BMW Motorsport entered the final set of preparation work for the final stretch towards the final test days for the 2013 DTM, as their annual fitness week at Viareggio, under the Formula Medicine team headed by Riccardo Ceccarelli, tested all the drivers, and even Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt took part in a couple of the days’ activities alongside his faithful posse of motivated drivers.
Augusto Farfus, Andy Priaulx, Joey Hand, Martin Tomczyk, Dirk Werner, DTM Champion Bruno Spengler, along with new additions Timo Glock, Marco Wittmann and test driver Maxime Martin, were all put under an extensive programme throughout the seven days to help them mentally and physically, as well as providing the correct nutritional advice for all concerned.
Team MTEK driver Glock commented on the fact that in Formula One, he only had one team-mate, but was really a good exercise for him to get to know all the other drivers well, and for them to spend time together as a complete unit: “Every one of us received very precise feedback on exactly what areas we can improve. We trained hard, but also had a whole lot of fun and laughed a lot. In recent years, I have only had one team-mate, now I have a few more. Each one is special in his own way, but we are all very focussed. We are ready to pull together and, hopefully, put together a successful season.”
Both Hand and Martin left Viareggio, and they both travelled to Sebring for the very first round of the American Le Mans Series, with the Belgian finding the atmosphere in the DTM being rather fun and refreshing, as well as feeling well prepared for his duties with Team RLL alongside the American: “You take a lot out of a week like this. I learned a lot about racing-related fitness training. On Thursday I played a tennis doubles match with the DTM champion, long-time Formula One star Timo Glock and Jens Marquardt. At that point it became very clear to me just what it means to be a part of the BMW Motorsport works team.”
Marquardt himself said that the team spirit is clearly there between all the drivers, even though the weather being variable didn’t clearly dampen their enthusiasm, which made for a better atmosphere in general: “The medical examinations, sporting competition and, last but not least, the fun we all have stood us in excellent stead for the tasks ahead. Many individual components are important in order to be successful in the DTM.”
So the pace steps up another gear for the men behind the wheel of the “Ultimate Driving Machine,” as the beginning of the 2013 DTM season fast approaches. Will their updated and expanded line up prove to be even more aggressive that the first year of the “New-Era”? We’ll find out when Hockenheim brings the noise in less that 2 months’ time…
