(July 21, 2021)- Following a successful start to its maiden endurance racing season in the 24H SERIES, ST Racing will step up to the top tier GT3 class for 2022 with two brand-new BMW M4 GT3s.
The Canadian team, overseen by co-owner and namesake Samantha Tan, entered its first full endurance racing campaign in 2021 with The Netherlands-based 24H SERIES, and immediately impressed with category wins in the Middle East at both the season-opening Hankook 24H DUBAI and the non-championship Hankook 6H ABU DHABI. Since then, ST Racing has claimed GT4-class podiums at Circuit Paul Ricard and the Hockenheimring, and remains well in contention for the 24H SERIES Overall GT Teams’ championship.
To build on a lucrative start to its endurance racing career, ST Racing will return to the 24H SERIES in 2022 with two brand-new BMW M4 GT3s in the hopes of cementing further championship glory in the series’ highest category of racing.
In development since 2019, and unveiled in full BMW M Motorsport factory colours ahead of this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours, the new M4 GT3 replaces the M6 GT3 as the Bavarian brand’s flagship race car. Built atop the latest generation M4 Competition roadcar, the new GT3 features an updated 3-litre M TwinPower Turbo straight-six, a redesigned cockpit – with steering developed in collaboration with sim racing specialist FANATEC – and improved handling and tyre maintenance over its predecessor, BMW having prioritised driveability, cost efficiency and operation during the model’s development with customer racing in mind.
The new M4 GT3 is set to make its competitive debut on-track later this year, with ST Racing, a BMW M customer since 2016, expected to receive its duo of brand-new M4 GT3s in the fall. Both will make their respective competitive debuts at the 2022 Hankook 24H DUBAI at the Dubai Autodrome on 13-14-15 January.
ST Racing’s new BMW M4 GT3s will use the numbers 28 and 38 in homage to its multi-season GT4 America Series campaign. Car number 28 secured five class wins in 2019 en-route to ST Racing’s first drivers’ and team’s title, the West Pro-Am Cup. As a sign of the squad’s impressive pace that season, car number 38 finished just behind its sister BMW in the standings, securing a championship 1-2 in the process. In 2020, both cars sealed SprintX honours for ST Racing in the Silver class and another team’s championship title.
Team co-owner Samantha Tan is set to race the team’s #38 M4 GT3 as part of a ‘PRO-AM’ driver line-up to be announced in the near future. ST Racing’s second entry meanwhile – the ‘AM’-focused car #28 – will be dedicated to experienced gentlemen racers, each of whom will have the opportunity to learn from the Canadian team’s fast-developing driver coaching program.
Samantha Tan, team co-owner/driver: “I think I speak for everyone when I say that we have all worked very hard to get here and are ecstatic to be making the next step up to GT3. We’d like to thank all of our sponsors, BMW Motorsport, and BMW USA for their support in helping us achieve our goals as we continue to push the boundaries of motorsport. I’m extremely proud to work with brands that are willing to celebrate diversity and help empower people from various backgrounds to pursue their dreams unapologetically. We’re all very excited to start testing the new M4 GT3 in the fall and will be making adequate preparations until then. Here’s to more wins and podiums with the all-new Samantha Tan Racing BMW M4 GT3s!”
Kenneth Tan, team principal: “I am very excited for our team to be moving up to GT3 in 2022, and would like to thank BMW Motorsports and BMW USA for their continued support of our team and our development. This has been a dream and a goal for a long time, one that sometimes felt so far away given the much bigger budget and expertise needed to be a proper GT3 contender. Now, I feel we are ready to take this big step after four years racing in GT4 and the extensive time we have experienced in the 24H SERIES. The whole team is ready and very excited for the step up and the new challenges that await us. Our crew and drivers hope to test the new car sometime this fall in Europe in preparation for Dubai. There really isn’t much time between delivery and the race in January. In the meantime, we need to focus on our remaining races for the season. We still have a championship to win!”
Ahead of the BMW M4 GT3’s debut at the Hankook 24H DUBAI next January, ST Racing’s endurance racing season in 2021 will continue with the Hankook 24H BARCELONA on 3-4-5 September at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in northern Spain.
On home turf in North America meanwhile, ST Racing will be back in action in the GT4 America Series at Road America on 27-28-29 August, with young guns Tomas Mejia and Bryson Lew set to continue their maiden GT4-class season aboard the #38 BMW M4 GT4.
Courtesy Service Presse
