Whether in the DTM, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, or countless other championships: Week after week BMW teams and drivers around the world do battle for points, victories and titles. Away from the track too, members of the large BMW Motorsport family around the world are also creating headlines. The “BMW Motorsport News” allows us to regularly summarise all the action for you in a compact and informative manner. This way, you are always up to speed.
W Series: Beitske Visser earns a seat in new race series.
Beitske Visser (NED) – part of the BMW Motorsport Junior programme since 2017 and official test and reserve driver in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship this season – has done it! The Dutch driver has secured one of the 18 seats in the W Series, the first Formula series exclusively for women. Visser impressed the jury again at the crucial shootout at Almería (ESP). The W Series races feature on the same bill as the DTM. As well as her outings in Formula E and the W Series, Visser will also contest selected races at the wheel of the BMW M6 GT3 in 2019.
Three questions for… Beitske Visser.
Beitske, you are one of the 18 drivers who have made it into the W Series. How did you feel after the official announcement?
Beitske Visser: “I was absolutely delighted when the decision was announced. On the morning of day four of the selection procedure, we arrived at the track and were told that the first twelve drivers who had made it would be announced that morning. The other candidates would have another day at the circuit and would battle it out for the six remaining places. I was one of the first twelve, which I was very happy about. Although I would obviously have liked to have driven again on the final day, it felt good to have made it straight through.”
What expectations do you have of yourself in the new series?
Visser: “I would obviously like to be in contention to win races. That is certainly not going to be easy. The past few days in Spain showed that it is going to be very close. We have a second test at the Lausitzring in just under two weeks. I will work hard to improve and ensure I am as well prepared as possible for the opening race at Hockenheim but I really hope I can challenge for the win.”
Formula E, the W Series and GT racing: How do you manage to switch between the different racing series?
Visser: “It is definitely going to be a busy year for me, with Formula E, the W Series and my outings in GT races. My main job will be to prepare very well for every race – no matter which – and to know exactly what I need to do. If I can manage that, then it shouldn’t be a problem switching between the individual cars. GT race cars are obviously very different from single-seater cars, but that is actually what makes it easier to switch between them.”
