Twelve Hours of Sebring: BMW Team RLL racing to clinch the endurance title.

Sebring . BMW Team RLL is ready for the Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA) this coming weekend. The endurance classic marks the 2020 season finale in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA). John Edwards (USA) and Jesse Krohn (FIN) travel to Sebring as the leaders in the Michelin Endurance Cup and have their focus set on winning the title. They also can finish the season second in the driver championship. The same goes for BMW Team RLL in the team championship and BMW in the manufacturer standings.

Traditionally, the Twelve Hours of Sebring is held in March as the second round of the season but in 2020 it was postponed to November due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will therefore mark the final round of an outstanding IMSA season for BMW Team RLL with a total of nine podium finishes with the MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, including victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA) and the six-hour race at Road Atlanta (USA).

The Michelin Endurance Cup is a four-race championship representing the four endurance races of a season. Edwards and Krohn have scored 37 points so far this season while Augusto Farfus (BRA) follows in second place with 31 points – level on points with the closest BMW competitors. Farfus will again compete with Edwards and Krohn in the #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE and with a success, the trio can secure first and second places in this classification. The #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE will be driven by regular drivers Connor de Phillippi (USA) and Bruno Spengler (CAN) as well as Colton Herta (USA). In the GTD class, Turner Motorsport will enter the #96 BMW M6 GT3 driven by Bill Auberlen, Robby Foley and Dillon Machavern (all USA). The 12-hour race will start on Saturday, 14^th November, at 10:10 local time.

Quotes ahead of the Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal BMW Team RLL): “We have had success at Sebring in the past, won the race several times and qualified well. We just have to continue to push as hard as we can, to make sure we have great pit stops and to also make sure we explore the strategies we might be able to use that can help us win. Victory does not always go to the fastest, it goes to the smartest. To win the Michelin Endurance Cup would be a major accomplishment. It comprises races like Daytona, Sebring and the Petit Le Mans and we were on the podium in each of those races aside from winning Daytona. It has been a demanding year for everybody. When we finished Daytona, we thought we would continue the momentum and within a month and a half the season was on hold. Once we got going again, some of the races were so gruelling in terms of weather, temperature or a super-compressed schedule which was very demanding for all of the teams and series. And of course, we missed the spectators at most events. Everyone is looking forward to finishing off this season on a high like we started it and turning our focus to 2021.”

John Edwards (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE) : “We have had some big ups and downs this season, but all of it has put us only one point away from second place in the overall championship. We are also leading the North American Endurance Championship, so we have a lot on the line at this year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring. The margins in GTLM are super close as always, so we will have to be really on top of our game to close out the season with a strong result. Hopefully, we be able to finish the season the same we started it at Daytona – on top of the podium.”

Jesse Krohn (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE): “We are leading the standings for the Michelin Endurance Cup so our first job will be to seal the deal for BMW. Also, we are only one point behind second in GTLM driver points, so a good result is especially important to finishing the season on a high note.”

Augusto Farfus (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE): “I am excited to return to BMW Team RLL for the Twelve Hours of Sebring. After our strong weekend at Petit Le Mans with third place in the #24 BMW M8 GTE I believe we can keep our endurance race momentum going for another podium result.”

Bruno Spengler (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE) : “This will be my second time racing the famous Twelve Hours of Sebring. My first opportunity came in 2016 with BMW Team RLL. I co-drove the #25 BMW M6 GTLM to a second-place finish with Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner. Sebring will be a very special place to finish my first full IMSA season and I am looking forward to both the challenge and a good result.”

Connor De Phillippi (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE): “The Twelve Hours of Sebring is always a flat-out brawl of a race. Typically, the pace is fast, there aren’t many yellows and a consistent car is super important. I know we’ve done a lot of analysis since our sprint race there a few months ago and I have high hopes that we can go there to fight for the win.”

Colton Herta (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE): “I am super exited to join BMW Team RLL and my teammates Connor and Bruno for another weekend. In my opinion, Sebring is the toughest track in North America to put a lap together. I feel very privileged to drive the #25 BMW M8 GTE this weekend.”