The 2015 Blancpain GT Series Thread

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NewsFlash : First win for BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil
(Blancpain GT April 6 2015)


Maxime Martin and Dirk Müller have taken the #77 BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil BMW to its first win. The yellow Z4 took the lead on the opening lap, briefly lost it after the pitstops, and then Müller held off Stéphane Ortelli in an exciting last twenty minutes of the season opener.

However, Ortelli and team-mate Richelmi (#3 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi) were the first of the Series’ regulars, claiming important points for the championship. Belgian Audi Club Team WRT-drivers Enzo Ide and Christopher Mies completed the podium.

In Pro Am, the #70 GT Russian Team Mercedes of Christophe Bouchut and Alexey Vasiliev took the lead shortly before the end of the race, while the Fjordbach brothers lead the whole race in Silver Cup, at the wheel of their #74 ISR Audi.

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Congrats to BMW Team Brasil!!

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Blancpain GT Series thunder back at Brands Hatch

Weekend Schedule

Saturday 9 May
09:25 - 10:25 Free Practice 1
11:55 - 12:55 Free Practice 2
17:30 - 18:25 Qualifying Practice

Sunday 10 May
11:10 - 12:10 Qualifying Race
15:25 - 16:25 Main Race






Sean Walkinshaw (#73 MRS GT Racing Nissan): “I’m really enjoying being part of the Blancpain GT Series, it’s a fantastic series. There’s obviously still a lot for me to learn, but the guys at MRS GT-Racing have been great and my team-mate Craig has really helped me to make the transition from single-seaters. The opening weekend didn’t go as planned, but our Nissan GT-R was quick. We all know much, much more is possible at Brands Hatch. The circuit is mainly medium to high speed, so it should suit our car.”

Robin Frijns (#1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT): “Brands Hatch is completely new to me. Not even as a spectator have I visited the track, but I am looking forward to racing on the circuit. After what happened in Nogaro, our season really starts in Brands Hatch. Obviously we would like to win the race. We know we have a good car, and it’s important to score as many points as possible.”

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If you notice, Triple 888 will be joining BSS for this stop (home race) which will bring the number of Z4 GT3s to 3

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Double podium for BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil.

A successful Sunday of racing for BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil: At the second race of the season in Brands Hatch, Átila Abreu and Valdeno Brito in the number 77 BMW Z4 GT3 celebrated a double podium with two second places.

May 11, 2015 by BMW Motorsport



The Brazilian duo finished third in the one-hour qualifying race held early on Sunday afternoon. Abreu/Brito later moved up into second after a time penalty was awarded to the original team who finished second. Abreu was initially in third in the main race in the afternoon, but he and his team-mate made up a position during a pit stop. Brito refused to relinquish this second place during the second half of the race. “Two second places is a wonderful gift,” said Abreu, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Sunday. Brito added: “If someone had told me we would finish second after finishing sixth in qualifying yesterday, I wouldn’t have believed them. But we did a good job and the team was fantastic during the pit stops, which are crucial. I’m delighted.” Their team-mates Sergio Jimenez and Caca Bueno in the number 0 BMW Z4 GT3 finished in a strong fourth place in both races. Joe Osborne and Lee Mowle finished second and third in the Pro-Am class (15th and 16th overall) at their home race in the number 888 Triple Eight Racing BMW Z4 GT3 .

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Upcoming:

GREAT BRITAIN - SILVERSTONE
BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE SERIES
23 MAY 2015

"Will Britannia rule Silverstone?
The Circuit of Silverstone, Home of British Motorsport, will host the fourth round of the 2015 Blancpain GT Series. Last year, the Bentley Continental GT3 of Team M-Sport Bentley took an historic and very popular maiden win. In 2015 there will be plenty at stake in all three classes. Not surprising, considering the fact that the number of cars on the Silverstone entry list will pass the cap of 60 cars for the first time in history."

1. Bronze Test - Saturday, 23 May09:00-08:00 GMT
2. Free practice - Saturday, 23 May10:55-09:55 GMT
3. Pre Qualifying - Saturday, 23 May16:30-15:30 GMT
4. Qualifying 1 - Sunday, 24 May09:00-08:00 GMT
5. Qualifying 2 - Sunday, 24 May09:22-08:22 GMT
6. Qualifying 3 - Sunday, 24 May09:45-08:45 GMT
7. Main Race - Sunday, 24 May14:45-13:45 GMT

Also this weekend with BES
Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo
Formula Renault 2.0 NEC
Auto GP

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Bronze test kicks off Silverstone weekend



One hour of practice for the Bronze drivers - and some drivers gathering experience of the track - opened the track action for the second round of the Blancpain Endurance Series. 42 of the 62 cars entered had their first taste of the British asphalt. Even though times set will probably not be very representative for the remainder of the weekend, it is worth noting that the #84 Bentley Team HTP Continental set the fastest time of the session, in front of both BMW's of BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil.

Track action continues at 10.55 with the Free Practice session.

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The Free Practice Session for the Silverstone round of the Blancpain GT Series was the first occasion of the weekend to all 62 cars in action and the session went largely incident free.

Drivers focused on getting to grips with the British track and last year's pole sitter Franck Perera in the #12 TDS Racing BMW was the first to set a competitive time. Eventually, his 2'02.311 was good enough to take third spot in the session.

Laurens Vanthoor in the #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8 was the first to go under Perera's time (in 2'02.189), with Stephane Richelmi in the #3 Audi of the Belgian squad the first to break the 2'02 barrier in 2'01.990.

Perera's time was good enough to be the fastest in Pro-Am, but the #66 Black Pearl Racing by Rinaldi Ferrari of Pierre Kaffer and the #78 Team Russia by Barwell BMW of Johnny Cocker were close behind and both in the top-5 overall. In the Am Cup the fastest time was set by Fabien Barthez in the #16 Akka ASP Ferrari, lapping in 2'03.751.

Pre-Qualifying Session starts at 4.30 pm.


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Weekend Schedule

Saturday 23 May
09:00 - 10:00 Bronze Test
10:55 - 12:25 Free Practice
16:30 - 18:00 Pre-Qualifying

Sunday 24 May
09:00 - 10:00 Qualifying
14:45 - 17:45 Main Race

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Lamborghini disqualification is renegotiated



Even after the first hearing at the Belgian motorsport federation RACB in Brussels the Lamborghini Huracán of Fabio Babini, Andrew Palmer and Jeroen Mul remains disqualified. In ten days, the case - and therefore the decision on the race win in Monza - renegotiated.

The car used by Grasser Racing crossed at its race debut at the first round of the BES to the finish line first. Due to a non-compliant tank inlet of Huracán was taken with the starting number 19 retrospectively from the vote.

This weekend the BES guest appearance at Silverstone. With 61 starters it is already turbulent enough to find a winner - even without overturned decisions.

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Exciting new experience
A start in the Blancpain Endurance Series was planned for some time. Even that Max Sandritter is to be launched in addition to the regular drivers Baumann / Hürtgen.



This coming weekend the BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert will premiere in the Blancpain Endurance Series. The team from Oschersleben is a BMW Z4 GT3 in the 4-hour race at Silverstone at the start. At the wheel of the vehicle with the starting number 120 Dominik Baumann, Claudia Hürtgen and Maximilian Sandritter be alternated. The trio is in the Pro Cup standings at the start and is measured there with some of the best GT teams in the world.

The BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert celebrated last season several successful guest appearances in the Blancpain Series Sprint. Among others, Baumann won jointly with the Austrian Thomas Jäger a run on the Slovakia Ring. In one of the endurance race in the Blancpain Endurance Series, however, the team has never been at the start. The run at Silverstone starts on Pentecost Sunday at 14:45 clock.

Timo Frings (Team Manager): "It is good for us, so soon after the disappointing for us during the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring to get out on track again, the use in the Blancpain Endurance Series was planned for quite some time. but he is a very good opportunity to get back to other thoughts. We are delighted in addition to our two regular drivers Dominik Baumann and Claudia Hürtgen also to welcome Max Sandritter back in the team. Unfortunately, it was due to scheduling conflicts not possible to more ADAC GT Masters season to challenge each other. For us it is important to continue working with him and so to maintain contact among themselves upright. The start of the Blancpain Endurance Series is sure to be an exciting new experience for us. "

[954Stealth]

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Maiden win for Von Ryan McLaren in Silverstone
The #58 Von Ryan Racing McLaren of Rob Bell, Shane Van Gisbergen and Kevin Estre took the win in the second round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit. The car took its first pitstop during an early Full Course Yellow-situation and acquired enough of an advantage to hold on to the lead until the end. The #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8 of championship leaders Vanthoor, Frijns and Vernay took second despite suffering some electronic problems, with third going to their team-mates of the #3 Audi. Seven different brands were represented in the top-10 overall. In Pro-Am the #888 Triple Eight Racing BMW led for two thirds of the race, but after the last pitstop the #32 Leonard Motorsport Aston Martin took lead and held on to that position until the chequered flag. The Am Cup went to the #15 BMW of Boutsen Ginion-duo Grötz-Ojjeh, leading for most of the race, with their competition fighting for the other podium places.

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Class victory for the BMW Z4 GT3.
A top-class field of 61 cars competed in Silverstone for the second race weekend in the Blancpain Endurance Series.




After 82 laps, Olivier Grötz and Karim Ojjeh emerged victorious in the Am class in the number 15 BMW Z4 GT3. The duo from the Boutsen Ginion team led the three-hour race for long stretches, leaving the opposition to fight it out for second place. In the Pro-Am class, the number 888 BMW Z4 GT3 of the Triple Eight Racing team also led for much of the race, but surrendered the lead after the final pit stop and eventually came home tenth. The best-placed BMW Z4 GT3 in the Pro-Am class was the TDS Racing car in sixth place.

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Next Stop:

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The Spa poster is out now

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Originally Posted by 954Stealth

Next Stop:

BLANCPAIN SPRINT SERIES BEING HOSTED AT CIRCUIT ZOLDER FOR A PRESTIGIOUS WEEKEND


BELGIANS PLAYING A LEADING ROLE IN A THRILLING SERIES

SRO first visited Circuit Zolder back in 1999 with the FIA GT. Since then there have been ten further visits to the Limburg circuit of this renowned international promoter, with FIA GT, the FIA GT1 World Championship, the FIA GT3, the FIA GT Series and the Blancpain Sprint Series. In 2015 motorsport fans and enthusiasts of prestigious GT machines can once again enjoy a brilliant weekend at Circuit Zolder. On 5th, 6th and 7th June not only is the third round of the Blancpain Sprint Series on the programme, with up front two fast Belgians, but also the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Benelux and the German DTC ADAC Procar races. Last but not least the RACB GT Parade and the AMG Parade will also be on hand. Definitely not to be missed!

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Also on hand this coming weekend:

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge:
http://www.gt3cupchallengebenelux.co...rier-2015.html

DTC ADAC Procars
http://adac-procar.de/default.aspx?ID=1&t=Start


Ciruit Zolder Info:
Track: Terlaemen, Zolder
Lap Record: 1:31.117
Circuit Length: 4.004km / 2.500mi
Number of Corners: 10

Entry List:
http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/e..._meeting_id=48

BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil has 2 Z4 entries
Audi has 7 entries between 3 teams
McLaren will be represented by 2 650s GT3s from Attempto Racing
Mercedes has 2 Russian SLS AMG GT2's in the Pro-Am Cup
There will be two Continental GT3s courtesy of Bentley Team HTP,
a Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3, 1 LP560-4-R-EX and 1 458 italia

for a total of 18 cars

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Christopher Mies fastest in hot and sweaty first free practice



With a track temperature of around 50 degrees the first free practice for the Belgian round of the Belgian Sprint Series was always going to be a steamy affair. After the first 80 minutes of hectic track action it was the #2 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8 of Christopher Mies who topped the standings, lapping the Zolder track in 1'31.947. He was closely followed by the #333 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari and the #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi, both within three tenths of a second of Mies' time. The fastest time in Pro-Am was set by the #71 GT Russian Team Mercedes of Marko Asmer, while the #74 ISR Audi of the Fjordbach brothers were quickest in Silver Cup.

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