With preparations for BMW ‘s return to LeMan ‘s underway, BMW competed this weekend at the first round of the 2010 Le Mans Series (yes the series, not the racetrack). After eight hours Schnitzer (of course driving the M3 GT2) managed to capture 6th. (Full gallery after the jump)

Official Release: In the first round of the 2010 Le Mans Series, BMW Team Schnitzer finished sixth in the LM GT2 class with the no. 78 BMW M3 GT2. At the “Circuit Paul Ricard” in Le Castellet (FR) the BMW works drivers, Jörg Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE), completed a total of 225 laps over the course of the eight-hour race. Marc Lieb (DE) and Richard Lietz (AT) claimed victory at the wheel of a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR.

From 13th on the grid Müller and Werner consistently worked their way up the leader board. They were running in third, when a 15-minute pit stop for repairs became necessary after more than four and a half hours. The BMW Team Schnitzer crew changed the radiator of the BMW M3 GT2, before Müller was able to rejoin the race. Werner was at the wheel for the final stint at the 5.791-kilometre track, bringing home the 500 bhp sports car in sixth.

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