BMW M Team RLL Ready for Road America; BMW M Hybrid V8 Aiming For Third Consecutive GTP Podium

 In the four weeks following the round six race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, where BMW M Team RLL scored the team’s 100th podium, both of the BMW M Hybrid V8 racing cars have been very busy testing for this weekend’s event at Road America. The venerable circuit, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin was the scene of the team’s very first win for BMW in 2009 and the engineers have been focused on taking advantage of the track’s recent resurfacing to score another win in IMSA’s new GTP era. Following Watkins Glen International, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (nee Mosport), BMW M Team RLL is aiming for a third consecutive podium at the classic North American circuit.

Between 2009 and 2022, BMW M Team RLL posted three wins (2009, 2010, 2019), three seconds (2009, 2011, 2014), and two thirds (2011, 2016) from three pole positions (2009, 2011, 2014) at the 4.0-mile, 14-turn circuit with multiple versions of BMW’s GT racing cars.

In recent weeks, all four season-long drivers; Connor De Phillippi, Nick Yelloly, Augusto Farfus, and Philipp Eng participated in a two-day test at Road America where both cars accumulated more than 1,491 total miles. Just last week the team spent two-days at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in preparation for the Sept. 17th race on the road course with drivers De Phillippi, Colton Herta, and Jesse Krohn. The second day of the test ended with the No. 25 and No. 24 BMWs at the top of the timing sheets.

So far this year, the team has scored a win (Watkins Glen), two runner-up finishes (Sebring and Long Beach), and a third place (CTMP) with the No. 25 car of Connor De Phillippi and Nick Yelloly (co-driven at Sebring with Sheldon van der Linde.) De Phillippi and Yelloly stand second in GTP driver point standings and BMW stands second in GTP class manufacturer points. Augusto Farfus and Philipp Eng stand eighth in driver points, with a season’s-best fourth-place finish (Long Beach) in the No. 24 car.

Connor De Phillippi, driver No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8: “Road America is one of the greatest circuits the US has to offer. With a fresh layer of pavement, it has added an even greater fun factor in our BMW M Hybrid V8. Our two-day tests, several weeks ago, went very well and it was great for all of us to gain experience at such a dynamic track that requires the car to do everything well. We feel well prepared, and I know we expect to fight for the top spot-on Sunday."

Nick Yelloly, driver No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8: “I’m really looking forward to going to race at Road America. We had a positive test there a couple of weeks ago. It has been nice to be able to learn a track before actually racing there for the first time, which is a rarity for my first season in IMSA. So, I’m feeling pretty well prepared. My team-mate Connor had a good test in Indy in the last couple of days while I had been at the Nürburgring for the GT World Challenge. So, it’s another iconic track in the United States to try to conquer and I’m ready for it.”

Philipp Eng, driver No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8: “We´ve had a very productive Road America test. It is a fantastic track, just how I like it – no runoff and old school. Can´t wait to be back there for race week and fight for a victory!”

Augusto Farfus, driver No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8: “We have high expectations for our performance for Road America – especially since we have tested there recently. The track is a North American mixture of Spa and the Nordschleife, so I am very much looking forward to it.”

In the GT Daytona class, BMW will have three BMW M4 GT3 entries. Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow continue to lead the GTD class points with the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3. The pair has wins at Sebring, Long Beach, and CTMP as well as a well-earned second place at Watkins Glen after battling from three laps down. Turner Motorsport brings two GTD class entries, the No. 96 LIQUI-MOLY BMW for Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher and the No. 97 McIntosh for Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull. Foley and Gallagher stand sixth in GTD driver points. Auberlen and Hull drive in the GTD PRO class in Michelin Endurance Cup events and GTD class in the Sprint events.

Round seven of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship gets underway with practice and qualifying Aug. 4 and 5 July 9 at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wis. The two-hour-and-forty-minute IMSA Sports Car Weekend race will be televised live on USA network beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET on Aug. 6.