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The BMW M4 GT3 and M4 GT4 cars showcased remarkable resilience at the second DTM race weekend at the Lausitzring. Sheldon van der Linde, René Rast, and Marco Wittmann secured crucial points despite qualifying challenges. Van der Linde achieved sixth place on Saturday, while Rast reached the same position on Sunday.
Saturday’s race was particularly chaotic, with thunderstorms and heavy rain causing significant disruptions. Van der Linde navigated these harsh conditions skillfully, moving from twelfth to sixth place. Wittmann finished 13th, but technical issues forced Rast to retire. On Sunday, the drivers excelled once again, outperforming their qualifying positions. Rast improved from 13th to sixth, van der Linde advanced from 18th to eighth, and Wittmann maintained his ninth-place starting position.
In the ADAC GT4 Germany series, the BMW M4 GT4 cars from Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport delivered a stellar performance. Gabriele Piana and Michael Schrey, driving the #2 car, celebrated their third consecutive victory on Saturday. The FK Performance Motorsport team, with Leyton Fourie and Max Rosam, secured second place. On Sunday, Piana and Schrey remained the top BMW team, finishing fourth, with four more BMW M4 GT4s in the top ten.
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport, acknowledged the challenging weekend. He emphasized the need for improved qualifying performance to stay competitive. Despite the difficulties, he praised the team for scoring valuable points. Lellmann also expressed satisfaction with the BMW M4 GT4’s results, commending the experienced Piana/Schrey duo and the promising Fourie/Rosam pair.
Torsten Schubert, Team Principal of Schubert Motorsport, was pleased with the team’s overall performance. He noted the achievement of placing all three cars in the top ten on Sunday. Schubert identified tyre temperature management as a critical area for improvement during qualifying.
René Rast, driving the #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3, reflected on his weekend. He noted that technical issues on Saturday hampered his performance. Despite a challenging qualifying on Sunday, Rast executed a strong race. A slow puncture required a strategic adjustment, limiting his final position.
Sheldon van der Linde, behind the wheel of the #31 Shell BMW M4 GT3, was happy with his race performances. However, he stressed the need for better qualifying results. He noted that a strong race pace is essential, but starting further up the grid is crucial for podium finishes.
Driving the #11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3, Marco Wittmann described the weekend as brutal. Despite a good pace in the wet conditions on Saturday, a penalty and pit stop issues hindered his results. Although qualifying went well on Sunday, he struggled with car balance and tyre wear during the race.
