BMW Confirms Five-Car GT3 Presence at Nürburgring 24

BMW has confirmed that it will have five GT3 cars in the SP9 category at the Nürburgring 24 next month with three different teams involved.

ROWE Racing, Team Schnitzer and Walkenhorst Motorsport will fly the flag for the Munich manufacturer, which has engaged four of its six factory DTM drivers for the race.

ROWE Racing will field two BMW M6 GT3s in the top class with Stef Dusseldorp partnering DTM guns Philipp Eng, Lucas Auer and Marco Wittmann in the No. 98 car.

The 2016 Total 24 Hours of Spa-winning team’s sister No. 99 car is set to be driven by Nicky Catsburg, Alexander Sims, Nick Yelloly and Eng, who will rotate between entries.

BMW Team Schnitzer is running Sheldon van der Linde, Augusto Farfus, Martin Tomczyk and Jens Klingmann, who drove with Falken Motorsports in the 2019 edition.

The Falken squad, which was BMW’s highest finisher last year in fifth, now runs two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs.

Walkenhorst Motorsport’s Pro-class BMW will feature David Pittard, Mikkel Jensen, Christian Krognes and Bentley factory driver Jordan Pepper.

Walkenhorst is giving reigning Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour winner Pepper his first race experience in the M6 GT3 this weekend in the six-hour NLS round.

The 2018 Spa 24H-winning outfit also has an SP9 Am-class entry for Henry Walkenhorst, Friedrich von Bohlen, Mario von Bohlen and Andreas Ziegler.

This year’s edition of the Nürburgring 24, which was postponed from May to September due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be held without spectators.

“Like the whole motorsport season, this year’s 24-hour race will be held under difficult circumstances,” said BMW Group Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt.

“This event, more than most others, thrives on the unique atmosphere around the circuit. That makes it all the more disappointing that the 50th anniversary – of both the race and the first BMW victory – cannot be held in the festival environment that we all love and are used to.

“Despite that, we will do everything we can to put on a great show. Our goal is to challenge for the 20th overall victory for BMW with the BMW M6 GT3.

“To achieve that, we have a whole host of strong drivers and proven Nordschleife experts in our squad.”

BMW will be hoping to make amends for the tough race it had last year when all but one of its cars failed to finish.

The brand’s GT3 cars have been successful on the Nordschleife so far this season with Walkenhorst winning the NLS opener before ROWE Racing claimed victory in round four off the back of two Mercedes-AMG wins.