As expected, BMW works team RLL will run only one car in the IMSA SportsCar Championship – Daytona and Sebring with two-car exceptions
BMW has confirmed in the run-up to the 12 Hours of Sebring what has already been expected in the USA. Only one factory-fielded BMW M4 GT3 will be used in the regular IMSA SportsCar Championship races after the 12 Hours of Sebring. From Long Beach onwards, John Edwards and Connor de Phillippi will take turns.
According to outgoing BMW Motorsport boss Mike Krack, an expansion of the programme at the two remaining Endurance races (Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta) is also unlikely. Finally, BMW and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) are developing the LMDh racer for the 2023 GTP class.
However, he said it was important for RLL to contest the full IMSA season with the remaining car. In 2021, there has only been a truncated programme of the four Endurance races with two BMW M8 GTEs.
“When you only do four races, it’s difficult to stay in rhythm. The team managed that well last year, but you always have to keep that in mind,” he said.
And there is another reason: “The balance of performance can only be adjusted properly if you show what the car can do. If you stay away, you can’t show anything. We work closely with IMSA to get it right, but with a new car you always have to look several times.”
That was evident at Daytona when BMW was still lagging behind. There was a small performance boost at the “Roar” weekend before the race. There was then an extra ten kilograms for this one. According to Krack, these changes were part of the process of getting the brand new car right.
The factory involvement in the GTD Pro will probably remain a one-off affair in 2022, after all the entry into the GTP will take place in 2023: “I can’t say for sure, but it will probably be a customer programme after this. It could also be in the GTD Pro, as the class is not reserved for manufacturers. It’s up to the customers to decide and we will support them. “
A second BMW M4 GT3 will be entered year-round in GTD by customer team Turner Motorsport.
