Pole position for the BMW M8 GTE at Road Atlanta – Front row for BMW Team MTEK at the FIA WEC race in Fuji.

Munich. John Edwards (USA), Jesse Krohn (FIN) and Chaz Mostert (AUS) will start the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale, Motul Petit Le Mans, from the GTLM class pole position. Driving the No. 24 BMW M8 GTE to a 1:17.006 lap around the Road Atlanta (USA) circuit, Edwards recorded his second pole of the 2018 season. On the other side of the globe, BMW Team MTEK qualified in second place for the FIA World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Fuji (JPN) with its No. 82 BMW M8 GTE and drivers António Félix Da Costa (POR) and Tom Blomqvist (GBR). The result is the championship-best for the new-for-2018 BMW M8 GTE .

In addition, the No. 81 BMW M8 GTE finished in seventh place in the GTE Pro class at Fuji. Drivers Martin Tomczyk (GER) and Nick Catsburg (NED) recorded a combined lap time less than half a second behind its sister-car, showing how close the competition is for the WEC 6 Hours of Fuji.

At Road Atlanta, Connor De Phillippi (USA) qualified the No. 25 BMW M8 GTE only .422 seconds behind his teammate Edwards (1:17.428 minutes) and will start from the seventh position, the entire GTLM class separated by a scant .768 seconds. De Phillippi and co-driver Alexander Sims (GBR) will be joined by Bill Auberlen (USA) who will be making his 410^th start in a BMW racing car.

John Edwards (BMW Team RLL, No. 24 BMW M8 GTE): “I definitely can't set that kind of lap on my own, so a huge thanks to the team for giving me a solid car. I think our qualifying set-up and tire choice was pretty aggressive. The BMW M8 GTE and I were on the edge, so I definitely had to manage that, but it was quick. I don't think we'll be driving like that for ten hours but during night practice we had some fast consistent long runs, so I think during the race we can settle into a nice stable car and pace. I think we'll be pretty strong tomorrow and now it all comes down to execution.”

Tom Blomqvist (BMW Team MTEK, No. 82 BMW M8 GTE): “I think the team has done a great job this weekend and we’ve improved session on session. I had a good car for qualifying to go second fastest and António did a great job with older tyres to maintain the position. We couldn’t ask for much better. It’s the best starting position for the WEC but it’s just half the job. The rest we do tomorrow in the race.”

António Félix Da Costa (BMW Team MTEK, No. 82 BMW M8 GTE): “I’m very happy for us to be on the front row for the first time in the World Endurance Championship. The team worked really well in practice to bring the balance of the BMW M8 GTE to where Tom and I like it. We’re doing well so far, but the hard work is in the race - we are hoping to get BMW’s first WEC podium.”