BMW M Team RLL Looks to Continued Laguna Seca Success. BMW Standing Second in GTP Manufacturer Points after Three Races.

Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – May 8, 2023 . . . BMW M Team RLL returns to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the May 14^th two-hour-and-forty-minute IMSA Motul Course de Monterey race hoping the success of previous years at the iconic Northern California road course will continue with the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the new GTP era.

In the thirteen years (2009-2022) that BMW M Team RLL raced BMWs in IMSA’s GT classes, the team has finished on the podium eleven times. BMW M Team RLL has scored three GT class victories (2015, 2017, and 2018), five second-place finishes (2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2019), and three third-place finishes (2012, 2013, and 2022) at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn Laguna Seca circuit.

This year, the team has made the switch to the GTP class with the BMW M Hybrid V8 and has scored two runner-up finishes (Sebring and Long Beach) in the first three events. That effort has BMW standing second in GTP class manufacturer points. By benefit of two second-place finishes with the No. 25 car, drivers Connor De Phillippi and Nick Yelloly stand fourth in GTP driver points, only one point from third. Augusto Farfus and Philipp Eng stand seventh in driver points, with a season’s-best fourth-place finish (Long Beach) in the No. 24 car.

“It’s easy to show that Laguna Seca has been a great circuit for me as a driver and a team owner,” said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “I won four Indy Car races in-a-row there among many other victories. BMW M Team RLL has three GT class wins in addition to quite a few seconds and thirds.  If you are lucky enough to have good fortune at a circuit it tends to stay, so, yes, I am looking forward to the new era GTP debut at Laguna Seca. If we can continue to improve the BMW M Hybrid V8 the way we have been, I am feeling optimistic about our chances.”

Connor De Phillippi, driver No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8: “WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is one of the most iconic tracks on our schedule and the first place I ever drove a race car. Returning here, now in our GTP car, is going to be very exciting and pose an entirely new challenge to us as a team. Tire degradation will be very high per usual, so there will be a lot of strategy coming into play. Our aim will be to learn something every session and fight for a victory”

Nick Yelloly, driver No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8: "Another new bucket list circuit for me! I am really looking forward to jumping back in the car and working on improving from where we left off in Long Beach. Having watched countless races on television from Laguna Seca, driving down the corkscrew for the first time, I'm sure will be awesome" 

Augusto Farfus, driver No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8: “I think the BMW M Hybrid V8 will be quite a bit of fun at Laguna Seca. It is an iconic circuit and the progress we have made with the car so far this year should continue to move us toward the top.”

2023 IMSA GT Daytona class point leaders Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow will bring the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 to Laguna Seca looking to extend their winning streak of two victories (Sebring and Long Beach). Turner Motorsport brings two GT Daytona entries, the No. 96 LIQUI-MOLY BMW of Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher and the No. 97 McIntosh BMW of Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull. Last season, Auberlen and Foley co-drove to a third place GTD finish at this event.

Practice and qualifying for the two-hour-and-forty-minute Motul Corse De Monterey race begins May 12. The May 14^th race will be broadcast on NBC at 3:00 p.m. ET.

BMW Group in America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles as well as the BMW XM. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 350 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers,146 BMW motorcycle retailers, 104 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

BMW’s partner, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Zionsville, Indiana and co-owned by three-time INDYCAR Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan, has been competing for over three decades. Prior to the start of their 32nd season of competition in 2023 and their 15th with BMW, the team had compiled 54 victories, 67 poles, 225 podium finishes, three series championships (1992, 2010, 2011), claimed two Indianapolis 500 victories (Buddy Rice in 2004, Takuma Sato in 2020) and two Rolex 24 at Daytona victories. In 2009 the team joined BMW of North America to campaign the new BMW M3 in the American Le Mans Series. The following year the team won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category and swept all three GT titles - Manufacturer, Team, and Driver – in 2011. In 2012, the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team, and Manufacturer Championship. From 2014 to 2021, BMW Team RLL competed in the GTLM class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a two-car program. In 2022, BMW M Team RLL competed in the GTD PRO class in

IMSA while simultaneously ramping up for a two-car program in the much-anticipated GTP class in IMSA for 2023. In total, the team has earned 22 wins – including the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance races, 30 poles and 96 podium finishes prior to the start of the 2023 season. BMW M Team RLL highlights also include second-place finishes in the Manufacturer, Team, and Driver championships in 2015 and 2017 and being named the 2020 Michelin North American Endurance Champions.

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