BMW M Team WRT finishes the Bathurst 12 Hour in fourth and sixth positions- quotes 05.02.2023: BMW M Team WRT competed its first race in the 2023 Intercontinental GT Challenge, the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS). The endurance classic also marked the first official outing of the team together with BMW M Motorsport. After twelve hours of racing, held

BMW M Team WRT competed its first race in the 2023 Intercontinental GT Challenge, the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS). The endurance classic also marked the first official outing of the team together with BMW M Motorsport.


After twelve hours of racing, held in sunny summer weather, the #32 Shell BMW M4 GT3 took the chequered flag in fourth position.



Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor (BEL) and Charles Weerts (BEL) shared duties in the car. The #46 BMW M4 GT3, driven by Augusto Farfus (BRA), Maxime Martin (BEL) and Valentino Rossi (ITA), crossed the line in sixth place.

 

While Farfus, Martin and Vanthoor knew Mount Panorama Circuit already, Bathurst rookies Rossi, van der Linde and Weerts first had to get acquainted with the extremely tricky and partly very tight rollercoaster circuit. They mastered the challenge brilliantly and all three quickly found their rhythm.

 

Sunday morning at 5:45 local time, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 started the race from sixth position; the #32 was ninth on the grid. After eventful first hours of racing in which accidents caused several safety car periods, BMW M Team WRT was temporarily running within the top three but both cars lost positions again as the race went on. With two and a half hours to go, the #46 car needed to head to the garage for a quick repair due to a small issue with the brake light.

 

Round two of the 2023 Intercontinental GT Challenge will be held in three weeks’ time, the Kyalami 9 Hour in South Africa from 23rd to 25th February. There, Valentino Rossi will be replaced by BMW M works driver Philipp Eng (AUT).

 

The BMW M Motorsport IGTC project is supported by strong partners. Oils produced by Shell, Premium Technology Partner of BMW M Motorsport, are used for the complete powertrain in both BMW M4 GT3s. Part of the project are also Endless as Official Partner of BMW M Motorsport and the KW suspension experts as Official Supplier of BMW M Motorsport.

 



Reactions after the Bathurst 12 Hour.

 

Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport: “The Bathurst 12 Hour is always a fantastic event, and that was the case this year when we returned to Mount Panorama. A unique circuit and many passionate fans – that has been great. From a sporting point of view, the result has been disappointing in the end after all drivers and the entire team did a faultless job.


Unfortunately we have not been competitive enough to fight for the podium and so the great effort has not been rewarded with the corresponding results. We take the positives: we brought both cars to the finish and we gelled well with BMW M Team WRT in our first official race together.




The BMW M4 GT3 once more proved to be very reliable; we just had one minor technical issue with the #46 car. A big thank you to the drivers, to BMW M Team WRT and everybody involved at BMW M Motorsport for the superb job. Now we continue to work and prepare for the next race at Kyalami.”

 

Vincent Vosse, Team Principal BMW M Team WRT: “We had a disappointing result. Obviously we did not have the tools to fight for anything better. This is an incredible event, an incredible track and it’s a pleasure to be here, but in these circumstances it is a bit difficult.



There is a very positive point and that’s the line-ups. All six drivers have done an outstanding job. They made no mistakes at all, they all had a similar speed. We also need to mention wh






- Andrea Schwab, photos BMW