One more time: BMW will again be fielding its two BMW M3 GTRs in the
Nürburgring 24 Hour Race on 7th/8th May. It will mark the final season for the
two muscle cars with their 500 bhp V8 engines that claimed a one-two win in
2004.
The seven-man BMW squad for the marathon on the legendary Nordschleife has been
named: the winners of 2004, BMW works drivers Dirk Müller (Burbach) and Jörg
Müller (Hückelhoven), along with Hans-Joachim Stuck (Ellmau/AUT) are in the
team, as are last year's three runners-up - Duncan Huisman (NLD), Pedro Lamy (PRT)
and Boris Said (USA). Team BMW Motorsport led by Charly Lamm gets notable
backing from Andy Priaulx (GBR), the reigning European Touring Car Champion and
BMW works driver in the 2005 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC).
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen: "The Nürburgring 24 Hours is unique in
terms of sport and atmosphere. 220 cars racing on a 25.4-kilometre twisty
labyrinth before a crowd of 200,000 - this is a spectacular event. In 2004 we
defied the most appalling weather conditions to take a one-two win, which caused
great excitement among the public and in-house. In 2005, our preparation
programme is much shorter due to the event having been brought forward by five
weeks and because of the relatively harsh winter. Nevertheless, we hope to be
able to continue the BMW success story on the Nordschleife with the last major
appearance of the M3 GTR, though we know only too well that with this kind of
distance on what is arguably the world's most challenging circuit, things don't
always go according to plan. That is also part of the attraction of this 24-hour
event."
With 17 overall victories - including seven one-two wins - since the event was
inaugurated in 1970, BMW has been by far the most successful manufacturer
involved in the race. Hans-Joachim Stuck was behind the wheel for three of BMW's
overall wins. He won the debut race of 1970 in a BMW 2002 ti and was also at the
controls in 1998 when the BMW 320d became the first diesel-powered touring car
to win an endurance event of this kind.
Before the BMW touring car aces rise to the challenges of season 2005's 24 Hour
Race and FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), they will be meeting up at
the BMW Fitness Camp in Principina Terra, Grosseto (Italy) from 25th February to
2nd March.