Marc VDS Add DTM Trio for 24 Hours of Spa

BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS will arrive at the 24 Hours of Spa with a strong line up, including three DTM stars. Augusto Farfus and Maxime Martin join Jörg Müller, while Dirk Werner will drive with Markus Palttala and Bas Leinders. The team showed extremely strongly at the 2013 event, before unfortunate issues curtailed their race, and the team are hungry for success. The race, scheduled for the 26th and 27th of July, is the home race for the squad. It is also the jewel in crown of the Blancpain Endurance Series, where they earned the team’s championship last season.

Martin, Leinders and Palttala are all well used to racing with Marc VDS, including driving to second place in the Blancpain series together in 2012, with two wins. Müller, too, is now used to the team having raced in the VLN this season, having missed the 24 Hours of Spa 2013 through injury. Farfus and Werner are both long term BMW Motorsport works pilots, and have both shown strongly in the DTM. Farfus finished runner up in the series in 2013.

Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport director

“After the Nürburgring, the endurance classic in Spa-Francorchamps is not only another highlight of the season for BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS, but also for BMW Motorsport. After struggling with technical issues and not achieving the results we had hoped for last year, we are extremely motivated to succeed in this year’s race. You could say that the BMW Z4 GT3 has a score to settle with this classic. It will certainly be another exciting race.”

Augusto Farfus, BMW Z4 GT3 #66

“I am very much looking forward to taking part in one of the biggest races for GT cars. I see no reason why we shouldn’t have a chance of winning with the BMW Z4 GT3 and such a strong trio of drivers. This will be my first outing at this classic. It means an awful lot to me, as I will have competed at all the major 24-hour races in the world by the end of the weekend.”

Markus Palttala, BMW Z4 GT3 #77

“I really love the circuit in Spa, it’s my absolute favourite. I’ve been a part of the 24-hour-race from the beginning of its GT-era. My first start was back in 2000 and this will be my 14th. I know what to expect and how to deal with the special challenges of such a marathon. I’ve won the class there, but my dream is to win it outright once in my career. We finished fourth in 2012 and were leading last year with the BMW Z4 GT3, so I know we have a package to do it if we get everything right. It’s especially important for this team, as the home race of Marc van der Straten.”