Temperatures play a major role in motorsport. Whether track, tyre, brake or engine temperatures, a multitude of factors must all be taken into consideration in order to achieve maximum performance from a racing car. This obviously also applies to the BMW engineers when preparing the new BMW M4 DTM for a race. Therefore, it is hugely important for them to know which areas of the car are reaching what temperatures.
Images from an infrared camera are ideally suited to making these areas visible. BMW Motorsport is now releasing these thermal images of the BMW M4 DTM for the first time. Images and videos of the car in the garage, during a pit stop and at the start clearly show which areas are subjected to the highest temperatures. The carbon brakes, for example, can heat up to 800 degrees Celsius. Thermal blankets mean the tyres can be fitted at temperatures between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius during a pit stop. The BMW DTM drivers must endure up to 60 degrees Celsius in the cockpit.
“I can confirm from personal experience that the temperatures in the cockpit of the BMW M4 DTM can sometimes be very high, which demands enormous fitness from us drivers,” said BMW Team MTEK driver Timo Glock (DE). “I find it fascinating how well the thermal images illustrate the heat generation in our cars. Unfortunately the fans at the racetrack do not get to see what goes on under the surface of the BMW M4 DTM. Therefore, I am sure that they will really like these images and videos.”
The thermal images can be seen as part of an extensive web special on the BMW M4 DTM at www.bmw-motorsport.com. Here, the new DTM car is presented in detail under the headings Engine, Cockpit, Temperature Check, Aerodynamics, Lightweight Design, and Design.
