BMW driver quotes after the 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers 09.05.2022: Dan Harper (#72 BMW M4 GT3, BMW Junior Team): “It has been an amazing weekend. I think that we are completely prepared for the 24-hour race, which was our main aim. Obviously the results are fantastic, the boys have done a fantastic job.

Dan Harper (#72 BMW M4 GT3, BMW Junior Team): “It has been an amazing weekend. I think that we are completely prepared for the 24-hour race, which was our main aim. Obviously the results are fantastic, the boys have done a fantastic job.


The car is in an excellent window, it is such a pleasure to drive the new BMW M4 GT3. It was really a fun weekend. Of course, it was a shame with the penalty in Sunday’s race, that’s one on me, but P2 in the end with the penalty and two wins, let’s say on the road – we can be happy.”



 

Max Hesse (#72 BMW M4 GT3, BMW Junior Team): “Our record for the weekend is a very positive one. We are very happy. I think we are on the right track in terms of our preparations for the 24-hour race. We obviously still have some work ahead of us, but we are happy so far.


The car is working well, the team did a mega job and the pit stops have been super. I think we are really well prepared.”

 


Neil Verhagen (#72 BMW M4 GT3, BMW Junior Team): “It has been a very good weekend for us. With luck being more on our side today we would have made it two overall wins. We were very unlucky in the first stint, when I was driving, just on my inlap we lost over 30 seconds through the code zones.


If that hadn’t happened I think we would have still been able to win the race with the penalty, but overall it has been a very solid weekend, so thank you to BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team RMG for providing an amazing car all weekend. It was a pleasure to drive and I think we can be quite happy going into the 24-hour race. We are pretty confident.”

 



Augusto Farfus (#99 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing): "Saturday’s race was great but a bit difficult at the end due to the rain. I am proud that we stepped onto the podium again, and I am also delighted for the juniors that they won. BMW did an incredible job in supporting then.





Maybe we even haven taught them a bit too much in the past two years. They are called ‘juniors’ but in respect of the last two years they belong to the most experienced drivers here on the Nordschleife. They have speed and talent and there is nothing left you need to teach them in this respect. It is a pity that we had a technical issue in Sunday’s race but I think that overall we, as BMW, are very well prepared. The base is very good, but to win the big race you not only need performance but also a lot of luck.”

 



Marco Wittmann (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing): “It was a rather difficult weekend for us in the #98 car. Sheldon secured a good grid position, with fifth place in both Top Qualifyings. However, we were ultimately lacking a bit of pace in both races, and the crash in the pit lane cost us on Sunday. Despite this, we did manage to finish a fine fourth in Saturday’s race.



All in all, it was a good learning process for us. We grew closer as a team, and I hope that we will learn from the weekend and come back stronger in the 24-hour race. I also hope that we have had our share of bad luck, and that we can look forward to some good luck in the main race. I am looking forward to the race and the big, big crowds, and hope for a good weekend.”

 



Jens Klingmann (#20 BMW M4 GT3, Schubert Motorsport): “The dress rehearsal for the 24-hour race was a great weekend for BMW M Motorsport. We saw that the BMW M4 GT3 has the potential to win races and mix it with the others at the very front of the field. At Schubert Motorsport we were not quite able to exploit the car’s full potential, we have to admit that.




However, we are one BMW M Motorsport family, and I am sure that we can analyse this little deficit between now and the race, and see what we can do better to be on a par with the other BMW M Motorsport teams and compete at the front. The goal is clearly to take overall victory in the 24-hour race. With that in mind, we tried a lot of things and learned a lot. We will now put together the best package, and then it really counts in three weeks.”

 


 Andrea Schwab- photos Marc HILGER AutoMobilSport.com