After the disappointing weekend at Norisring, the atmosphere in the BMW team is one of dismay. While Kelvin van der Linde was unable to compete due to an accident, Marco Wittmann has expressed his dissatisfaction with the Balance of Performance (BoP), which he believes is detrimental to his team.
Wittmann achieved a tenth place, but stated that the measures taken by the competition are limiting his speed. “There is an artificial intervention, and it is important that this is resolved,” he declared after the race. According to him, the problem has been long-standing, with a chain of races where BMW has found itself at a disadvantage, including the competition at Lausitzring.
Accumulated Disadvantage
In the last four races, rivals have accumulated maximum points while the German driver watches with concern as his championship deficit has increased. Initially, Wittmann arrived at Norisring with a seven-point deficit, but now the gap has grown to 40 points after his performances throughout the weekend.
The BoP has also provided little in terms of improvements regarding the turbo pressure of his BMW M4 GT3 during the adjustments this weekend. Wittmann highlights that, despite the expected improvements, his speed has consistently remained below expectations throughout the competition.
Worrying Tire Strategies
Another aspect that has sparked controversy is the tire strategy of the BMW drivers. At Norisring, Wittmann did not complete a qualifying simulation during practice, a decision that has raised questions. A BMW spokesperson justified that they chose to save a set of tires for the race, a strategy that seemed unconventional.
The fact that Wittmann only used one new tire during a single lap led to speculation about whether the set was meant to be saved for possible incidents. Some rivals have expressed their puzzlement at this decision, indicating that skipping a simulation at Norisring can be risky, as it is a track where overtaking is complicated.
A Look Ahead to Oschersleben
The next major challenge for BMW will be at Oschersleben, where the team expects a solid performance. The track does not perfectly suit the characteristics of the M4 GT3 Evo, but the need to achieve a good result is becoming increasingly urgent to keep their championship hopes alive.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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