With the countdown still underway and the start of another year has come around, BMW Motorsport have announced the line-up that will look to take back more glory than just one title in 2013.
111 days left and we know find out just who is where when it comes to the teams, as 2012 Champion Bruno Spengler is now teamed with 2011 Champion Martin Tomczyk at Team Schnitzer. This brings a great veteran pairing at the most recognizable name in BMW’s history in the category.
Augusto Farfus and Joey Hand remain at Team RBM for the second successive season, whilst Marco Wittmann will now move to Team RMG from Team MTEK, where he scored two podium finishes and one pole position last year.
Last year’s “Best Rookie” is now partnered with one of the new arrivals for 2014, who will race the forthcoming M4 DTM, which is yet to have been unveiled. That man is last year’s test driver, Belgium’s Maxime Martin, who has been racing with Marc VDS Racing in the Blancpain Endurance Series and has been promoted to DTM as a result.
Hockenheim finale winner Timo Glock will still be driving the “yellow beast” at MTEK, but his new teammate will be Antonio Felix da Costa, who is also the test driver for Infiniti Red Bull Racing. The Portuguese driver has given a chance as he impressed during the initial test he did in the M3 DTM, which is now effectively retired from competition.
Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt stated that the new line-up will help Munich get back to the very top, with a good combination of young guns and experienced drivers to make it work: “I think we have another very impressive looking line-up again in 2014. As far as the fans are concerned, I believe there is something there to suit everyone’s taste.
“Like everyone else in the team, I cannot wait for the first race. We have an intense programme of preparations with the BMW M4 DTM to complete before then.”
Andy Priaulx is starting in the upcoming Daytona 24 Hours in a fortnight’s time, as a part of the line-up at Team RLL, with Dirk Werner also moving back to his endurance racing roots. The former Team Schnitzer driver’s full program has not as of yet been made public, but he is also competing the in the Daytona 24.
Now we wait just who will be at Mercedes-Benz and Audi Sport, apart from those already confirmed. How many cars that Stuttgart will decide to run in preparation for the opening round at Hockenheim on the 4th of May this year is anyone’s guess as of yet. Time will only tell…
