The wheels are turning again for South Africans Aberdein and Van der Linde

BMW M Motorsport is back on the racetrack as the BMW DTM teams took part in the official ITR test days at the Nürburgring (GER) from Monday to Thursday. These had been scheduled to take place in mid- March but the global Coronavirus pandemic forced their postponement. Now it was time for the wheels of the BMW M4 DTMs to turn again. The six BMW DTM works drivers and their teams, BMW Team RBM and BMW Team RMG, had the opportunity to prepare for the start of the 2020 DTM season.
To allow these tests to take place, a comprehensive hygiene concept was put in place to ensure the necessary safety of all participants in the paddock and on the circuit.

BMW M Motorsport had started preparations for 2020 by working on reliability over the winter. The progress made in this area had already been confirmed at the test at Vallelunga (ITA) in mid-February. The focus therefore shifted to the performance of the BMW M4 DTM at the Nürburgring. The test also gave the two new BMW DTM drivers Lucas Auer (AUT) and Jonathan Aberdein (RSA) the chance to familiarise themselves with the BMW M4 DTM. Together with Marco Wittmann (GER), Timo Glock (GER), Philipp Eng (AUT) and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), they shared driving duties on the four days of testing.

In total, the six BMW DTM works drivers completed 1,725 laps or 6,260 kilometres of testing during the Nürburgring tests. The 2020 DTM season starts on 1st and 2nd August at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Jonathan Aberdein (#27 CATL BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMR):
“It’s incredible to be back in the car after so long. I think everyone is thankful to be able to be at the race track again. The test has been very successful for us. We’ve made good steps on the car and for me personally, I just familiarised myself with the BMW M4 DTM pretty quickly. I love the BMW M4 DTM, I think it’s the coolest looking car on the grid and – most important – it is really great to drive. I am feeling confident and am looking forward to the first races.”

Sheldon van der Linde (#31 Shell BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RBM):
“It has been a very positive test. I was able to complete a lot of laps on the two days I have been in action and of course I am very happy about that. The reliability seems to be a lot stronger than last year, the car is performing really well and the guys have done an amazing job over the winter. I feel super comfortable in the car and am very happy with my test days, especially with Wednesday when I was only missing on
tenth of a second to the best time of the day. I am satisfied with my long run performances as well as with my short runs. Of course we will only see how competitive we are when we are having the first races of the season at Spa- Francorchamps but I am sure that the guys have done a great job so I am really
confident.”