BMW DTM Teams prepare for a double dose of racing at the Lausitzring

Munich. The action continues to come thick and fast for the BMW DTM Teams over the next two weeks. The Lausitzring (GER) is the venue for the first of three double-headers in the compact 2020 DTM season. The racetrack, in the Lausitz region of Germany, hosts the second event of the season this weekend (14^th to 16^th August). Just one week later (21^st to 23^rd August), round three will take place at the same circuit.

As the Lausitzring offers different track variants, the two race weekends will be contested on different layouts. The BMW DTM drivers first take to the track in their BMW M4 DTMs on the 3.478-kilometre sprint circuit. The following week, the third event of the season will take place on the longer, 4.570-kilometre variant. BMW DTM driver Philipp Eng (AUT) holds the lap record of 1:37.897 minutes for this longer layout. 

Between the two race weekends, BMW Team RBM and BMW Team RMG will remain at the Lausitzring. They will make the revisions to the BMW M4 DTM, which are necessary after every event, on site.

Quotes ahead of the double-header at the Lausitzring.

Jens Marquardt (BMW Group Motorsport Director):

“The Lausitzring features the first double-header of the 2020 DTM season. Two different layouts await us, with the combination of the sprint circuit on the first weekend and the longer variant on the second weekend. That is going to be a fascinating challenge, the likes of which we have never seen before in the DTM. After the season-opener at Spa-Francorchamps, at which we fell well below our expectations, we are now looking ahead to the coming races. We have analysed the issues and are working hard to improve our total package. We saw at Spa-Francorchamps that we are very well-positioned in terms of reliability and top speed. We must now improve the pace in general, both in qualifying and over the race distance. We will do all we can to convert the potential of our BMW M4 DTM into good results. We start from scratch at the Lausitzring, and our goal is to turn the page there.”

Bart Mampaey (BMW Team RBM Team Principal):

“We have two intensive and busy weeks ahead of us in the Lausitz region. From a logistics point of view – given the many races we have in such a short time this year – it is a great help for us to have two back-to-back events at the same racetrack. We obviously expected more from the season-opener on our home circuit at Spa-Francorchamps. Our drivers and the team did a really good job, but we were generally not as strong as our rivals. However, that is in the past. We are now looking ahead and will work hard to have a successful double-header at the Lausitzring.”

Stefan Reinhold (BMW Team RMG Team Principal):

“We are very excited about the double-header in the Lausitz region. Two back-to-back DTM race weekends at the same circuit is something new for us. However, in this condensed season, it is a relief for us to be able to stay on site and save ourselves the time involved in assembling and dismantling equipment, not to mention the journey. We are confident that we can come back stronger at the Lausitzring than we were at the opening round at Spa-Francorchamps. The drivers and team got the maximum out of the situation, but our pace was simply not good enough. We want to change that now. The job for the two free practice sessions on Friday is to find the ideal set-up.”

Marco Wittmann (#11 Schaeffler BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMG, Drivers’ standings: 12^th, 1 point):

“It is great that the action now comes thick and fast in the DTM. When you have had a few difficulties, as we did on the opening weekend, you particularly want to get back out there and get stuck into the next weekend. We hope our pace is competitive at the Lausitzring and that we are able to hit back. Having a double-header at the Lausitzring with two different layouts is definitely an attractive prospect. You have to prepare a little more specifically for it – firstly for the short variant, then for the longer version. It is an excellent decision to race on two different layouts. Generally speaking, we have to make amends for the opening round in Spa. We want to close the gap to Audi and obviously to put on a great battle for the spectators. We will do our best to come back strongly there.”

Timo Glock (#16 iQOO BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMG, Driver’s standings: 10^th, 4 points):

“I am looking forward to the Lausitzring, and especially to the double-header we have there this year. We obviously hope to do much better at the Lausitzring than we did at Spa-Francorchamps. That has to be the goal. We have more experience there and I am confident that this will help us get back to a better performance.”

Lucas Auer (#22 BMW Bank M4 DTM, BMW Team RMR, Drivers’ standings: 7^th, 10 points):

“The short variant of the Lausitzring, on which we will race on the first weekend, is the scene of what is definitely my fondest DTM memory to date. My first victory there, was incredible. That was my breakthrough moment in the DTM. The long layout, which we will drive on the second weekend, is also incredibly enjoyable. It possibly has a few more overtaking opportunities, and I also have good memories of this layout. Generally speaking, the Lausitzring is a happy hunting ground for me, and I am hugely looking forward to it.”

Philipp Eng (#25 ZF BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RBM, Drivers’ standings: 8^th, 8 points):

“I had my first pole position, my first start from the front row, and my first podium in the DTM at the Lausitzring in 2018. That was my second race weekend in the series, so I always have fond memories of the circuit. The Lausitzring is a cool track. It is very technical and completely different to Spa. There are no high-speed bends, but medium and slow corners. However, it is a big challenge for us drivers to put together the perfect lap in qualifying. I am looking forward to it and hope we are closer to the front-runners than last time out.”

Jonathan Aberdein (#27 CATL BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMR, Drivers’ standings: 11^th, 3 points):

“One race down in Spa, I think it was a tough one for all BMWs, but we plan to come back fighting at the double-header at the Lausitzring. Personally, it’s a really good track for me. I’ve won quite a few races there in the past so I am very confident and I think everyone is feeling optimistic that we can take up the fight with Audi at the next weekends.”

Sheldon van der Linde (#31 Shell BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RBM, Drivers’ standings: 9^th, 8 points):

“The weekend at Spa was a very positive one for me personally, but obviously we were lacking some pace to Audi. We’ve been working really hard after Spa to refine our package because we want to catch up with Audi in the championship. We will try to keep the pressure on and are super positive, so let’s see how it goes. I am very confident because positivity at the moment is key for us, we need to keep pushing and there is a very long season ahead. I think the shorter version of the Lausitzring will offer slightly fewer overtaking opportunities while there are a few more on the longer track but not too much. So qualifying will be important as always and I think we should be there.”