2023 IMSA season finale: BMW M Team RLL finishes seventh and eighth in eventful Petit Le Mans – GTD podium for Turner Motorsport.

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Road Atlanta. The 2023 season in the IMSA WeatherTech
SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) concluded with an eventful 26th
running of the Petit Le Mans endurance race at Road Atlanta (USA).
In the ten-hour race, marked by numerous accidents and numerous
deployments of the BMW XM Safety Car, the two BMW M Team RLL BMW M
Hybrid V8 prototypes finished in seventh and eighth positions in the
new GTP class. Turner Motorsport secured a podium finish in the GTD
class with the BMW M4 GT3.

 

After ten hours filled with incidents, the race ended behind the
safety car. The #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, driven by Connor De Phillippi
(USA), Nick Yelloly (GBR), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), finished
in seventh place. Directly behind them was the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8,
which had Augusto Farfus (BRA), Philipp Eng (AUT) and Marco Wittmann
(GER) alternating at the wheel.

The Petit Le Mans race marked the end of the debut season for the BMW
M Hybrid V8. In the nine races held in the new GTP class of the IMSA
this year BMW M Team RLL secured five podium finishes with the
vehicle, including a victory in the six-hour race at Watkins Glen (USA).

In the GTD class, Turner Motorsport concluded the season with a
podium finish. Robby Foley, Patrick Gallagher and Michael Dinan (all
USA) secured second place on the Petit Le Mans podium in the #96 BMW
M4 GT3. Their teammates, Bill Auberlen, Chandler Hull and Thomas
Merrill (all USA), finished seventh in the class in the #97 car.
Unfortunately, Paul Miller Racing, which had already secured the
drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles in the GTD class before the season
finale and also were the first team to win the IMSA Sprint Cup
back-to-back, had a stroke of bad luck. The #1 BMW M4 GT3 driven by
Bryan Sellers, Madison Snow and Corey Lewis (all USA) was involved in
an accident that was not their fault. After an extended repair break,
the team initially resumed the race but eventually had to retire. Paul
Miller Racing celebrated no fewer than five GTD wins this season.

Quotes after Petit Le Mans.

Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport: “Today it
certainly wasn’t the result we had hoped for. In the first nine hours,
things were looking very promising for us, and at times, we were right
up there competing for the lead and a top result. Unfortunately, we
were set back in the closing stages due to numerous yellow flags, and
we couldn’t achieve the positions we had set out for. This also means
we didn’t end up where we had hoped to be in the championship. It was
a disappointing conclusion to the season, but we can look ahead
positively. In nine races, we made it to the podium five times, which
is a great record. A big thank you to everyone who made this possible.
Now the work continues at home, and we’re hoping for a strong start to
the 2024 season in Daytona.”

Bobby Rahal, Team Principal BMW M Team RLL: “Overall,
the season was pretty successful. We had five podiums, including the
victory at Watkins Glen. When we look back where we were a year ago it
has been crazy and we reacted well to the challenges we had. Like it
is in every first year, there was a lot to learn and we learnt a lot.
Thanks to everyone for their hard work. Now we are looking forward to
next season and it will be a very exciting year.”

Connor De Phillippi (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8): “So Petit
Le Mans is in the books. It was definitely not the result we wanted
and not the result we could have gotten. We just did not play it
aggressive enough at the end when it counted, unfortunately. I feel
sorry for the guys. Everybody worked so hard all year. We can be proud
of the results we achieved this season. We will come back next year
and fight even harder.”

Nick Yelloly (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8): “It has not been
the ideal end to the season. During the race we were theoretically
leading the championship so we are a bit disappointed now, obviously.
But one thing I have to say is: we still got five podiums through the
year, including one win, and I feel we maximized as much as we could
throughout the season. So a big credit to BMW M Motorsport and the
entire BMW M Team RLL for working so hard, because after Daytona we
did not think that we would be able to achieve what we did.”

Sheldon van der Linde (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8): “It
obviously did not end how we wanted in regards of the championship. We
were going for the win for the #25 boys, for Nick and Connor. In the
end I think we just ultimately did not have the pace in comparison to
other cars. But we gave everything out there today. We really did not
leave any stone unturned. It has been a pleasure to join the team
again for the last event of the year. Of course we are a bit
disappointed, but nevertheless the guys can be proud of what they
achieved this season.”

Philipp Eng (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8): “It was definitely
a lot of fun. Driving the car on this track is truly unbeatable.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the result we all hoped for, especially for
our sister car. It looked promising for the championship for a long
time, but, sadly, it didn’t work out in the end. However, we can be
proud of what we’ve achieved this year. The progress has always been
positive, and we can build on that. Thanks to everyone who was
involved in this.”

Augusto Farfus (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8): “I think we
tried. First of all, we finished the race trouble-free with both cars.
Today we just did not have the pace. We tried on the strategy, on the
fuel saving. The team was very much on it, but in the end we just did
not have enough. But it is okay. It was the first season in the GTP
class. Now we go back home, we learn and then we should come back next
year much stronger.”

Marco Wittmann (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8): “In the end, we
can be proud of how the year went for us. When we started in Daytona,
we probably did’t think that we could be very successful over the
season. The team managed to secure five podium finishes. Of course, we
had hoped for a different outcome in the final race. It looked
promising for a while, but, ultimately, we didn’t quite have the pace
compared to our competitors, who were faster over the course of the
race. Consequently, there was nothing more to gain for us in the final
stages. Even the yellow flags didn’t change that. We have to
acknowledge that the competition did a better job this weekend. For
us, it means taking the lessons and coming back stronger next year.”

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