BMW Team Schnitzer’s Charly Lamm has claimed that it is ‘virtually impossible’ to challenge at the front of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters field after a poor qualifying session, as the series heads to Zandvoort for the penultimate round of the season this weekend.
Lamm, whose drivers Bruno Spengler and Martin Tomczyk are in sixth and 14th place in the championship standings respectively, admits that recent qualifying performance has not been good enough for the team.
Neither Spengler nor Tomczyk have qualified especially well in 2014, with only six top ten starts between the duo. Lamm points to this as one of the reasons for the position of the team (sixth) and drivers in the championship classification.
“We have mostly been competitive in the races so far in 2014,” explained Lamm. “However, our main focus for Zandvoort is on improving our performance in qualifying. If, as in the previous race at the Lausitzring, we start way outside the top ten, we may have a chance of finishing in the points, but it is virtually impossible to challenge at the head of the field.”
Lamm added that with Schnitzer’s long history at the Dutch circuit dating back to the 1970s in multiple touring car championships he is looking forward to the event.
“We are looking forward to Zandvoort. It is a really interesting racetrack, which generally produces exciting races and the Dutch fans are very enthusiastic.
“Our team made its debut in Zandvoort back in the early 1970s, in the European Touring Car Championship, and has also appeared there in the FIA WTCC.”
Canadian Spengler, sixth in the championship and 17 points adrift of second position, says he is a fan of the coastal circuit situated just 350 m from the beach.
“I like Zandvoort. It is a nice track, even though it is a bit of an old fashioned one,” said the former champion. “It is fun to have the Dutch fans coming to the track.
“What I also like is the track lay-out, which is very challenging and very demanding on the car and the driver. Also being close to the beach is something nice and different from what we are used to.”
Tomczyk also claims to be a fan of the circuit, despite the unique challenges presented by sand on the surface.
“I am looking forward to Zandvoort,” admitted the German. “Over all the years it has been a great event. A lot of spectators, great fans, and the racetrack is awesome.
“Sure it is not the newest race track and we struggle there with the sand and the kerbs, but nevertheless it is a great circuit.”