In anticipation of the forthcoming SUPER GT season, BMW Team Studie has disclosed its driver lineup, featuring Niklas Kruetten alongside seasoned driver Seiji Ara, with Bruno Spengler returning as the third driver.
Niklas Kruetten, set to make his debut in the Japanese series, will command the wheel of the team’s No. 7 BMW M4 GT3 equipped with Michelin tires. The young German driver, familiar with the M4 GT3, achieved success in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS last year with BMW Team WRT, clinching the Gold Cup title in the Sprint Cup alongside Calan Williams.
Seiji Ara, a veteran with an impressive record, continues for his fifth consecutive season with BMW Team Studie. This season marks a notable change as it is the first time since the introduction of the M4 GT3 in 2022 that Ara’s full-season teammate is not a BMW factory driver.
DTM champion Bruno Spengler, a familiar face in the SUPER GT series, will join Kruetten and Ara for selected races on the calendar. The specific events where Spengler will participate have not been disclosed by the team at this time.
In the 2023 season, Spengler contested five SUPER GT races alongside Ara, achieving a commendable sixth-place finish. However, due to scheduling conflicts with Italian GT commitments, he was unable to compete in three races. Details regarding Spengler’s primary program for 2024 remain undisclosed by BMW.
BMW Team Studie, having secured two victories since the introduction of the M4 GT3 in 2022, notably at Suzuka last year, unveiled a fresh black-and-green livery for the upcoming season. Despite the striking new design, the team has yet to finalize a major sponsorship deal, leaving room for anticipation regarding potential partnerships in the near future.
