This weekend the BMW Team Brasil arrives at the legendary circuit of Brands Hatch, in England, for the challenges of the second round of the 2015 season of the Blancpain Sprint Series. The race will mark the debut of the official drivers of the team: Cacá Bueno/Sérgio Jimenez aboard the BMW Z4 #0 and Valdeno Brito/Átila Abreu in the Z4 #77 machine, during the short races. Remember that the competitors did not play the Nogaro (Fra) round due to the coincidence of dates with the Brazilian Stock Car. The two races of the weekend happen on Sunday (10th).
The good memories and the good results on the racetrack animate the Brazilian team. It was there in 2014 that Bueno and Jimenez were on the podium in twice, with two third places. Valdeno Brito (which at the time shared the car with Matheus Stumpf as a guest) also has positive memories of the circuit. He was very close to getl the second place during the Main Race, but he had a penalty that forced him to go through the boxes.
Another factor that motivates the green and yellow team is setting the Balance of Perfomance (BOP), which will be the same used in Nogaro, when the team won. The car will take 1240 kg, and the restrictor 84 mm, which means that the car is 5 kg lighter and with the restrictor 10% larger in area. In addition, as a fast lane without acceleration stretches where you need an engine with plenty of torque at low rpm, is a circuit more favorable to the BMW Z4 model.
Driver´s Quotes:
Sérgio Jimenez – BMW Z4 #0
“The expectations are the best possible. We conquered the podium there in 2014, twice with two third places. We´ll work to fight to be on the podium again. I’m pretty confident that we will be very competitive. I strongly believe that we will fight for victory, even if we are in a good configuration of BOP”.
Cacá Bueno – BMW Z4 #0
“The expectation is the best possible. Last year our best races were at Brands Hatch. Despite the last round in Monza (Italy), during the Endurance Series, the car has not been so good, both the Balance of Perfomance, as the pre-season training that we did indicates that the car is even better than last season. If there is a racetrack where we can dream of victories, this circuit is Brands Hatch, so the expectation is great”.
Valdeno Brito – BMW Z4 #77
“Last year we had a good performance at this racetrack and it was not a penalty, I could have finished on the podium. Moreover, I think the car has also evolved. The circuit has short straights and you can tell that no disadvantage to our car and can be one of the best circuits for us. We need (me and Átila) to practice a lot the pit stops, as this can make a difference in Sprint Series, but the expectation is good and the idea is to fight for podiums”.
Átila Abreu – BMW Z4 #77
“We are excited. I don´t know the racetrack. I never raced in England, but it is a classic circuit of motorsport. I believe we can to aim high and think of podiums and victories. The track doesn´t have long straights and has average speed corners, which is positive for us. I will use the practices sessions for a good adaptation, but I have seen many videos there to get an idea of the track. I believe that will be a positive weekend. Moreover, the team has a good pit stop and we have (me and Valdeno) to practice hard”.