The story behind 2021: VRM BMW M2 Cup winners on track
After the final race at Assen, Jamie Vandenbalck and Willem Meijer had the most points in the VRM BMW M2 Cup. Two months later, a decision on appeal handed the title to Colin Caresani. This is what happened.
In 2021 Jamie Vandenbalck raced the VRM BMW M2 Cup with Willem Meijer for Xwift Racing Events, in a BMW M2 CS Racing. For the team it was a first season at this level and its first time running a cup car. There were no test days, the set-up had to be found along the way, and the season brought plenty of technical problems. Even so, the project grew into a title contender: the pair scored two wins and five podiums and went into the final round at TT Circuit Assen as championship leaders. On this site we call that season “winners on track”. Below you can read why, and why the official title still went to a rival.
The final weekend at Assen
The Hankook Supercar Madness Finaleraces on 30 and 31 October 2021 were to decide the title. The weekend started badly: the car suffered technical problems in free practice, so the team had to use a replacement car for qualifying. Willem Meijer and Jamie Vandenbalck still put it third and fourth on the grid, directly behind title rival Colin Caresani.
The first race, on Saturday, was run in the rain. Jamie drove it on his own but ran into engine trouble: the engine started to stutter and he had to try to restart it during the race. On the straights the car was clearly down on power. Caresani won on track by a big margin, while Vandenbalck still finished seventh in the VRM BMW M2 Cup.
On Sunday Willem Meijer drove the final race. He passed Caresani twice, early on and after the pit stops, and won by more than three seconds.
The exclusion after race 1
After the first race, Caresani was removed from the results. The brake cooling inlet on his car had been taped over, and a protest had been lodged against it: the regulations forbid any modification of a mechanical nature. Without that win, Meijer and Vandenbalck had the most points after the final race. In early November the team therefore announced they were unofficial champions, pending the procedure around race 1.
The decision on appeal
Bas Koeten Racing, Caresani’s team, appealed against the exclusion and won. Caresani got his race 1 win back, and with it the title. At the end of December 2021 the final standings became official: Colin Caresani champion, Willem Meijer and Jamie Vandenbalck runners-up.
Why “winners on track”
We respect the official result, which is why we do not call ourselves champions on this site. But the sporting story is clear: after the last race of the season Meijer and Vandenbalck were on top, and the deciding race was won in a direct fight on track. For a team in its first season of cup racing, without any test days, that is a result to be proud of.
“Today I beat my rival for the title in a direct fight on track!” — Willem Meijer, after the final at Assen
“It wasn’t the easiest season, which makes us all the more pleased with the end result.” — Jamie Vandenbalck, after the final at Assen