BMW M Team RLL missed out on their third consecutive podium finish at the fourth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca in the USA. Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Philipp Eng (AUT) finished fifth in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, while their teammates Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) dropped to eighth place in the GTP class. Meanwhile, Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull (both USA) drove the Turner Motorsport #97 BMW M4 GT3 to second place on the podium in the GTD category.
5th and 8th Finishes
Both BMW M Hybrid V8s had a strong start, making up several positions from their starting positions of seventh and eighth. They held their own in the tight GTP field, with car #25 in particular on course for a podium finish. However, strategy became a crucial factor in the second half of the race, with the team changing all four tyres on the #24 car during the final pit stop, while only changing two on the #25 car. This allowed Farfus and Eng to maintain their fifth place position, while Yelloly and De Phillippi dropped to eighth.
In the GTD class, Turner Motorsport performed well with both BMW M4 GT3s, with Auberlen and Hull finishing in second place and Foley and Gallagher (both USA) finishing seventh. The class winners of Sebring and Long Beach, Madison Snow and Bryan Sellers (both USA) of the Paul Miller Racing team, had problems with tyre wear and finished in tenth place.
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “This is not the result we had hoped for. After a not perfect qualifying, we were able to improve the cars and show a good performance in the race, but we couldn’t fight for a top position towards the end. Thanks to the drivers, the whole BMW M Team RLL and BMW M Motorsport for their efforts. Congratulations to Turner Motorsport and drivers Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull for their second place in the GTD class.”
[Photos: BMW]
