BMW Motorsport News - Issue 4/2018.

24h Daytona: Race debut for the new BMW M8 GTE.

The long awaited race debut for the new BMW M8 GTE is on: the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA). The endurance classic started on Saturday afternoon, 14.40 local time (20.40 CET). In the final quarter of the race, both BMW M8 GTEs of BMW Team RLL are still in action. After 19 hours of racing, the number 24 car, driven by John Edwards (USA), Jesse Krohn (FIN), Nick Catsburg (NED) and Augusto Farfus (BRA) was running in 7^th place of the GTLM class. The number 25 BMW M8 GTE of Alexander Sims (GBR), Connor De Phillippi (USA), Bill Auberlen (USA) and Philipp Eng (AUT) was in 9^th place. In the GTD class, the Turner Motorsport team is competing with the BMW M6 GT3. The drivers in the number 96 car are Don Yount (USA), Mark Kvamme (USA), Jens Klingmann (GER), Martin Tomcyzk (GER) and Cameron Lawrence (USA). The No. 96 BMW GT3 was 14^th of the GTD class after 19 hours of racing. (Note to editors: a detailed release about the 24h Daytona will be published after the race.)

CTSC: Podium for the BMW M4 GT4 on its USA debut.

The new BMW M4 GT4 enjoyed an outstanding race debut in North America this weekend. The number 82 car finished runner-up in the BMW Endurance Challenge, the four-hour race that forms the opening round of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC) at Daytona (USA). James Clay and Tyler Cook (both USA) fought back brilliantly from 19^th place on the grid to climb into second place over the final few laps. This meant an acclaimed podium finish for the BimmerWorld Racing team. The second BMW M4 GT4 in the race also made good progress through the field. Toby Grahovec, Jason Hart and Mike Vess (all USA) from the Classic BMW team started the race from 34^th place, but produced a fantastic performance to finish fourth and narrowly miss out on another podium for BMW. BimmerWorld Racing had two reasons to celebrate. In the Street Tuner class, Devin Jones and Nick Galante (both USA) converted pole position to a dominant class victory in their BMW 328i. The BMW Endurance Challenge was opened by BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt with the words “Drivers, please start your engines.” Frank van Meel, President of BMW M GmbH, started the race with the green flag. The new BMW M5 Safety Car led the field on the formation lap.

DTM: Joel Eriksson to start at the Race of Champions.

Great honour for the newcomer to BMW’s DTM squad: Joel Eriksson (SWE) is one of a select field of international racing drivers to receive an invitation to this year’s Race of Champions (RoC). The event will take place next week (2^nd and 3^rd February 2018) in Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia. The 19-year-old Swede will compete in the individual competition and the Nations Cup, in which he will join up with compatriot and World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson to form “Team Sweden”. “I’m really excited about doing the Race of Champions for the first time,” said Eriksson. “It’s not every day you go to Saudi Arabia to measure yourself against some of the greatest legends of the sport, so it’s definitely going to be a special moment!” This year’s RoC participants include defending champion Juan Pablo Montoya (COL), former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard (GBR), reigning IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden (USA), and three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves (BRA). Also in action will be Riyadh-born rally driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who recently took part in the Rally Dakar in a MINI John Cooper Works Buggy.