM small-block V8s that are based on the 7.0-liter LS7.R that powered the GT1 version. This reduction in displacement was achieved by shortening the crankshaft stroke from 3.875-inch to 3.32-inch. The diameter of the series-mandated intake air restrictors was decreased from 30.6 mm to 28.6 mm, with a corresponding reduction in engine output from 590 to 470 horsepower. A 5.5-liter production-based GM small-block V8 is currently under development and will be introduced at the start of the 2010 season. The Corvette Racing team is continuing its commitment to green racing with the use of E85R ethanol racing fuel.

While much of the hardware has changed, Corvette Racing’s roster of championship-winning drivers remains the same. Johnny O’Connell and Jan Magnussen will share the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R, and Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta will drive the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6. R.

(Quelle: Corvette Racing)