At the end of September, BMW continued its preparations for the coming DTM season at the Hungaroring – jointly with the two other manufacturers represented in the DTM as at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz.
Focusing on tyre tests, set-up work and long runs, the test was again carried out with three BMW M3 DTM cars, run by the three teams BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW Team RBM, and BMW Team RMG.
In addition to Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus, the freshly-crowned American Le Mans Series champion Dirk Müller and Dirk Werner steered the wheel of the third BMW M3 DTM. Both Andy and Augusto have already been confirmed by BMW Motorsport as regular drivers for the coming season.
The tests were successful. On both days, all three cars completed long distances without any trouble, lapping the 4.381-kilometre race track 800 times. Andy Priaulx: "In this phase, every test is very important to us. This time we focused on the way the car and tyres interact, which is a vital factor to ensure competitiveness. With every test we have a better understanding of the car and gain more important knowledge.”
Augusto Farfus: "It is a good sign that the cars are so reliable at such an early stage of our preparations. We have had another two productive days and once again have learned a lot about the car."
The BMW M3 DTM had its official roll-out at the BMW test facilities in Aschheim on 4th July and was presented to the public at the DTM event in Munich on 15th July. All tests so far have allowed BMW Motorsport to gain valuable experience with the new car and promote further development. And the joint tests are the next milestones on the path to the start of the 2012 DTM season.
From 2012 on, SONAX will accompany BMW’s comeback in the DTM. Located at prominent positions – on the bonnet and front wings – the SONAX logo will decorate the BMW M3 DTM of all BMW teams.
(http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/ms_de)
