BMW M2 CS Racing to have its own NLS Cup class in 2021

The FINANCIAL — After this year’s Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) unfortunately had to be brought to an early end due to the coronavirus pandemic, it will have new appeal for the 2021 season. The BMW M2 CS Racing, the new entry-level car in the BMW M Customer Racing range, will compete in its own one-make cup on the Nordschleife (GER). The BMW M2 CS Racing Cup is set to replace the popular BMW M240i Racing Cup, which has been extremely successful over the years. The contract between the VLN and BMW M Customer Racing is for a term of three years. For the first time, two different performance levels of the car are eligible for the cup. Michelin is exclusive tyre partner for the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup.

“I am delighted that we are now able to continue the tradition of an own BMW Cup class in 2021 with the BMW M2 CS Racing as the successor of the BMW M240i Racing. From the ground up, our new entry-level car, which BMW M and BMW Motorsport developed together, is far more of a thoroughbred race car than its predecessor. That is because BMW M GmbH provided a perfect basis with the BMW M2 CS,” said Markus Flasch, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “To take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the racing version of the BMW M2 CS, we will have cars with two different performance levels for the first time in the history of the cup. This will allow Nordschleife rookies and experienced drivers to showcase their ability at the wheel. I am particularly pleased that, by concluding the contract with those responsible for the VLN, we are able to offer our customers planning security for three years. With Michelin, we have also found a strong and very familiar tyre partner for the same period. That is more important than ever in what is currently a difficult time for motorsport.”

Martin Maffert, Michelin Motorsport Manager for the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), said: “We are delighted to supply the new BMW M2 CS Racing Cup as exclusive tyre partner from the 2021 season. Michelin enjoys a long and successful partnership with BMW Motorsport. With the high-performance tyres on the new BMW M2 CS Racing, we will be doing our bit to ensure that we see exciting motorsport on the most demanding racetrack in the world.“

In addition to the total prize purse of 100,000 euro provided by BMW M Customer Racing for the top five teams, Michelin will also present a race tyre bonus to the top three teams in each race. this amounts to a total value of roughly 28,000 euro over the course of the season, thus making the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup even more attractive financially.

A new feature of the cup is its division into two performance classes. The BMW M2 CS Racing can be run as both a ‘Permit B’ car with 365 hp and a ‘Permit A’ car with 450 hp. Therefore, the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup continues to offer Nordschleife beginners the opportunity to get their first laps under their belt on the way to ‘Permit A’, whilst at the same time allowing experienced Nordschleife drivers to use a more powerful variant to race at a higher level in the ‘Green Hell’. For ambitious racers, the 450-hp car offers a fluent transition to the BMW M4 GT4.

The contract ensures that the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup is guaranteed for the 2021 to 2023 seasons. As well as the races in the NLS, the cup will also once again form part of the highlight of every season, the Nürburgring 24 Hours, including the six-hour qualifying race. As usual, however, the Nürburgring 24 Hours will not count towards the overall standings in the cup competition.