DTM – Preparation course in Italy for BMW

Last year, this physical preparation course brought them luck, since a few months later, Bruno Spengler and BMW Motorsport won the DTM 2012 was the very year of the brand's return to the discipline. From then on, there was no reason not to start again (photos here).

This week, all the company's propeller pilots headed to Viareggio (Italy). Under the direction of Riccardo Ceccarelli (Formula Medicine Team), the Brazilian Augusto Farfus, the British Andy Priaulx, the Canadian Bruno Spengler, the American Joey Hand, the Germans Martin Tomczyk, Dirk Müller and Marco Wittmann as well as the Belgian reservist Maxime Martin underwent an intensive program during which they worked on the mind and received nutritional advice. Jens Marquardt, Director of BMW Motorsport, came to visit them for two days, and even accompanied them during some exercises.

For the new arrivals, Timo Glock and Maxime Martin (Marco Wittmann was a reservist last year), this course was also an opportunity to get to know their companions better. “It was nice to have all the drivers together in one place and spend time together, underlines the former Marussia resident F1 Team, and who will wear the colors of BMW Team MTEK this year. Each of us has received very specific advice on areas in which we can improve. We trained hard, but also had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. In past years, I only had one piece of equipment. There I have a few more. Everyone is special in their own way, but we are very focused. » And Maxime Martin continues: “I was pleasantly surprised by the good atmosphere between the BMW drivers. Everyone gets along wonderfully, and it's a real pleasure to be part of it from now on. On Thursday I played doubles tennis with the DTM champion, with an ex-F1 driver and with Jens Marquardt. At that moment, I understood what it meant to be part of this factory team that is BMW Motorsport. I now feel ready and extremely well prepared for Sebring, which I will compete in with BMW Team RLL. »

The firm's official propeller drivers, Maxime Martin and Joey Hand, will in fact be the first to be called upon this year, the two men flying this weekend to Sebring, in order to compete in the opening round next Saturday. of the American Le Mans Series. To get back behind the wheel, their friends will have to be patient until March 26, and the three days of DTM testing organized in Barcelona. As a reminder, the DTM season will start on May 5 at Hockenheim.

Find here all photos from the BMW Motorsport training week (click the right arrow on your keyboard to scroll through the photos)