24h Daytona: Race debut for the new BMW M8 GTE.
The long awaited race debut for the new BMW M8 GTE is on: the 24
Hours of Daytona (USA). The endurance classic started on Saturday
afternoon, 14.40 local time (20.40 CET). In the final quarter of the
race, both BMW M8 GTEs of BMW Team RLL are still in action. After 19
hours of racing, the number 24 car, driven by John Edwards (USA),
Jesse Krohn (FIN), Nick Catsburg (NED) and Augusto Farfus (BRA) was
running in 7th place of the GTLM class. The number 25 BMW
M8 GTE of Alexander Sims (GBR), Connor De Phillippi (USA), Bill
Auberlen (USA) and Philipp Eng (AUT) was in 9th place. In
the GTD class, the Turner Motorsport team is competing with the BMW M6
GT3. The drivers in the number 96 car are Don Yount (USA), Mark Kvamme
(USA), Jens Klingmann (GER), Martin Tomcyzk (GER) and Cameron Lawrence
(USA). The No. 96 BMW GT3 was 14th of the GTD class after
19 hours of racing. (Note to editors: a detailed release about the 24h
Daytona will be published after the race.)
CTSC: Podium for the BMW M4 GT4 on its USA debut.
The new BMW M4 GT4 enjoyed an outstanding race debut in North America
this weekend. The number 82 car finished runner-up in the BMW
Endurance Challenge, the four-hour race that forms the opening round
of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC) at Daytona
(USA). James Clay and Tyler Cook (both USA) fought back brilliantly
from 19th place on the grid to climb into second place over
the final few laps. This meant an acclaimed podium finish for the
BimmerWorld Racing team. The second BMW M4 GT4 in the race also made
good progress through the field. Toby Grahovec, Jason Hart and Mike
Vess (all USA) from the Classic BMW team started the race from
34th place, but produced a fantastic performance to finish
fourth and narrowly miss out on another podium for BMW. BimmerWorld
Racing had two reasons to celebrate. In the Street Tuner class, Devin
Jones and Nick Galante (both USA) converted pole position to a
dominant class victory in their BMW 328i. The BMW Endurance Challenge
was opened by BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt with the words
“Drivers, please start your engines.” Frank van Meel, President of BMW
M GmbH, started the race with the green flag. The new BMW M5 Safety
Car led the field on the formation lap.
DTM: Joel Eriksson to start at the Race of Champions.
Great honour for the newcomer to BMW’s DTM squad: Joel Eriksson (SWE)
is one of a select field of international racing drivers to receive an
invitation to this year’s Race of Champions (RoC). The event will take
place next week (2nd and 3rd February 2018) in
Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia. The 19-year-old Swede will compete in the
individual competition and the Nations Cup, in which he will join up
with compatriot and World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson to
form “Team Sweden”. “I’m really excited about doing the Race of
Champions for the first time,” said Eriksson. “It’s not every day you
go to Saudi Arabia to measure yourself against some of the greatest
legends of the sport, so it’s definitely going to be a special
moment!” This year’s RoC participants include defending champion Juan
Pablo Montoya (COL), former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard (GBR),
reigning IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden (USA), and three-time Indy
500 winner Helio Castroneves (BRA). Also in action will be Riyadh-born
rally driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who recently took part in the Rally
Dakar in a MINI John Cooper Works Buggy.