At its first appearance at the 12 Hours of Sebring (USA), the new BMW M4 GT3 fought at the front in both the GTD-PRO and GTD classes right up to the final phase. But it wasn’t to be, and they narrowly missed out on the podium in both classes. In the GTD PRO, the #24 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3 fielded by BMW M Team RLL, driven by Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (GER) and Nick Yelloly (GBR), finished fourth. Turner Motorsport achieved the same result with the #96 BMW M4 GT3 in the GTD class. The endurance classic in Florida marked the second round of the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Starting from seventh on the grid, the #24 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3 made its way up the field to the podium and briefly took the lead in the GTD-PRO class at half-time. From then on he was part of a thrilling battle for the lead and the second six hours became a thoroughbred sprint race. The car ran like clockwork, the team acted strategically and Eng, Yelloly and Wittmann made no mistakes. The number 24 was second until an hour from the end, but then fell out of the podium with a gearbox problem.
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The #25 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3 was also in the top 3 in the early stages of the race, but a setback followed after two hours of racing. A problem with the power steering required a lengthy repair. As a result, the trio of Augusto Farfus (BRA), John Edwards (USA) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) fell far behind in the field, but they resumed the race and brought the number 25 home in tenth place.
The two BMW M Motorsport teams in the GTD class also had an eventful twelve hours that didn’t end with the top results they deserved. At Turner Motorsport, Bill Auberlen (USA) completed his 500th race for BMW at Sebring, and up until the eighth hour it looked like the Californian would have reason to celebrate at this milestone. Auberlen, who shared the #96 BMW M4 GT3 with Robby Foley and Michael Dinan (both USA), had just taken the lead in the GTD when he was hit in the rear by a competitor and flipped onto the grass. This dropped the number 96 to eighth place in its class. But the Turner Motorsport drivers fought their way back up the field and with three and a half hours to go Auberlen put the car back in front. The #96 crew stayed in the lead until they lost ground in the closing stages due to a team error and finished fourth.
The newest member of the BMW M Motorsport family, Paul Miller Racing, suffered bad luck in the race after convincing performances in all sessions. In the first three hours of racing, the #1 BMW M4 GT3 fought at the top of the GTD class. But then, through no fault of his own, he was drawn into an incident in the LMP field. A car trying to avoid a spinning LMP2 prototype hit the #1 on the left rear. The suspension was damaged in the process and Paul Miller Racing suffered a major setback en route to a strong result in his first race with the BMW M4 GT3. Madison Snow, Bryan Sellers (both USA) and Erik Johansson (SWE) ended up 16th in the GTD class.
The BMW M4 GT4s of the BMW M Motorsport teams were already in action on Thursday in the two-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race. The #43 BMW M4 GT4 fielded by Stephen Cameron Racing crossed the finish line in fifth place. Sean Quinlan and Gregory Liefooghe (both USA) shared the cockpit. Turner Motorsport finished ninth with the #95 BMW M4 GT4, driven by Auberlen and Dillon Machavern (USA). Their teammates Foley and Vincent Barletta (USA) retired early in the #96 car.
Voices after the 12 Hours of Sebring:
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “After twelve exciting hours of racing, we leave Sebring with mixed feelings. This race proved once again that endurance racing can come with its ups and downs and of course the final results were disappointing. Right up to the final phase it looked as if we could finish on the podium in the GTD PRO with our number 24 BMW M Team RLL. But a race isn’t over until the checkered flag, and unfortunately a gearbox problem set us back a good hour before the end. The podium was clearly in. I’m convinced that the number 25 would have fought for the podium as well if it hadn’t been for the early problem with the power steering. It was important that we covered a lot of race kilometers with this vehicle to gather information. In the GTD class, Turner Motorsport was also on course for a podium position until just before the end, but then fell back. Paul Miller Racing was also among the favorites with the BMW M4 GT3. It’s a shame that the team lost a well-deserved top result through no fault of their own. Overall, our conclusion is that the pace and performance of all four vehicles were very good. It is now a matter of analyzing and eliminating the problems that have arisen.”
Marco Wittmann (BMW M Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3, 4th place GTD PRO): “It was a highlight for me to be on this famous circuit for the first time. It was a mega event that was great fun. We were good all weekend and had a competitive car. We confirmed that in the race and fought for the lead with the Corvette for a long time. BMW M Motorsport, BMW M Team RLL and my driver colleagues did a great job and put in a good performance. Unfortunately, a technical problem threw us back about an hour before the end. Even if it just wasn’t enough for the podium, after this race the focus is on the positive. The first podium will come soon, I am sure.”
John Edwards (BMW M Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3, 10th place GTD PRO): “Unfortunately, a technical problem set us back a long way early on. After that we used the race as a test. It was important for Connor and me to get a few hours in the car and to learn as much as possible with a view to the rest of the season. We’re disappointed with our result, but it was good to see the car was competitive. That gives us self-confidence for the next race in Long Beach.”
Bill Auberlen (Turner Motorsport, #96 BMW M4 GT3, 4th place GTD): “The new BMW M4 GT3 ran perfectly for the entire twelve hours. We led the race for a long stretch – we didn’t have the pace to win, but we were second. However, due to an error in the calculation of my maximum driving time, we had to pit again. Otherwise we would have lost all our points. Still, this race was much better than Daytona. We will take the result and the points to the next event.”
Bryan Sellers (Paul Miller Racing, #1 BMW M4 GT3, 16th place GTD): “We had a very good performance, but unfortunately it ended due to another driver making a mistake. Our start was very strong. We took the lead and had the race under pretty good control with a 30 second lead over second place. The balance of the BMW M4 GT3 was very good and all drivers were able to set similar lap times. Then, unfortunately, we were taken out of the race. Nevertheless, it was important to repair the vehicle and bring it to the finish line. This was our first race with the BMW M4 GT3 and there is still an incredible amount to learn. That makes every single lap extremely valuable.”
Source: Press release BMW Group PressClub Germany
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