Munich. The 2017 motor racing season will shift up a gear,
when BMW Motorsport, BMW Team RLL and BMW of North America launch
their 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) campaign
on 28th/29th January at the classic Daytona
International Speedway. At the biggest 24-hour race in North
America, BMW Team RLL will have the rare honour of racing a BMW Art
Car, only the ninth of the 19-car BMW Art Car Collection to race
since the programme’s start in 1975. John Baldessari (USA), one of
the world’s most respected conceptual artists, joins luminaries such
as Alexander Calder (1975), Andy Warhol (1979) and Jeff Koons (2010)
as an Art Car creator.
The BMW M6 continues as the foundation of BMW’s effort in
international sports car racing in 2017, and BMW Team RLL will
continue to race two BMW M6 GTLM specification cars in the IWSC. The
line-up of the number 19 BMW M6 GTLM Art Car features veteran Bill
Auberlen (USA) and BMW works driver Alexander Sims (GBR). Sims was
part of the winning ROWE Racing team with the BMW M6 GT3 at last
year’s 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). The regular drivers
will be supported by DTM stars Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Bruno Spengler
(CAN). Both Farfus and Spengler raced the BMW M6 GTLM at Daytona last
year with Auberlen and Dirk Werner (GER), finishing fifth in the debut
race for the car. For Auberlen, the 48-year-old Californian, the
honour of racing a BMW Art Car falls on the 20th
anniversary of his first win for BMW at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1997.
John Edwards (USA) and Martin Tomczyk (GER) will anchor the number 24
BMW M6 GTLM this season. Edwards, who begins his fifth season racing
for BMW, will be joined by BMW works driver Tomczyk, now focusing on
GT competition after 16 successful seasons in the DTM. As he did last
season, Kuno Wittmer (CAN) will race the number 24 BMW M6 GTLM in the
four endurance rounds (Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Petit Le
Mans). At Daytona, Nicky Catsburg (NLD) will be the fourth driver.
Catsburg co-drove to a second-place GTD finish in last year’s Rolex 24.
In its eight seasons of North American sports car competition, BMW
Team RLL has posted 13 victories among 60 podium finishes, winning the
American Le Mans Series Manufacturer and Team championships in 2010
and repeating the feat and adding the driver title in 2011. Beginning
with the BMW M3 GT2 in 2009, the team successfully introduced the BMW
Z4 GTLM in 2013 and the BMW M6 GTLM in 2016.
Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director): “This
year’s 24-hour race at Daytona will be special in many ways. Of
course, racing a BMW Art Car is always unique. The interest for the
number 19 BMW M6 GTLM designed by John Baldessari will be high, so I’m
excited to see where we will be able to put the car in the final
results. In addition, we brought some new drivers in for 2017. I’m
sure that both Alexander Sims and Martin Tomczyk will cope well with
their new challenge. The experience of Bobby Rahal’s BMW Team RLL and
of the other drivers, Bill Auberlen and Edwards, surely make it easier
for the two European drivers to come to terms with sports car racing
in North America. After last year’s debut season of the BMW M6 GTLM
our clear aim is to score our maiden win with this car in the IMSA
series. Achieving this in such a tough race as the Rolex 24 will be
extremely difficult. But, as usual, we will give it all to score a
great result in the first race of the season. Reliability will be
crucial – and I’m also confident in this respect.”
John Baldessari (Artist, BMW Art Car #19)
: “When I look at the BMW Art Car series and all of
the artists that came before me, I see them as competition. Just the
same as racing – which is why I’ll cheer for the drivers of my Art
Car. I want them to win. I spoke to Bill Auberlen and the best thing
he told me was that he sees it as an honour and a highlight of his
amazing career to have the chance to race a BMW Art Car. I know he and
the team will give it their all to come in first.”
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL): “There’s
nothing like starting out the season with the most difficult race. In
the recent past we have had some reasonable results with second place
finishes in both 2014 and 2015. Last year wasn’t a great one for us
but now, a year later, the car has certainly progressed and is more
reliable. We think our pace will be reasonable, although no one is
quite sure how good others may be despite all of the testing that has
happened. For us, it’s just a matter of not having any problems. It
sounds simplistic, but the least amount of time we spend in the pits
the better chance we have of a podium. Our first job is to make sure
we have the reliability, our second job is to make sure we have the
pace and the third job is stay out of trouble on track. I’m very
pleased with our driver line-up. We’ve always had good driver line-ups
since day one of our relationship with BMW. That’s a huge plus
obviously and that’s the part I worry about the least frankly.”
Bill Auberlen (No. 19 BMW M6 GTLM): “I am delighted
that BMW chose me for the honour of driving an Art Car. I’ve been
racing BMWs for many years and I can say without a doubt that this is
a highlight of my career. We finished second at Daytona in 2014 and
2015, and fifth last year. I’m thinking there would be nothing better
than to win on the 20th anniversary of my first Rolex 24
victory in 1997 for BMW.”
Alexander Sims (No. 19 BMW M6 GTLM): “I’m very
excited about the Rolex 24, as it will be my first time racing in the
States. The GTLM car is not far removed from the GT3 car I have raced,
but with no ABS (anti-lock brake system) I am taking things one step
at a time.”
Augusto Farfus (No. 19 BMW M6 GTLM): “It is always
special to be in the Rolex 24, and on top of that this year I am
driving a piece of art. It is an honour for me and I’m very thankful
to BMW for giving me this opportunity. We’ve been close here quite a
few times in past years with the BMW Z4 GTLM, and last year we made it
to the finish and fifth place with the new BMW M6 GTLM. This year it
just may be time to get it done.”
Bruno Spengler (No. 19 BMW M6 GTLM): “The Rolex 24
has been one of my highlights since first racing here in 2015 with BMW
Team RLL. Many Canadians come to the race, so I can share the event
with friends and family. I began with BMW in 2012 racing in the DTM
and have heard of the Art Cars. I am honoured to now drive one and be
part of such an important programme for the company.”
John Edwards (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “We had a
productive test focusing on integrating our new drivers. Things went
very well, and I believe we are ready for the Rolex 24.”
Martin Tomczyk (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “The Rolex 24
will be my first race in the US, so I am very excited. I have competed
at Spa and the Nürburgring 24-hour races, but there certainly is
something special about this race in America. I am genuinely looking
forward to it.”
Nick Catsburg (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “This will be my
second Rolex 24. My first was last year. The BMW M6 GTLM is a bit
different than the BMW M6 GT3 car I raced in Europe, but I am pleased
with how the Roar test progressed. Our team is working well together
and I am looking for a good result.”
Kuno Wittmer (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “We have made good
progress towards the second season of the BMW M6 GTLM. This will be
the seventh Rolex 24 of my career and I would gladly wear a second
Rolex on my wrist.”