After a break of four weeks, BMW M Team RLL is now ready to resume the 2023 season in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship (IMSA series). The seventh round of the year will be held at Road America near Elkhart Lake (USA) this upcoming weekend.
Munich. After a break of four weeks, BMW M Team RLL is now ready to resume the 2023...
After a break of four weeks, BMW M Team RLL is now ready to resume the 2023 season in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship (IMSA series). The seventh round of the year will be held at Road America near Elkhart Lake (USA) this upcoming weekend.
Munich. After a break of four weeks, BMW M Team RLL is now ready to resume the 2023 season in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship (IMSA series). The seventh round of the year will be held at Road America near Elkhart Lake (USA) this upcoming weekend. After celebrating victory at Watkins Glen (USA) and third place at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CAN), BMW M Team RLL is aiming for the third consecutive podium for the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the new GTP class. In total, the team has claimed one victory and three further podium finishes in the season so far with the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8.
In the four weeks following the round six race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, both of the BMW M Hybrid V8 racing cars have been very busy testing for this weekend’s event at Road America. All four season-long drivers, Connor De Phillippi (USA), Nick Yelloly (GBR), Augusto Farfus (BRA), and Philipp Eng (AUT), participated in a two-day test at Road America where both cars accumulated more than 1,491 total miles on the recently resurfaced track. Just last week the team spent two-days at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA) with drivers De Phillippi, Colton Herta (USA), and Jesse Krohn (FIN). The second day of the test ended with the #25 and #24 BMWs at the top of the timing sheets.
Turner Motorsport has enjoyed quite a bit of success at Road America in past seasons. In fact, never worse than a top-10 finish. That 10th place finish happened last year after qualifying on the class pole position with Robby Foley in the No. 96 LIQUI-MOLY BMW M4 GT3 he co-drove with Bill Auberlen. Before that, during the BMW M6 GT3 era, the...
Turner Motorsport has enjoyed quite a bit of success at Road America in past seasons. In fact, never worse than a top-10 finish. That 10th place finish happened last year after qualifying on the class pole position with Robby Foley in the No. 96 LIQUI-MOLY BMW M4 GT3 he co-drove with Bill Auberlen. Before that, during the BMW M6 GT3 era, the Taco Warriors scored a runner-up finish in the 2021 IMSA race as well as a win at the SRO race. 2018 and 2019 saw two top-five results in IMSA competition. Going back further Turner Motorsport has three more IMSA-Road America victories in 2013, 2014, and 2017. This year the team is returning to a newly resurfaced Road America looking for a bit of revenge for last year and a win.
Robby Foley said, "I am looking forward to the new and improved Road America. It's always been one of my favorite tracks and tends to suit our BMW's well. Last year we had good speed and ended up on pole, so we're hoping that setup philosophy transfers to the new surface. I think it'll be a new challenge for everyone and a clean sheet of paper to an extent, but I'm sure the character of Road America still remains."
This year Foley is co-driving with Patrick Gallagher in the No. 96 LIQUI-MOLY BMW this year. The duo is coming off a strong fourth-place result at Lime Rock Park two weeks ago.
Bill Auberlen is certainly no stranger to Road America. The driver at the top of IMSA’s all-time win list is co-driving the No. 97 McIntosh BMW M4 GT3 with Chandler Hull this season. Auberlen has three GT class victories at the classic circuit (2009, 2012, 2013). Can Hull help Auberlen score victory number 65 this weekend?
IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge – BMW M4 GT4
The Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 machines have a thing for classic old-school style road racing circuits this season. Twice – twice! – First at Sebring and next at Watkins Glen – the team finished 1-2 in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competition. Can they do it again at Road America?
With those two victories at Sebring and Watkins Glen, Vin Barletta and Robby Foley, and the No. 96 machine stand second in GS driver points. With the second-place finishes at Sebring and the Glen, as well as a few forgettable ones, No. 95 BMW drivers Cameron Lawrence and Robert Megennis stand 12th in GS driver points.
Will Turner said, “We have our sights set on a championship - maybe two - and we can usually count on Road America to kick start the late summer push into the final four races of the season. The track’s resurfacing should play to the BMW’s strengths so I am confident of good results.”
The Turner Motorsport Michelin Pilot Challenge and WeatherTech SportsCar Championship BMWs are in action at Road America August 3 -6, in Elkhart Lake, Wis., during the IMSA SportsCar Weekend.
Valentino Rossi’s (ITA) success story as a BMW M works driver has hit a new high. The nine-time motorcycle world champion claimed his maiden GTWC victory at his home event in Misano (ITA), which formed part of round two of this season’s Sprint Cup within the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC). The win represents the biggest...
Valentino Rossi’s (ITA) success story as a BMW M works driver has hit a new high. The nine-time motorcycle world champion claimed his maiden GTWC victory at his home event in Misano (ITA), which formed part of round two of this season’s Sprint Cup within the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC). The win represents the biggest success of the Italian’s career in automobile racing so far.
Misano. Valentino Rossi’s (ITA) success story as a BMW M works driver has hit a new high. The nine-time motorcycle world champion claimed his maiden GTWC victory at his home event in Misano (ITA), which formed part of round two of this season’s Sprint Cup within the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (GTWC). The win represents the biggest success of the Italian’s career in automobile racing so far. Racing alongside Maxime Martin (BEL), Rossi was unbeatable in Sunday’s one-hour race, which took place in scorching heat. As well as overall victory, BMW M Team WRT also celebrated a class win in the Gold Cup and further podium results.
Rossi’s and Martin’s celebrations knew no bounds after Sunday’s race in Misano – nor did the adulation of the countless fans of the Italian motor racing legend, who made Rossi’s home outing in Misano a true spectacle. They were rewarded with their hero’s biggest triumph in automobile racing to date. A few weeks ago, Rossi claimed his very first victory on four wheels at the ‘Road to Le Mans’. However, finishing on the top step of the podium against the best GT racing drivers in the world in GTWC Europe is a cut above that achievement. Martin laid the foundation for the duo’s success with third place in qualifying. However, it was Rossi who produced a commanding performance and some impressive lap times to close out the victory in the second half of the race. Interestingly, Martin was also involved the last time a BMW race car won a race in the GTWC Sprint Cup. That was eight years ago, alongside Dirk Müller (GER) in a BMW Z4 GT3.
As well as the overall victory on Sunday, BMW M Team WRT also had more cause for celebration. Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (both BEL) had already produced a fantastic fightback in the Saturday race, battling through from 21st on the grid to finish third. The duo then started from pole position on Sunday, but dropped well back after an issue during the pit stop and eventually had to settle for ninth place. Celebrating together with Rossi and Martin on the podium on Sunday were Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer and Thomas Neubauer (both FRA), who finished an excellent third. Niklas Krütten (GER) and Calan Williams (AUS) won the Gold Cup on Sunday, having previously finished runners-up on Saturday.
Reactions after the race weekend.
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“In this issue of our newsletter, there is one topic that really stands out from my perspective: We have experienced an incredible winning streak with our new BMW M4 GT4 these past two weeks. Whether in Europe, Asia, or the USA,the car was almost unbeatable in the hands of our...
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“In this issue of our newsletter, there is one topic that really stands out from my perspective: We have experienced an incredible winning streak with our new BMW M4 GT4 these past two weeks. Whether in Europe, Asia, or the USA,the car was almost unbeatable in the hands of our BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers. I’m delighted that it seems we have managed to make the second generation of the BMW M4 GT4 even more successful than its highly decorated predecessor. Everyone at BMW M Motorsport who was involved in the development of the car can be very proud of this achievement. I’d like to congratulate all the winners of these past weeks and am already looking forward to seeing what the rest of this season has in store!”
ADAC GT Masters: Marco Wittmann and Project 1 on the Podium at the Nürburgring.
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“In recent weeks, the BMW M4 GT3 has celebrated significant victories at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and in the DTM at the Norisring in the hands of our BMW M works drivers. This is fantastic news for all of us at BMW M Motorsport, but personally, I am equally delighted to...
Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“In recent weeks, the BMW M4 GT3 has celebrated significant victories at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and in the DTM at the Norisring in the hands of our BMW M works drivers. This is fantastic news for all of us at BMW M Motorsport, but personally, I am equally delighted to once again acknowledge the unbroken streak of success achieved by our private teams and drivers in this newsletter. The Paul Miller Racing and BMW Italia Ceccato Racing teams also had successful weekends with the BMW M4 GT3. Moreover, the BMW M4 GT4 has crossed the finish line first on multiple occasions. Our entry-level car, the BMW M2 CS Racing, was deployed in three one-make cups during a single weekend, proving once again that it remains a highly sought-after racing car that provides thrilling and spectacular racing. Congratulations to all the teams and drivers!”
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Top topics of this newsletter:
- Podium finish for BMW Italia Ceccato Racing in the Italian GT Endurance Championship.
- Double victory for the BMW M4 GT4 in the GT4 European Series.
- BMW M Motorsport teams secure eight class wins at NLS 5.
- BMW M2 Cup: Triple racing action in Germany, Italy, and Belgium.
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