IMSA season kicks off with a highlight: BMW Team RLL ready for the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Munich. The 2019 motorsport year begins with a true highlight
for BMW Team RLL: the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA) this coming weekend
(26th/27th January). The endurance classic
traditionally opens the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The
BMW M8 GTE, which made its competitive debut at Daytona in 2018, is
now entering its second season in the IMSA. As it did last year, BMW
Team RLL will field two BMW M8 GTEs in the GTLM class in 2019. BMW
works driver Alessandro Zanardi’s (ITA) start at Daytona is of
particular interest.

 

Zanardi will contest the 24-hour race in the #24 BMW M8 GTE run by
BMW Team RLL, alongside regular drivers John Edwards (USA) and Jesse
Krohn (FIN), as well as Chaz Mostert (AUS). Alternating at the wheel
of the #25 car will be regular driver Connor De Phillippi (USA),
Augusto Farfus (BRA), Philipp Eng (AUT) and Colton Herta (USA).

 

The team was at Daytona at the start of January, when it continued
its preparations for the marathon race with the official ‘Roar’ test.
The 24 Hours of Daytona gets underway at 14:35 local time on Saturday
26th January. The race finishes at 14:35 on Sunday
27th January.

 

The Turner Motorsport team runs a BMW M6 GT3 in the GTD class in the
2019 IMSA series. The car will be driven at Daytona by Jens Klingmann
(GER), Bill Auberlen (USA), Robby Foley (USA) and Dillon Machavern
(USA). Turner Motorsport will also compete with a BMW M4 GT4 in the GS
class of the Michelin Pilot Challenge, which also stages its opening
race of the season at Daytona. In total, five BMW M4 GT4s will be in
action in the ‘BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona’.

 

Quotes ahead of the 24-hour race at Daytona.

 

Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director): “The 24
Hours of Daytona are always a real highlight at the start of the new
motorsport season. Last year, our BMW M8 GTE made its race debut
there. In the meantime, it has evolved into a winning car and we are
excited about our prospects for the coming weekend. BMW Team RLL and
our engineers have worked hard in recent months to ensure that they
are as well prepared as possible for the 24 Hours of Daytona and the
2019 IMSA season. Alex Zanardi’s start will help make Daytona a very
special event this year. It is fantastic to see him in the BMW M8 GTE.
We can look forward to a particularly spectacular race this year.”

 

Alessandro Zanardi (#24 BMW M8 GTE): “As a race fan,
which is what I am and always have been, I am super excited. I am
living a dream. I was expecting a lot of support from the fans and my
friends at Daytona, but already at the Roar it went beyond all
expectations. We are going to make sure that we have a good race car
and that we can perform consistently. We’ll start from there.”

 

John Edwards (#24 BMW M8 GTE): “Compared to last year
we are feeling much better prepared. We were able to focus fully on
the car set-up and driver change-over during this year’s Roar test.
They are obviously a little unique with Alex, but we are quick. With a
bit more practice during the race weekend, I don’t expect us to lose
any time in the pit stops. It’s really an honour to drive and work
with Alex and to get to know him a little bit better and see his
perspective on life. Hopefully that positive attitude will transfer
into a good result for us at the 24 Hours.”

 

Jesse Krohn (#24 BMW M8 GTE): “I have high
expectations, obviously, having seen what the team did at the Roar and
how the car performed. We just need to keep out of trouble and have a
clean race. To work with Alex is the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s a
rare opportunity and a blessing to be able to work with such a legend.
I enjoy every moment and try to spend as much time with him as I can.”

 

Chaz Mostert (#24 BMW M8 GTE): “For us in Australia,
this is one of the biggest races in the world. It was so awesome to
get the call to race here. I am super excited to be part of the team
and I can’t thank everyone enough. I’m really looking forward to the
race. The whole team is pulling together and I am ready pull my weight
and make sure we have the best possibility of a top result. It’s also
great to race in a team with Alex. He is a true legend and it’s good
fun to work with him”

 

Connor De Phillippi (#25 BMW M8 GTE): “We did our
homework at the Roar. Of course, we still have some areas to improve
on, but we went through a lot of the processes and driver changes and
pit stop work to prepare for the big 24-hour race. The car is good and
we know that we are going to be very competitive.”

 

Augusto Farfus (#25 BMW M8 GTE): “The 24-hour race at
Daytona is just a fantastic event. I feel very sorry for Tom Blomqvist
that he will miss the race but I am happy to take part and being able
to help the team and also to be considered by BMW to replace him. I
will make every effort to substitute for Tom in the best possible way.”

 

Philipp Eng (#25 BMW M8 GTE): “I am really looking
forward to driving at Daytona again. It will be my third appearance in
this 24-hour race. I believe we have a good package. You can see in
everyone’s faces that we are all extremely determined to come away
with a top result. That is what it is all about. I hope that at least
four of us always know what time it is on the flight home – because
they have a nice new watch on their wrist.“

 

Colton Herta (#25 BMW M8 GTE): “I have no idea what
to expect. I’ve never been in a race like this before. GTLM is a super
competitive category and I think BMW has done a great job and a great
deal of work over the last year with the BMW M8 GTE, getting it to
where it is. I know it started off rough but now we have the car that
we want. It’s very fast and very competitive. If we play our cards
right and we have enough luck, we can get a really top result. I’ve
always wanted to do this race. My father competed in it for a long
time and it’s such an iconic race, not only in America but all around
the world. To finally get the chance to do it is super exciting.”