Munich. The 65th Twelve Hours of Sebring will see a
determined BMW Team RLL continue to work to increase the
competitiveness of the BMW M6 GTLM racing car. Now in its second
season of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) competition
with the BMW M6 GTLM, the team has increased its effort to address
issues that have kept the car from equaling its best result, a
second-place finish after qualifying 1-2 one year ago at the Sebring
International Raceway.
BMW Team RLL began the season in late January at the 24 Hours Daytona
with a best finish of eighth-place by the BMW M6 GTLM Art Car by John
Baldessari, driven by Bill Auberlen (USA), Alexander Sims (GBR),
Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Bruno Spengler (CAN). With the number 19 Art
Car now retired and a permanent part of the BMW Art Car Collection, it
has been replaced for Sebring with a new number 25 BMW M6 GTLM that
will be driven by Auberlen, Sims and Kuno Wittmer (CAN). The number 24
BMW M6 GTLM will be piloted by John Edwards (USA), Martin Tomczyk
(GER) and Nick Catsburg (NED).
The venerable Sebring circuit and the 12-hour event set the stage for
BMW’s very first GT win in the States in 1975 as well as four more GT
class victories in 1997, 1998, 2011 and 2012. An overall win was
scored in 1999 by the BMW V12 LMR prototype.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL): “We’ve
always had a good performance at Sebring. Since our relationship began
with BMW, we have won the race a couple of times. Last year we had a
podium with the BMW M6 GTLM in its first year which was great. Based
on our history and based on last year I feel we can be reasonably
positive about the race. Sebring is the toughest race on the schedule
by far. It’s a matter of survival as much as anything else. There have
been some BoP adjustments made over the field and as a result of
those, we feel somewhat positive as well as hopeful for a problem-free
race. We always love going to Sebring. It really is the most historic
endurance race on our schedule. Winning there, for me personally, is
something that has always been very special. We look forward to the
weekend and seeing what we can do.”
Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM): “My memories of
Sebring go back to when I was a kid, 17 years old, and crewing for my
Dad’s Porsche. I built the engines for the car and did what ever had
to be done as a member of the team. Dad won the 12 Hour in 1985 and I
held up his sign board every lap. Ten years later I was back at
Sebring – now a driver – in an Alex Job Porsche and won. That win,
with my dad and mom there – on the 10th anniversary of my
father’s victory – is my fondest Sebring memory and one of my favorite
racing memories in my long career. I scored two more class wins at the
12 Hour with BMW in 1997 and 1998 and have raced the 12-Hour more than
20 times now. Last season, I scored the GTLM class pole in the all-new
BMW M6 GTLM. While GT cars have changed significantly in the last two
decades, the Sebring circuit remains the same in almost every respect.
An experienced driver with a sympathetic ear to what a racing car
needs and can do there is a large component of success at Sebring.”
Alexander Sims (No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM): “With one US
race (Daytona) now under my belt I’m feeling more accustomed to the
racing environment in the States. But, I’m told Sebring can be a bit
of a wildcard – no place like it anywhere. The circuit is certainly
bumpy – on a par with the Nordschleife, but I’m really looking forward
to everything the 12 Hour offers.”
Kuno Wittmer (No. 25 BMW M6 GTLM): “I have moved over
to drive with Bill and Alexander for Sebring. The seat position in the
number 24 BMW M6 GTLM is more suited for John and Martin so I was
sitting too low for my liking. Sebring magnifies everything. The bumps
seem bigger, the circuit rougher and the way the competition is in the
GTLM class you must stay on the lead lap, forcing you to race every
lap as if this was a sprint race.”
John Edwards (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “We had two good
days of testing in February, but Sebring is always a tough race,
especially because the race ends at night. Those last few hours really
count. The circuit is very dark in comparison to Daytona. It’s a tough
race but I’m looking forward to it.”
Martin Tomczyk (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “This will be my
first Sebring 12 Hour race. After the disappointment of Daytona I hope
all of our post-race investigation and recent testing will prove the
capability of the BMW M6 GTLM. This is a fabulous place to drive. It
is far different than Europe’s shiny circuits.”
Nick Catsburg (No. 24 BMW M6 GTLM): “This will be my
second 12-hour race at Sebring, the first with BMW. Hopefully, we will
have a better weekend than Daytona. We certainly have tested hard so I
am optimistic for the race. Certainly, Sebring suits the BMW M6 GTLM
better than Daytona. With the improvements we have made I hope we can
fight for a podium finish.”
The 65th 12 Hours of Sebring takes the green flag at
10:40hrs on Saturday, 18th March.