BMW Motorsport announced the winners of the 2015 BMW Sports Trophy Driver and Team Competition and issued a number of other awards to drivers at the December 4 motorsport gathering in Munich.
The BMW Sports Trophy for Drivers went to German Z4 racer Christian Büllesbach, who raced in the VLN Endurance Champion, won the title in the Rundstrecken Challenge at the Nürburgring, and won his class in the Nürburgring 24 Hour race. Markus Palttala, who co-drove the Turner Motorsport Z4 in IMSA and raced in endurance series in Europe, finished second. The Sports Trophy for Teams went to the Pixum Team Adrenalin Motorsport team, which ran in VLN, the Rundstrecken Challenge, and the M235i Racing Cup. Turner Motorsport finished seventh in Sports Trophy team standings.
Andy Priaulx, long-time BMW racer and winner of three consecutive WTCC championships, was given a BMW Sports Trophy Honorary Award. Priaulx is leaving BMW. His plans have not been announced, but it is rumored that he will join Ford’s World Endurance Championship program.
BMW motorsport director Jens Marquardt said “Thanks to Andy Priaulx for all he has done for the BMW brand His name and his fantastic successes will always remain a part of BMW’s motorsport history. We at BMW support his decision to leave us after so many successful years. We do not want to stand in the way of our drivers should they wish to pursue new challenges. We wish him all the best, and will remain in contact as friends.”
Swiss driver Louis Delétraz was named BMW Motorsport Junior of the Year 2015, following 2014 winner Jesse Krohn.
Among a number of other awards announced in Munich were duo of the year to Team RLL’s Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner, rookie of the year to DTM racer Tom Blomqvist, and all-rounder of the year to António Félix da Costa for his accomplishments in both DTM and Formula E.—Brian S. Morgan
(Andy Priaulx receives a BMW Sports Trophy Honorary Award from Jens Marquardt. BMW AG photo)
