Augusto Farfus (BRA) tasted success earlier today as he finished race two of the WTCR championship at the Nürburgring in third place, following a heroic drive and last-minute overtake to clinch the podium position. Such elation was not to be repeated in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, however, after the Schnitzer #42 BMW M6 GT3 retired before sunset.
Farfus arrived at the Nürburgring straight off the back of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And, there was no rest for the Brazilian racer as both Nordschleife events got underway side-by-side.
Once again piloting the #8 Hyundai i30N TCR, he finished race one of WTCR Germany in eighth – seven places ahead of his starting position. In race two, he also made good ground and, after lining-up in eighth place for the start, put on a driving masterclass to carve through the pack. On the final lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, he made his move on Tarquini to take the third-place podium position.
“After a disappointing Le Mans and a busy week here at the Nürburgring, it felt so good to stand on the podium,” he said. “Driving a WTCR car on the Nürburgring Nordschleife is a crazy experience and I’m glad we could come away with some points.”
With a DNF in race three, he put his disappointment to one side and, just a few hours later, made his way to the grid for the start of the Nürburgring 24 Hours. With high hopes for victory in the race that former Schnitzer team boss Charly Lamm – who passed away earlier this year – loved so much, the team pushed hard. However, after four hours and with his team-mate behind the wheel, the #42 BMW M6 GT3 crashed and retired from the race.
“What a shame to end the week in this way – we didn’t even make it into the night,” Farfus said, “I would have loved for it to end differently for the team but, as always, they did a fantastic job all week. During my stint the car felt great – I got turned around early on but managed to recover a lot of the places. To be honest, we didn’t have the pace to compete with the other manufacturers but it would have been good to give it a try.”
The week was an emotional one for Farfus, who, along with BMW and Schnitzer, commemorated the life of Charly Lamm. An event at the BMW hospitality unit saw Farfus recall memories of the man who played such an important role in his career and life. On stage he said: “I will never forget Charly’s ability to put so much passion into something without ever asking for anything in return. The way he enjoyed motorsport, and the intensity, with which he partook in it, were unique. Charly never withheld any energy – he was always ready to help and to listen. I learned so much from him – and I miss him incredibly.”
Farfus next races in round six of the WTCR championship in Portugal on the 5-7 July 2019.
