Munich. This Saturday marks the end of an era. After four
successful years, the BMW M8 GTE will contest its final race at the
MOTUL Petit Le Mans endurance classic at Road Atlanta (USA). BMW
Team RLL has competed with the BMW M8 GTE in the North American IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship since 2018. During these four
years, the team has claimed five wins and a total of 25 podium
finishes with the car. The undisputed highlights were the two
back-to-back GTLM victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA) in 2019
and 2020. They also won the Driver, Team and Manufacturer titles in
the GTLM class in last year’s IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.
And so it is time for the farewell performance. BMW Team RLL will
once again run two MOTUL BMW M8 GTEs in the ten-hour MOTUL Petit Le
Mans race on Saturday 13th November. The #24 car will be co-driven by
John Edwards (USA), Jesse Krohn (FIN) and Augusto Farfus (BRA). Their
team-mates Connor De Phillippi (USA), Bruno Spengler (CAN) and Philipp
Eng (AUT) will alternate at the wheel of the #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE. The
MOTUL Petit Le Mans is the fourth and final endurance race of the 2021
IMSA season. The title defence in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup is
still possible in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer competitions. In
preparation for the race, BMW Team RLL attended two successful tests
at Road Atlanta.
Turner Motorsport runs the BMW M6 GT3 in the GTD class again. The
team celebrated the Petit Le Mans GTD victory in 2019. This coming
weekend, the the #96 BMW M6 GT3 will be co-driven by racing legend,
BMW institution and IMSA record winner Bill Auberlen (USA), Robby
Foley (USA) and Aidan Read (AUS).
Turner Motorsport competes in the final race of this season’s IMSA
Michelin Pilot Challenge on Friday 12th November. Auberlen
and his team-mate Dillon Machavern (USA) lead the GS class in the #95
BMW M4 GT4 going into the season finale. Foley shares the cockpit of
the #96 BMW M4 GT4 with Vincent Barletta (USA). They currently lie
third in the GS class.
Farewell, and welcome to the future.
The farewell appearance of the BMW M8 GTE also marks the start of the
future. The new BMW M4 GT3, which will take to the track all over the
world as BMW M Motorsport’s new GT flagship from 2022, will be on
display in the Fan Zone at the racetrack during the weekend.
Quotes ahead of the MOTUL Petit Le Mans:
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal BMW Team RLL): “Our
racing programme with the BMW M8 GTE certainly was a great project for
us. Winning the 24 Hours of Daytona not once, but twice has to be the
highlight. And to be able to win it two years in a row is a tremendous
comment about the BMW M8 GTE. We’ve had a lot of really good races
with it. The M8 has been a fabulous car for us to race and it was
really well done in terms of the design of it to begin with which I
think is why it has been successful. All in all we have to look back
fondly at our program history with the BMW M8 GTE and would like to
end on a high note with victory at Petit Le Mans.”
John Edwards (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8
GTE): “It’s been a long break for us since Watkins Glen, so
I’m itching to get back to racing! Last year’s Petit Le Mans proved
the BMW M8 GTE was quick at Road Atlanta, but we sadly watched the win
slip through our fingers in the last half hour after a prototype
shoved Augusto off. This year we have a little extra motivation to
take what was ours last year and end the final race for the BMW M8 GTE
with a win! The M8 has given us some great performances over the
years, but by far my most memorable race with the car will always be
the 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona, specifically my triple stint Sunday
morning. The Porsches had proved to be quick in the night, but as the
track temp started rising with the sun shining on it, our M8 came
alive. I had a great battle with one of the Porsches, almost touching
at 180mph as we fought for the lead. It was the most mentally
exhausting stint I’ve driven in a race and the stakes were as high as
they could get! We pulled off the win that day to give the BMW M8 GTE
its second Daytona win in a row and proved that 2019 was no fluke. We
will miss the M8!”
Jesse Krohn (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8
GTE): “Road Atlanta has been a good place for us in the last
couple of years. We were really close to winning the race last year so
we know the car can do it as long as we execute a clean race. It will
be the last race for the BMW M8 GTE so I will try to enjoy every
moment of it, and it would be awesome to send the car to retirement
with one last win. It has been a privilege to have been a part of the
GTLM project with the BMW M8 GTE for the past four years with BMW Team
RLL and I have a lot of memories which I will cherish forever. The
most important being the win at the 2020 Daytona 24h and being the
driver bringing it home and passing the checkered flag after 24h of
close racing. The car is a beast, and I will for sure miss driving it.”
Augusto Farfus (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8
GTE): “This will be a very emotional race for all of us as it
is the end of the BMW M8 GTE era. Of course, we would all like to
finish with the car as high on the podium as we can. Last year, we led
until the last few minutes, finishing third after getting pushed off
the circuit. Most importantly, I want to thank BMW for the opportunity
to race such a wonderful car in a great series.”
Bruno Spengler (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE):
“Road Atlanta has suited the BMW M8 GTE in past races so hopefully we
will be in a position to fight for a good finish for the car’s final
race. In fact, my best memory of the car is winning the six-hour race
at the track with Connor in 2020. GTE has been a special category. The
cars are great to drive with super tyres and no ABS. It reminded me a
bit of a DTM car – with less downforce.”
Connor De Phillippi (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8
GTE): “Petit will be the final send off for our BMW M8 GTE
and I know she is ready to go out in style. We had two great test days
and the team came very close to winning the race last year. Road
Atlanta suits the car well and I know if we run a mistake free race,
we should have a shot to fight for a win one last time. The M8 program
will forever have a special place in my heart since it was my first
factory effort with BMW. The most memorable win together was
definitely the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2019. It was a very emotional
win for not only BMW as a brand but also for myself with my family in
attendance to see such a pinnacle moment in my career. It has been
four fantastic years with highs and lows, but it has been some of the
most fun I’ve had in motorsport. I will miss the GTLM era greatly, but
I believe the future of our motorsport programmes is very bright.”
Philipp Eng (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE):
“Petit Le Mans is one of my season highlights; the track is one of the
best worldwide. We have been testing at Road Atlanta and were pushing
the car forward. I would really wish that we can have a double victory
at Petit Le Mans and focus on winning the Michelin Endurance Cup. BMW
Team RLL and everyone involved would really deserve this success.”