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BMW close to completing 2012 DTM line up
By MJP Media | 21 December 2011
Joey Hand, the American Le Mans Series GT title winner, has become the fifth driver to sign up with BMW for next year's DTM championship.
Joey Hand
(picture courtesy of Autoweek)
Hand famously lifted the 2011 ALMS title whilst driving a BMW M3 for BMW Team RLL who also successfully defended their 2010 manufacturers title. Hand, who tested the new DTM machine during a session at the Monteblanco circuit in Spain last month, will now join Andy Priaulx, Bruno Spengler, Augusto Farfus and defending DTM champion Martin Tomczyk as BMW hopes to win the DTM championship in 2012. The decision to sign the 32-year-old American to DTM means just one slot remains in BMW's six-driver line-up. As yet there are no names in the ring, but Hand himself wasn't expected to switch to DTM until his test made him the ideal candidate.
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt said "Joey has been a member of the BMW family for many years, and we are extremely pleased that he will now form part of our DTM project. His past success has impressively underscored his skills set, and during the test in Monteblanco with the DTM BMW M3 he immediately proved to be very fast. We are convinced the addition of Joey to our line-up will substantially strengthen our project. In addition, his character fits into our team perfectly."
Hand himself said he was delighted to have been chosen by BMW for its championship challenge. "I am really looking forward to my new challenge in the DTM, and thank BMW sincerely for the company's confidence in me. I immediately enjoyed the BMW M3 DTM. Its downforce and carbon brakes are extremely impressive. I know some of the team members from the past, and was able to acquaint myself with the others in Monteblanco. Now I am looking forward to our close teamwork in future!"
The British round of the 2012 DTM championship is scheduled to take place at Brands Hatch in Kent on May 19th and 20th.
Joey Hand
(picture courtesy of BMW)
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