2011 VLN-1 Videos

BMW won the first VLN race at the Nürburgring, starting and ending first and second. Check out the start from this amateur video to see how the two ///M cars work in tandem to keep the Mercedes SLS behind them and get on their way.




Of course one caveat is that the BMW were running in the E1XP class along with the N.technologies P4/5c... the more populated top class, SP9, was won by the Black Falcon Mercedes SLS GT3 who actually had a faster lap time than the BMWs. 8:24.240 vs 8:25.231.

Video from the front would be exciting but ..there isn't any. This one, produced by RaceMedia.tv, is fun: a nice fight between the Car Collection Motorsport 911 GT3 Cup S of Peter Schmidt and a Mercedes SLS GT3. Onboard with nat sound start about one minute in

The SLS must be very either very restricted or have bad aero because the 911's kill it on the long straight.

Look carefully ahead and you can catch a glimpse of the Gliekenhaus P4/5 up ahead. That car, I would venture to say, did not live up to expectations, retiring after 8 laps and setting an 8"44 sec lap time, some 20 seconds off the class pace.

Schmidt finished 15th overall. full results HERE



Bonus video after the jump: Careful on that right curb in the middle of the Hatzenbach esses....

BMW M3 GT2: what's new at the office?

Can you spot the big new thing inside the cockpit of this 2011 BMW M3 GT2?


This will be "the office" for BMW's works drivers in ALMS this season and I'm sure you already spotted the new feature: paddle shifters are now allowed by the rules. Gone is the big sequential stick, now the drivers can keep both hands wheel.
Check out the roll cage structure forming a loop around the drivers knees, I don't remember noticing that before. Also, note buttons for traction control and "ASC", stability control? differential settings?

BMW fans will appreciate the fancy locating mark on the steering wheel, not in the usual yellow but three bands in the traditional ///M stripes..