Marcel Schrötter after the Bol d’Or retirement: “That really, really hurt!”

For Marcel Schrötter and ERC Endurance, the season finale of the World Endurance Championship ended on a particularly bitter note. Despite numerous technical problems, the German BMW team fought their way back time and again at the Bol d’Or and were at one stage in 6th place. But with two hours to go, it was all over.

Schrötter, Loris Baz and Jan-Ole Jähnig had started the 24-hour race with high hopes. Following a promising build-up, there were signs that it would be a strong season finale. But as early as the first hour of the race, ERC was set back significantly by a technical problem.

“The past week was yet another gruelling experience for me. 24-hour races are the toughest events I’ve ever taken part in,” Schrötter concluded. “Le Castellet was nevertheless a unique experience for me.”

Early setback takes its toll mentally

It was particularly difficult for Schrötter that hopes of a top result were dealt a bitter blow so early on. “Unfortunately, we had a technical problem within the first hour and dropped back to 46th place. Given how well we’d prepared, we really did have a good chance of a strong result,” reported the 33-year-old.

Such an early setback also makes the remaining distance of a 24-hour race a mental challenge. “After that incident, a race like this feels extremely long, especially mentally. Suddenly, it became a real challenge to persevere and carry on.”

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Schrötter emphasised, however, that he did not want his comments to be taken as a complaint in any way. “After all, we racing drivers get to experience something incredibly cool. But we also do this to be successful. Nevertheless, this 24-hour race was gruelling.”

Five extra pit stops – yet still up to 6th place

Giving up was never an option for ERC Endurance, however. Schrötter, Baz and Jähnig spent many hours fighting their way back through the field. But the first problem was not to be the only one. “We fought hard and gave it our all as we battled our way back up to sixth place,” reported Schrötter. “After the first problem, there were further technical difficulties, which is why we had to make no fewer than five unscheduled pit stops in total.”

It was all the more remarkable, then, that the No. 6 car was able to fight its way back up to sixth place despite these delays. Yet the comeback went unrewarded. Around two hours before the chequered flag, an irreparable technical problem forced ERC to retire for good. “Nevertheless, everyone did a brilliant job. Everyone in the team, including my team-mates, really gave it their all right up to the end,” said Schrötter, paying tribute to the team. “The retirement really, really hurt”

The disappointment at the late retirement was understandably great. “It was a real shame that we couldn’t finish the race. Retiring two hours before the chequered flag really, really hurt. But that’s just the way it is in endurance racing.” At that stage, ERC were also still in contention for fifth place in the World Championship. In the end, they were just two points behind AutoRace Ube. ERC finished the season with 62 points, in sixth place in the World Championship.

Schrötter drew a comparison with the drama experienced by the BMW works team at the Bol d’Or the previous year: “For us, it was, so to speak, all about fifth place in the championship. When you consider that the BMW works team retired just half an hour before what seemed to be a certain World Championship title a year ago, you can imagine just how great the disappointment is.”

Despite the bitter end, Schrötter’s sense of pride prevails. “I’m proud of our performance at the Bol d’Or and also of what we’ve achieved throughout the season. A huge thank you to the entire ERC Endurance team for everything they’ve done this year. I’ve had an incredible number of wonderful experiences in this championship.”

Finally, Schrötter also congratulated his BMW team-mates Reiterberger, Odendaal and van der Mark on winning the World Championship: “I’m really delighted for my team-mates.” Schrötter doesn’t have much time to recover. The Euro Moto season finale at the Hockenheimring is already on the agenda for him this coming weekend.