BMW Motorsport held its annual Season Review on Friday evening, during which it looked back on a successful year of racing in 2015. The venue for this popular event was the BMW Museum, which is not only steeped in tradition, but also provided a fantastic party atmosphere. The best-placed participants in the BMW Sports Trophy Driver and Team Competitions were honoured at the event, while other BMW drivers and teams were also presented with BMW Motorsport Awards in recognition of their performances.
“This year, many teams and drivers have once again claimed race wins and titles with BMW cars in some of the best and most famous racing series in the world,” said Klaus Fröhlich, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development, who opened the evening. “We present our BMW Motorsport Awards in order to honour these outstanding performances.”
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt, who presented the winners with their trophies, said: “2015 presented us with a number of highlights. In the DTM, we showed outstanding team spirit to recover from a difficult start to the season and win the Manufacturers’ title. In the USCC, we won three races and finished runners-up in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer competitions. BMW’s greatest success on the endurance circuit was undoubtedly with the BMW Z4 GT3. The 22nd overall victory for BMW at the 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps, courtesy of Lucas Luhr, Markus Palttala and Nick Catsburg, gave this car a worthy send-off at the end of a magnificent career. The BMW Sports Trophy received a record number of entries, with 310 drivers from 29 different countries registering. And the BMW Motorsport Junior programme once again unearthed some wonderfully talented youngsters and a worthy winner. Because of this, 2015 gave us plenty of reasons to celebrate with the BMW Motorsport family at the end of the year.”
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the BMW Sports Trophy Honorary Award to Andy Priaulx (GB). A BMW works driver for many years, he made sure of his place in the BMW Motorsport history books when he won three back-to-back titles in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). From 2005 to 2007, Priaulx was the man to beat at the wheel of the BMW 320i and BMW 320si. He enjoyed great success with BMW, including victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE) in 2005. Next season, after over a decade as a BMW works driver, Priaulx is leaving BMW in search of a new challenge. “Thanks to Andy Priaulx for all he has done for the BMW brand,” said Marquardt. “His name and his fantastic successes will always remain a part of BMW’s motorsport history. We at BMW support his decision to leave us after so many successful years. We do not want to stand in the way of our drivers should they wish to pursue new challenges. We wish him all the best, and will remain in contact as friends.”
Young Swiss driver Louis Delétraz was also honoured. The youngster from year two of the re-aligned BMW Motorsport Junior programme was named “BMW Motorsport Junior of the Year 2015” by a jury. He follows in the footsteps of Jesse Krohn (FI), who made many successful outings for BMW Motorsport in the BMW Z4 GT3 and BMW Z4 GTE in 2015.
There were also awards for the winning team from the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BE), as well as the “Dream Team” of Alessandro Zanardi (IT), Timo Glock (DE) and Bruno Spengler (CA), who caught the eye with their spectacular appearance in the Ardennes.
Other awards went to the DTM teams and drivers, whose team spirit made it possible for BMW to win the Manufacturers’ title, as well as USCC drivers Dirk Werner (DE) and Bill Auberlen (US). BMW DTM driver Tom Blomqvist (GB) was honoured as “Rookie of the Year”. His colleague António Félix da Costa (PT) was named “Allrounder of the Year”, having enjoyed success in both the DTM and the FIA Formula E Championship. Michela Cerruti (IT) received an award for her maiden victory in the BMW Z4 GT3 on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE).
The trophies for successes in the BMW M235i Racing Cup went to drivers Michele Di Martino (DE) and Moritz Oberheim (DE), as well as Bonk Motorsport. The top BMW Sports Trophy driver of the year was Christian Büllesbach (DE). As in 2014, the best BMW Sports Trophy team was Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport.
An overview of the winners of the 2015 BMW Motorsport Awards.
BMW Sports Trophy Driver of the Year:
Christian Büllesbach (DE)
BMW Sports Trophy Team of the Year:
Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport
Duo of the Year:
Dirk Werner (DE), Bill Auberlen (US)
BMW Motorsport Junior of the Year:
Louis Delétraz (CH)
Allrounder of the Year:
António Félix da Costa (PT)
BMW M235i Racing Cup Team of the Year:
Bonk Motorsport
BMW M235i Racing Cup Driver of the Year:
Michele di Martino (DE), Moritz Oberheim (DE)
Girl Power of the Year:
Michela Cerruti (IT)
Rookie of the Year:
Tom Blomqvist (GB)
BMW Sports Trophy Honorary Award:
Andy Priaulx (GB)
Team Spirit of the Year:
The eight BMW DTM drivers and their four team principals
Actors of the Year:
Alessandro Zanardi (IT), Timo Glock (DE), Bruno Spengler (CA)
Moment of the Year:
Lucas Luhr (DE), Markus Palttala (FI), Nick Catsburg (NL)