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Long Beach (USA), 20-21 April 2024. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, BMW M Team RLL, GTP, LMDh, #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, Connor De Phillippi, Nick Yelloly.

IMSA Long Beach: Strong pace of the BMW M Hybrid V8 goes unrewarded – Turner Motorsport on the GTD podium.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sunday April 21, 2024

In the first sprint race of the season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Long Beach (USA), BMW M Team RLL was unable to achieve the hoped-for first podium finish of the year after a strong qualifying

Long Beach. In the first sprint race of the season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Long Beach (USA), BMW M Team RLL was unable to achieve the hoped-for first podium finish of the year after a strong qualifying. Nick Yelloly (GBR) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) started the 100-minute race from second position but initially fell back during their pit stop in a yellow flag period and later due to a damaged front on the tight street circuit in California. While Philipp Eng (AUT) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 finished in sixth place, Turner Motorsport celebrated a podium in the GTD class .

In the third race of the season, following the endurance classics at Daytona and Sebring (both USA), BMW M Team RLL was denied the first podium of the year 2024 despite the strong pace of the BMW M Hybrid V8. In the first half of the race, Yelloly held his ground in the leading group and even took the lead. However, a yellow flag just before the planned pit stop for the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, which brought the field back together, resulted in De Phillippi falling back to fifth position. There, he was repeatedly involved in tight duels, leading to collisions and ultimately a damaged front that had to be changed in the pits. A few laps before the end, the race for car #25 ended after a slip into the tyre barriers. De Phillippi and Yelloly were classified ninth in the GTP class. Eng and Krohn, starting from ninth place, found it difficult to move forward on the street circuit but collected important points with a sixth-place finish.

BMW M works driver Robby Foley and his teammate Patrick Gallagher (both USA) had reason to celebrate. The duo made a strong comeback in the Turner Motorsport #96 BMW M4 GT3, starting from seventh place and finishing second on the podium in the GTD category.

Reactions after the race:

Sebring (USA), 14-16 March 2024. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Sebring International Raceway, BMW M Team RLL, GTP, LMDh, #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, Philipp Eng, Jesse Krohn, Augusto Farfus.

FIA WEC at Imola, IMSA at Long Beach: BMW M Hybrid V8 faces an eventful double-header weekend.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Tuesday April 16, 2024

Four BMW M Hybrid V8s, two continents. The BMW M Motorsport LMDh prototypes are facing an intense racing weekend. While BMW M Team WRT competes at Imola (ITA) with two Hypercars in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) for the second race of the season, BMW M Team RLL is aiming for the season’s first podium in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) at Long Beach (USA).

Imola/Long Beach. Four BMW M Hybrid V8s, two continents. The BMW M Motorsport LMDh prototypes are facing an intense racing weekend. While BMW M Team WRT competes at Imola (ITA) with two Hypercars in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) for the second race of the season, BMW M Team RLL is aiming for the season’s first podium in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) at Long Beach (USA). The BMW M4 GT3 is targeting the podium in both Italy and California.

FIA WEC: BMW M Team WRT competes at Imola.

At the 6 Hours of Imola, the FIA WEC is making its first European stop this year. BMW M Motorsport engineers and BMW M Team WRT have analysed the challenging season opener in Qatar with the two BMW M Hybrid V8s over the past weeks and have worked intensively to improve the car. Behind the wheel of car #15 are Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER). The sister car, the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, is shared by Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA).

In the LMGT3 class, Team WRT made a strong impression in Qatar, with the #46 BMW M4 GT3 narrowly missing the podium at the opener. At Imola, the crew will be carried by a special tailwind; Valentino Rossi (ITA) starts his home race, with the Imola track being less than two hours’ drive from his birthplace Urbino (ITA). The 45-year-old Italian will join Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) and BMW M works driver Maxime Martin (BEL) for the 6 Hours of Imola. Driven by numerous Tifosi expected along the track, the local hero and his team-mates are aiming for a podium finish. In the sister car, the #31 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M works driver Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) will take turns.

The Imola race starts on Sunday at 13:00 CEST.

Nürburgring (GER), 13-14 April 2024. 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers, Nordschleife, #98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, Raffaele Marciello, Maxime Martin, Marco Wittmann.

ROWE Racing finishes 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers on the podium – Three BMW M4 GT3s in the top six.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 Intercontinental GT Challenge Sunday April 14, 2024

The BMW M Motorsport teams ROWE Racing and RMG successfully completed the most important race weekend on the Nordschleife before the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER)

Nürburgring. The BMW M Motorsport teams ROWE Racing and RMG successfully completed the most important race weekend on the Nordschleife before the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER). During the 24h Qualifiers, all three BMW M4 GT3s completed many laps and collected valuable data. In addition, there was racing success in the 4-hour race on Sunday. Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) drove the #98 ROWE Racing car to a second-place finish on the podium. The sister #99 car and the BMW M Team RMV #72 BMW M4 GT3 finished in fourth and sixth places, respectively.

The 24h Qualifiers consisted of two races, each four hours long. On Saturday, the #BMW M Motorsport teams focused on set-up work. Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER), and Charles Weerts (BEL) were the highest-placed crew as tenth in the #72 #BMW M4 GT3. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Dries Vanthoor (BEL) finished twelfth in the ROWE Racing car #99. The #98 BMW M4 GT3 retired after an unavoidable collision but made up for it with the podium finish on Sunday. The race weekend was particularly valuable for Weerts and Marciello, as both completed their first races in the BMW M4 GT3 on the Nordschleife and were able to complete many laps. Marciello also celebrated his first podium as a BMW M works driver.

At the 24h Qualifiers – also rounds three and four of the #Nürburgring Endurance Series #NLS – numerous other categories were present alongside the GT3 cars. BMW M Motorsport teams achieved a total of nine class victories in the two races.

Nürburgring (GER), 22-23 March 2024. Nürburgring Endurance Series, NES, Nordschleife, ROWE Racing, #98 BMW M4 GT3, Robin Frijns, Raffaele Marciello, Augusto Farfus, Maxime Martin.

24h Nürburgring Qualifiers: BMW M Motorsport teams face the most important endurance test before the 24-hour race.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 Intercontinental GT Challenge Saturday April 13, 2024

The short and intensive preparation phase for the Nürburgring 24 Hours (GER, 1st/2nd June) reaches its climax this coming weekend at the 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers. There, BMW M Motorsport teams RMG and ROWE Racing will compete in important preparatory races for the season highlight. Nine BMW M works drivers will be deployed in three BMW M4 GT3s.

Nürburgring. The short and intensive preparation phase for the Nürburgring 24 Hours (GER, 1^st/2^nd June) reaches its climax this coming weekend at the 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers. There, BMW M Motorsport teams RMG and ROWE Racing will compete in important preparatory races for the season highlight. Nine BMW M works drivers will be deployed in three BMW M4 GT3s.

BMW M Team RMG is once again relying on a young, highly talented line-up of drivers in 2024, with three members of the Gen2K group created by BMW M Motorsport (BMW M works drivers born in 2000 or later). Dan Harper (GBR) and Max Hesse (GER) will compete for the fourth time together with the team led by Team Principal Stefan Reinhold in the top class at the 24-hour race. Joining them in the cockpit of the #72 BMW M4 GT3, sporting the design of BMW M Motorsport Premium Technology Partner Shell, is Charles Weerts (BEL). The 23-year-old will make his debut at the 24h Nürburgring but already has an impressive and successful GT3 career, especially in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, where he was the overall winner in 2021. In recent weeks, Weerts, Harper, and Hesse have already completed several test laps on the Nordschleife and have been intensively preparing for their race entries.

ROWE Racing will field two cars. This coming weekend, BMW M works drivers Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) will take turns in the #98 BMW M4 GT3. In the sister #99 car, Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), and Dries Vanthoor (BEL) will be in the cockpit. As the seventh driver, Robin Frijns (NED) will compete in the 24-hour race, however he will be absent from the Qualifiers due to a scheduling conflict with Formula E. Nevertheless, Frijns has also managed to complete several test laps on the Nordschleife in the past weeks.

At the season opener of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) last weekend, no BMW M4 GT3 could take part because most drivers were participating in the concurrent GT World Challenge Europe event at Le Castellet (FRA), where Harper, Hesse, and Farfus won together with the ROWE Racing Team.