BMW Team RLL closed the inaugural North American season of competition for the BMW M8 GTE with third and fourth place GTLM class finishes at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Motul Petit Le Mans. John Edwards, Jesse Krohn and Chaz Mostert finished third in the No. 24 BMW M8 GTE, completing 419 laps of the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Road Atlanta circuit in the ten hour race after starting from the pole position.
Munich. Nine races into the inaugural IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season of the BMW M8 GTE, BMW Team RLL added another entry in the record books by delivering the first victory and first double podium finish for the all-new GT car at the Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway (USA).
The results for BMW Team RLL in today’s Continental Tire Sports Car Showcase at Road America belie an effort that came within minutes of delivering the first victory for the BMW M8 GTE. Taking over the lead on lap 42 with one hour remaining, Connor De Phillippi, driving the No. 25 BMW M8 GTE, looked to be a winner until minutes from the checkered flag.
Having finished runner-up last year, luck once again deserted ROWE Racing.
John Edwards, with Ohio relatives anxiously watching, driving the #24 BMW took pole position for the Ohio-based Team RLL in the GT Le Mans class. Edwards was followed closely by Nick Tandy’s Porsche 911 RSR and Alexander Sims in the sister #25 BMW M8 GTE.
Munich. With a fifth place in the GTLM class, the #24 BMW M8 GTE of John Edwards (USA) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) gifted BMW Team RLL a conciliatory result in the third race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
At the classic 12 Hours of Sebring (USA), the new BMW M8 GTE celebrated its maiden podium finish. After 328 laps, Alexander Sims (GBR) finished round two of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship second in the GTLM class at the wheel of car number 25. He had shared driving duties with fellow BMW Team RLL drivers Connor De Phillippi and Bill Auberlen (both USA), leading the pack in some phases of the race.
The number 24 BMW M8 GTE – driven by Jesse Krohn (FIN), John Edwards (USA) and Nick Catsburg (NED) – had to retire in the final hour of the race.
