Marc VDS to return to Blancpain Endurance Series

Gosselies, Belgium - 4 March 2013: The Marc VDS Racing Team will return to fight once more in the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2013. Having fought for the championship throughout 2012, winning two of the six rounds, the team is confident of success in 2013.

BMW Z4 GT3 #3 will be crewed by returning drivers Maxime Martin and Bas Leinders alongside Yelmer Buurman while Markus Palttala moves into car #4 alongside Henri Moser and Nick Catsburg.

With Leinders, Martin and Palttala having run in the same car for some time, the team have decided to shake things up a little and have strengthened their driving squads for the new season. Belgian Martin's form is undoubted and, as the stand out driver in the BES, he is now a BMW works pilot who rejoins Marc VDS to push for the title. Leinders was similarly impressive last season and seeks to continue the partnership with his compatriot that has borne fruit in recent years. They are joined by FIA GT1 World frontrunner Yelmer Buurman, who will bring strong pace as well as experience of the BMW Z4 GT3 into the team.

Finnish driver Palttala moves into the #4 car to anchor the challenge alongside two young chargers. Swiss Henri Moser impressed in difficult circumstances in his debut year last season, whilst Dutchman Nick Catsburg will seek to continue the form he showed while racing twice with the team last season. Despite their youth, both have strong histories in the series.

The Blancpain Endurance Series is Europe's toughest GT racing championship, with three hour events and grids averaging more than 50 GT3 class cars adding up to a potent mix. The team have strong heritage in this type of racing, however, with four victories in a row between 2011 and the beginning of 2012.

Nick Catsburg: #4 BMW Z4 GT3 "I am very happy to be part of the Marc VDS Racing team. Last year I did a couple of races for them and I knew immediately that this is the kind of team I would like to drive for. It's a very professional environment but the atmosphere is almost like a family. I drove with both Markus and Henri at the 24 Hours of Zolder last year and I like them very much both as drivers and people, and I'm looking forward to continuing that relationship. I cannot wait for the season to start. The goal is simple - win the championship."

Yelmer Buurman: #3 BMW Z4 GT3 "I'm excited, absolutely, to join Marc VDS. It's a very professional team. I visited the workshop and I was impressed, it's a very nice facility. My team mates for the season should be very quick, they have challenged very strongly for the last couple of years, which is good. I'm under no illusions though, because the competition is very strong and it will be a tough year - but hopefully a good one. It's good to be staying in the BMW, because it's a very good car. I was fighting for the World Championship in it last year, and I know it's fast. But the other teams will update, so the first few races will be very interesting."

Bas Leinders: Team Principal "We're just desperate to go racing again. Everyone at Marc VDS has been working all winter on preparation and we couldn't be more ready. As a team principal, I'm very pleased to bring such strong drivers to both cars, because that is key to mounting a strong challenge for both teams' and drivers' titles. Yelmer Buurman is a very, very good driver and he showed that in the World Championship last year. He's fitted straight in and it will be good to compete with him. I have no doubts that Max is still the fastest GT driver in the series, if not the world, and the guys in the #4 car are fantastic. The BMW Z4 GT3 is also an astounding racing car. Everything is in place for us to challenge again."

Marc VDS Racing Team