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In fact, BMW could have fielded M3-GTRs in 2002 ALMS but only with weight and power penalties. Instead, they chose to leave the series. BMW Motorsport boss Mario Theissen explains: "Unfortunately, in December, the M3 GTR was affected by a change in the regulations which would have a radical impact on the vehicle's competitiveness. We would have had to invest major staff and technical resources to try to compensate for the ensuing disadvantage but our main focus on our Formula One involvement means we can't spare the capacity." But, fortunately for European race fans, this was not to be the end of the V8 car. At Sebring in 2001, the M3-GTR had led the tough 12-hour race for some time and had eventually finished third in class. Surviving 12 hours at the bumpy Sebring circuit is enough to prove the endurance of any racing vehicle and BMW felt the car could win at non-championship 24 hour races where ACO rules did not apply and the V8 unit would be legal. Thus, the cars re-emerged at the Nurburgring and Spa 24 hour races from 2003 onwards.
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The 2003 Nurburgring race was a tale of what might have been. Two Schnitzer BMWs were entered. Car No. 43 with Dirk M�ller, J�rg M�ller, Claudia H�rtgen and Marc Duez managed to fight their way back to tenth position after early problems before they had to retire after an accident on the Sunday. Car No. 42 with Hans Stuck, Boris Said, John Nielsen and Marc Duez were running at 5th position but also suffered an accident. The M3-GTR then returned to the Nurburgring 24hrs one year later in May 2004, clinching a memorable double victory. The lead car was piloted by Hans Stuck and Dirk and J�rg M�ller with the second place car led home by Pedro Lamy, Duncan Huisman and Boris Said.
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At the Spa 24 hours in July of the same year, the cars were again faced with mechanical problems and could only manage a sixth place and a DNF. Had the V8 M3 reached the end of the line? Not yet. This year, BMW's Mario Theissen announced one more outing for the M3-GTR: "There's no doubt that the BMW M3 GTR will enter BMW Motorsport's history books as a winning model. In the American LeMans Series it dominated the scene from the start. I remember with great joy the year 2001 when we managed to win the championship title in every category of the ALMS GT Class. But it wasn't the end of the success story of this most extreme M3 of all times. Last year, when we took a one-two win at the N�rburgring, it also provided evidence of its ability to survive a 24-hour marathon in superb style and to complete it victoriously. In 2005 we will be sending the BMW M3 GTR out onto the Nordschleife for the last time. I am certain the BMW fans will give it a worthy send-off at the track." And in one final flourish, the Nurburgring feat was again repeated in 2005 - another double-victory with the winning driver line-up from 2004 reversed.
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