The Ekris M4 GT4 has completed its first kilometres at Circuit Park Zandvoort on Saturday. After months of development by Ekris Motorsport, the race car is almost ready to compete in (inter)national championships and endurance racing. It will be the successor to the BMW M3 GT4, which has celebrated many successes in the past years. The Ekris M4 GT4 is scheduled to make its race debut in the season’s finale of the European GT4 racing series, set to take place at the Italian circuit of Misano during the first weekend of October.
Ekris Motorsport has worked on the development of the Ekris M4 GT4 with respected partners since the end of last year. They received support of the SRO (Stéphane Ratel Organisation), organiser of highly-regarded racing series and events. The BMW M4 provides the ideal platform for a racing car and is powered by a three litre six-in-line Twin Power Turbo engine that delivers 430 hp.
A large number of adjustments made by Ekris Motorsport ensures that the vehicle can be raced at the track. This includes, but is not limited to, an adjustable race chassis, an exhaust system equipped with high flow catalysts and the entire electronic system has been optimised. Next to that, the car was aerodynamically optimised to meet the demands of the GT4 rulebook, equipped with monoblock brake calipers and is supported by a race ABS system.
The 120-litre fuel tank makes the racing car not only suitable for national and international championships, but also for participation in endurance racing like the 24H Series and the German VLN championship. The M4 GT4 is of course also equipped with a number of safety precautions. This includes an approved roll cage, safety belts and a race seat, that all meet the latest safety standards.
Ricardo van der Ende, multiple European GT4 champion and winner of the 1999 Formula Ford Festival said: “We have put years of motorsports experience into this beautiful Ekris M4 GT4. We paid detailed attention to the balance of this car to ensure that professional as well as amateur drivers can race it. I believe that the BMW M4 corresponds to the GT4 philosophy very well because the car’s race edition shares many similarities with the model that is available in the BMW showrooms. Together with Ekris Motorsport I have celebrated many successes with the BMW M3, but it’s okay to say farewell as I know what car is waiting for me.”
The Ekris M4 GT4’s race debut is scheduled to take place during the season’s finale of the European GT4 championship at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Italy on October 3 and 4. Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport will be the first team to enter the brand new M4 GT4.