Munich. Two weeks after the first victory for the brand new
BMW M Hybrid V8 at Watkins Glen (USA), BMW M Team RLL arrives at
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CAN) with a lot of momentum. The
circuit near Toronto, formally named Mosport, will host the sixth
round of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship (IMSA
series) this coming weekend.
Following the race weekend at Watkins Glen, the team tested at the
same venue for an additional two days with Connor De Phillippi (USA)
and Nick Yelloly (GBR). All four drivers also spent time in the
simulator as Philipp Eng (AUT), Augusto Farfus (BRA), and Yelloly have
never turned a wheel at the Canadian circuit. Eng, Farfus, and Yelloly
returned to Europe to compete in last weekend’s 24 Hours of Spa (BEL),
where Eng and Yelloly, together with Marco Wittmann (GER), claimed
BMW’s 25th overall win in the ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3. For Yelloly, it
was the second major victory within one week.
Reflecting on the Watkins Glen victory, BMW M Team RLL Team Principal
Bobby Rahal said, “There is nothing like winning, but I was most happy
with the pace of the BMW M Hybrid V8 throughout the Watkins Glen race.
My thanks to everyone at BMW who have worked so diligently on both
sides of the Atlantic over a very intense period of time on the
new-era GTP program. Our guys were in Munich starting last July,
assisting with the car builds. We received the cars in September and
began testing in October. Five races into the season we are winners.”
The IMSA win at Watkins Glen was the team’s 23rd victory and 99th
podium finish since 2009 so there is a bit of an extra push to
register podium number 100 at Mosport. Racing in the GT category prior
to this season, the team has one win (2017) and three runner-up
finishes (2015, 2017, and 2019) at Mosport.
In the GT Daytona class, three BMW M4 GT3s will compete. Bryan
Sellers and Madison Snow (both USA) continue to lead the GTD class
points with the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3. The pair has won at
Sebring and Long Beach, as well as a well-earned second-place at
Watkins Glen after battling from three laps down. Turner Motorsport
brings two BMW M4 GT3s for Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (both
USA) and for Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull (both USA).
The two-hour-and-forty-minute race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
gets underway on Sunday, 9th July at 12:05 local time (18:05 CEST).
Quotes ahead of the Mosport race.
Connor De Phillippi (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8): “Mosport
is one of the most challenging and high commitment tracks on our
calendar. We have some good momentum coming off of Watkins Glen and we
will continue to focus on making additional performance steps
throughout the weekend. I’m very excited to drive this track for the
first time in a prototype!”
Nick Yelloly (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8): “We will
certainly try to keep our roll going after a strong race at Watkins
Glen. Mosport is a circuit that only Connor has been to before so it
will be a challenge for three of the four of us. From what I can tell,
if the car was good at Watkins Glen, it should be in the window at
Mosport. I am looking forward to exploring what looks to be a very
exciting circuit.”
Philipp Eng (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8): “This weekend will
be my first time in Canada and at Mosport. We have had a very good
preparation on the simulator following Watkins Glen. The track is fast
and relatively short, so we should be able to complete many laps in
free practice and get the #24 car up to speed. The win at Watkins Glen
was very important for the entire GTP project so we will work hard to
keep that momentum.”
Augusto Farfus (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8): “Mosport is one
of those fast old-school circuits. I have never been there, but I am a
fan of old-school and fast. Philipp and I will have to work quickly to
get our car in the window. Based on the success the #25 car had at
Watkins Glen and the knowledge the team gained perhaps we can have two
BMWs on the podium at Mosport.”
