BMW Media Site New challenges. BMW in racing. Contact: Thomas  Plucinsky thomas.plucinsky@bmwna.com   Matthew  Russell (201) 307-3783 (office) Matthew.Russell@bmwna.com   Bill  Cobb billcobbcommunications@yahoo.com     New challenges. BMW in racing. DTM.BMW’s return to the DTM after an absence of 20 years ended with a bang in 2012. The manufacturer clinched a triple of titles at the season finale in Hockenheim (DE). Bruno Spengler (CA) won the race in his BMW Bank M3 DTM to secure the drivers’ crown. At the same time, BMW Team Schnitzer won the team competition and BMW Motorsport triumphed in the Manufacturers’ Championship. “We made motorsport history,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt after the sensational comeback season.2013 sees BMW Motorsport expand its DTM involvement. Rather than six cars, eight BMW M3 DTMs will be in action this season. BMW Team Schnitzer will line up with the proven combination of DTM champion Spengler and Dirk Werner. Augusto Farfus (BR) will again drive for Belgian BMW Team RBM, while Martin Tomczyk (DE) will once again do battle for BMW Team RMG. The only change concerning the six successful drivers who were instrumental in winning the manufacturers’ title for BMW last year sees Andy Priaulx (GB) swap seats with Joey Hand. Three-time World Touring Car Champion Priaulx will drive for BMW Team RMG in the future, while Hand will race for BMW Team RBM.At the wheel of the two BMW M3 DTMs run by the newly formed BMW Team MTEK will be former Formula One ace Timo Glock (DE) and Marco Wittmann (DE), who has been promoted to a regular driver from his role as test and development driver. This season’s calendar consists of ten races and sees the DTM travel to Moscow (RU) for the first time.BMW Sports Trophy.BMW can look back on a long tradition of supporting private customer teams. In the 2013 motorsport season, privateers will once again take to the track in countless series and will, in doing so, demonstrate the sportiness of the brand on a global scale. The GT segment is again spearheaded by the BMW Z4 GT3. This car has been responsible for many victories and titles over the past two years. It was at the wheel of a BMW Z4 GT3, for example, that Thomas Biagi (IT) won the Italian GT Championship last season. His reward was first place in the BMW Sports Trophy. The BMW Z4 GT3 is also a regular at the 24-hour classics at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife and Spa-Francorchamps.The remaining customer racing models, the BMW 320 TC and BMW M3 GT4, are also in action around the world. The BMW 320 TC will once again be challenging for podiums and victories in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. BMW customer teams can continue to count on comprehensive support with the running of their cars from BMW in 2013. For over 50 years, BMW Motorsport has recognised the performances of privateer drivers and teams with the BMW Sports Trophy. As well as a share of the 250,000 Euros of prize money, the overall winner will also be given the opportunity to take to the track at the wheel of the BMW M3 DTM.Formula BMW Talent Cup.The Formula BMW Talent Cup is in its third season in 2013. This training series allows BMW Motorsport to systematically introduce talented young drivers to the demands of professional motorsport. Driving instructors and race engineers accompany the participants in small groups. Together, they work their way through all the fundamentals – from individual driving style to the complete set-up of the car. Three-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel (DE) is not the only big name to have made his single-seater debut in the Formula BMW FB02 racing car back in 2004. Current and former F1 drivers like Nico Rosberg (DE), Nico Hülkenberg (DE), Daniel Ricciardo (AU) and Bruno Senna (BR) also learned the tools of their trade in Formula BMW. Many other graduates have enjoyed success in other single-seater series, as well as in touring car and production car racing. Of the current crop of BMW DTM drivers, Timo Glock, Martin Tomczyk, Dirk Werner, Joey Hand and Marco Wittmann all gained their first racing experience in Formula BMW or one of its predecessors. In 2012, Marvin Dienst (DE) clinched overall victory at the grand finale in Oschersleben (DE).