IMSA, NLS & GT Challenges: Maxime Martin unveils 2023 program
As promised in previous article we are now able to share Maxime’s very busy first months of 2023 program.
Maxime Martin interview (part 2/2) by Car Racing Reporter.
🇬🇧 Translated version. Read original 🇫🇷 version at the very end.
CRR: Who will be your teammates at BMW M Team WRT?
📷 © Courtesy of Paola Depalmas: Maxime Martin sharing experience with Valentino Rossi during test day at Le Castellet.
Maxime Martin: I will do the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Championship and Bathurst as part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge with Valentino Rossi and Augusto Farfus. Valentino Rossi will be my teammate for the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Championship.
January and February will be intense for me with
24 hours of Dubaï with WRT #46 BMW M4, Timothy Whale , Valentino Rossi, Sean Gelael, Max Hesse,
Rolex 24 At Daytona with Paul Miller Racing #1 BMW M4 GT3, Corey Lewis, Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers,
12 hours of Bathurst with WRT #46 BMW M4, Augusto Farfus and Valentino Rossi.
For the other rounds of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, we don’t know yet who will be the 3rd driver with Augusto Farfus and me.
I will also take part in the 24 hours of Nürburgring and a preparation race in NLS (Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie) for BMW M Motorsports but I don't know for which team yet.
CRR: With Rossi, I believe there is still work to be done before he reaches your level and that of Farfus.
📷 © Courtesy of Paola Depalmas: test day at Le Castellet.
Maxime Martin: It's inevitable and normal. When we see the evolution he made with the Audi in 2022, it shows that he was talented from the start, he has a real feeling. The big plus that I observed during the test day with him is that he is a real worker. He is there because he wants to win and be among the best. Of course, there is still room for improvement. What's not easy is that he has to get used to another car again because he got used to the Audi and now he has to learn to drive differently because of the switch to BMW M4 GT3. But he's taking big steps forward and it will be very interesting. Of course, it will be a little more complicated at the start, but the goal is to progress and be on the podium at the end of the first race. My #1 goal today is clearly to get Valentino as fast as possible as soon as possible. I have to sacrifice my ride time and other things to help him progress quickly. There is more to gain with a Valentino Rossi who is in the game rather than working on the set up which will make us gain 2 tenths. At first it is on sharing my experience and my knowledge that I have to work to help him make a "step" more quickly.
CRR: Other championships and races will be announced later. Stay tuned to Car Racing Reporter
BMW M Motorsports official press release.
📷 © Courtesy of BMW M Motorsports.
BMW M Motorsport returns to Australia after an enforced three-year absence. BMW M Team WRT will undertake its first works-supported race outing with the BMW M4 GT3 at the Bathurst 12 Hour, the opening round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, in February 2023. This is followed by the GT World Challenge Europe which begins in April 2023. The two cars will be occupied by top-class drivers, including nine-time motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi (ITA), who will share the #46 BMW M4 GT3 with BMW M works drivers Maxime Martin (BEL) and Augusto Farfus (BRA). Challenging for top results in the #32 car will be the two new BMW M works drivers Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (both BEL), together with DTM champion Sheldon van der Linde (RSA).
The race in Bathurst forms the start of an intensive and, hopefully, successful season with BMW M Team WRT, which continues with the Kyalami 9 Hour in February and then in the GT World Challenge Europe.
📷 © Courtesy of Paola Depalmas: test day at Le Castellet.
WRT team principal and CEO Vincent Vosse. “I have been trying for a long time to work together with Maxime Martin in my team. It is awesome that this is now possible. I would also like to welcome Sheldon van der Linde back to the team having raced together a few years ago. He knows Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts well and I am sure they will form a strong team. Having Augusto Farfus, with all his know-how and experience, and Maxime alongside Valentino Rossi is also a fantastic combination. I can hardly wait for the 2023 season and to fight to bring trophies to Munich.”
📷 © Courtesy of BMW M Motorsports: Dries Vanthoor, Charles Weerts and Sheldon van der Linde.
Vanthoor and Weerts will contest all the sprint races in the GT World Challenge Europe as a duo, and will be supported by van der Linde in the endurance races. “I am really pleased to continue my successful partnership with Charles in the GT World Challenge Europe. We have been very successful in the past three years, winning the title in the Sprint Cup,” said Vanthoor. “The opposition will be even tougher in all the races, but I am confident that we will also be successful with the BMW M4 GT3, together with WRT and BMW M Motorsport. The front-engine car will be a change and a challenge for me, but my impressions from the initial tests have been very positive. The BMW M4 GT3 has great potential.” Weerts said: “Our goal for the Sprint Cup is obviously to challenge for our fourth title in a row, even if I still need to adapt to the BMW M4 GT3 a little better. It is also fantastic to get to know new circuits and to race at Bathurst for the first time in my career.”
📷 © Courtesy of BMW M Motorsports. Maxime Martin, Valentino Rossi and Augusto Farfus.
Maxime Martin will contest the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup together with Valentino Rossi. Providing valuable support as the third driver in the Endurance Cup and in Bathurst will be Augusto Farfus. “I am looking forward to the new challenge on my return to BMW M Motorsport,” said Martin. “Working with BMW M Team WRT and Valentino Rossi will definitely be a fantastic experience. I am also delighted to share a car with my friend Augusto Farfus again, and hopefully to pick up some wins.” Rossi said: “I’m very happy to continue my collaboration with the WRT team in 2023. This will be an important season as we will have a new car. The tests with the BMW M4 GT3 have been very good so far. I can’t wait to go racing with it.”
Team WRT Press Release: Dubai 24 Hours
Team WRT will race for the first time with the BMW M4 GT3 on 13-15 January at the Dubai 24 Hours, a race the Belgian squad has won twice, in 2016 and this year, where it signed a one-two. Car #7 will be entrusted to Mohammed Al Saud and Dries Vanthoor, already part of the winning crew in 2022, and Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer. The other two drivers will be announced in due course.
In car #46, Valentino Rossi will be accompanied by Maxime Martin, Sean Gelael, who races for Team WRT in LMP2, and recruit Tim Whale from Britain, who joins from the GT4 scene. A fifth driver will be named in due course.
Related Articles
Maxime Martin shares his thoughts about his 2022 season and the perspectives for 2023 with BMW M Motorsport. Read here.
MAXIME MARTIN WILL LINE UP AS A BMW M WORKS DRIVER AGAIN IN 2023. Read here
MAXIME MARTIN FROM WEC TO IMSA WITH ASTON MARTIN RACING. Read here.
Original 🇫🇷 version.
CRR: Qui seront tes coéquipiers chez BMW M Team WRT ?
Maxime Martin : Je ferai le GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Championship et Bathurst dans le cadre de l’Intercontinental GT Challenge avec Valentino Rossi et Augusto Farfus. Valentino Rossi sera mon équipier pour le GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Championship.
Pour les autres manches de l’Intercontinental GT Challenge, Valentino Rossi sera le 3ème pilote avec Augusto Farfus et moi.
Janvier et Février seront intense pour moi avec
24 hours of Dubaï sur la WRT #46 BMW M4 avec Timothy Whale , Valentino Rossi, Sean Gelael, Max Hesse,
Rolex 24 At Daytona sur la Paul Miller Racing #1 BMW M4 GT3 avec Corey Lewis, Madison Snow et Bryan Sellers,
12 hours of Bathurst sur la WRT #46 BMW M4 avec Augusto Farfus et Valentino Rossi.
Je participerai également aux 24 heures du Nürburgring et une course de préparation en NLS (Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie) pour BMW M Motorsports mais je ne sais pas encore pour quelle équipe.
CRR : Avec Rossi, je crois qu’il y a encore du travail avant qu’il n’atteigne ton niveau et celui de Farfus.
Maxime Martin : C’est inévitable et normal. Quand on voit l’évolution qu’il a eue avec l’Audi en 2022, cela montre qu’il est talentueux de base, il a un vrais feeling. Le gros plus que j’ai observé lors de la journée de test avec lui est que c’est un vrais travailleur. Il est là parce qu’il veut gagner et être dans les meilleurs. Bien entendu, il y a encore une marge de progression. Ce qui n’est pas facile est qu’il doit se réhabituer à une autre voiture parce qu’il s’est habitué à l’Audi et il doit maintenant apprendre à conduire d’une manière différente parce que la BMW M4 GT3 se conduit de manière différente. Mais il fait de grands pas en avant et ça va être intéressant. C’est certain que ce sera un peu plus compliqué au début mais le but est de progresser et d’être sur un podium au terme de la première course. Mon objectif n°1 aujourd’hui est clairement de faire en sorte que Valentino soit le plus rapide le plus vite possible. Je dois sacrifier mon temps de roulage et d’autres éléments pour l’aider à progresser rapidement. Il y a plus à gagner avec un Valentino Rossi qui est dans le coup plutôt que de travailler sur le set up qui va nous faire gagner 2 dixièmes. Dans un premier temps c’est sur le partage de mon expérience et de mes connaissances qu’il faut bosser pour l’aider à faire un « step » plus rapidement.
CRR: D’autres championnats et courses seront annoncés plus tard. Restez à l’écoute de Car Racing Reporter.
