Munich (DE), 29th September 2016. The 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar
Championship (IWSC) will come to an end this weekend at Road Atlanta
(US). BMW Team RLL will finish its eighth consecutive year racing for
BMW and the first season for the all-new BMW M6 GTLM at Petit Le Mans,
near Braselton, Georgia.
The traditional ten-hour
season-ender will see BMW Motorsport DTM driver Augusto Farfus (BR)
rejoin Bill Auberlen (US) and Dirk Werner (US) in the number 25 BMW M6
GTLM. Farfus, along with fellow DTM team-mate Bruno Spengler (CA),
drove to a fifth place finish in the season-opening Rolex 24 at
Daytona (US), the inaugural race for the BMW M6 GTLM. Farfus also
co-drove with Auberlen and Werner at last year’s Petit Le Mans to a
fourth place finish. Kuno Wittmer (CA) will co-drive the number 100
BMW M6 GTLM with John Edwards (US) and Lucas Luhr (DE). Wittmer
participated at Daytona and Sebring (US) this season, joining the team
for the balance of the races as reserve driver. Edwards, Luhr and
Wittmer drove to a second place finish in last season’s Petit
race.
The development year for the BMW M6 GTLM has
resulted in three podium finishes to-date; a second at the 12 Hours of
Sebring, a third at Watkins Glen (US) and Road America (US) to record
the 60th podium finish for the team since 2009. Because of this, the
team is out of the competition for any GTLM class titles, but Auberlen
and Werner are currently tied for second place in the Tequila Patron
North American Endurance Cup, the four-endurance race championship
within the championship. The number 25 BMW M6 GTLM finished fifth at
Daytona, second at Sebring and third at Watkins Glen. A strong finish
at Petit could win Auberlen and Werner the TPEC drivers’
title.
The final race of this year’s IWSC season at Road
Atlanta takes the green flag at 11:10hrs ET Saturday, 1st October.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):
“There is every reason to believe we can have a good race
because we have done so at Road Atlanta in the past with the BMW M3 GT
and BMW Z4 GTLM. Although we have yet to win the race, we have
finished second and third and qualified well. Petit is a hard race,
because you are so busy and the prototypes tend to come up on you very
quickly in certain different parts of the track. You really have to be
aware of what’s going on around you the whole time. I would think that
based on our performance at COTA, which was reasonable, we can be in
the thick of it. The BoP has not been friendly to us this year and
still is yet to be where I think it needs to be. Like any endurance
race, you’ve got to get to the end, which is our goal.”
Bill Auberlen (Number 25 BMW M6 GTLM):
“We just missed the podium with a strong run in Austin, and now
it’s time to finish the year with a podium finish and try to wrap up
the Patron Endurance championship. We are currently tied for second,
one point behind so it’s ours for the taking.”
Dirk Werner (Number 25 BMW M6 GTLM):
“Road Atlanta is a great track for the final race of the season.
I always enjoy driving there. We will give our best to finish this
first year of the BMW M6 GTLM in style. One more chance to win. The
competition will be tough, and handling the traffic for ten hours will
be very demanding.”
Augusto Farfus (Number 25 BMW M6 GTLM):
“It’s an honour to take part again in Petit Le Mans with Bill
and Dirk. Road Atlanta is a very cool and challenging track. Last year
we had a very wet race in very difficult conditions, so I hope the
weather is better this year. I’ve been part of the RLL team for long
time and a feel very comfortable there. I’m very excited to help them
to finish their season on a high.”
John Edwards (Number 100 BMW M6 GTLM):
“Petit Le Mans was one of our most difficult races last year,
but we were able to come away with a P2 finish overall. That was
something special to accomplish in a GT car. This year, we look to
have less rain over the weekend than last year, but the challenge of
Road Atlanta is always high. The track has fast corners, and traffic
is a big variable whether we’re getting passed by prototypes or trying
to pass GTD cars. I expect the race will be as intense as always and
Lucas, Kuno, and I will be aiming to back up our podium finish from
last year with another one to end our 2016 season.”
Lucas Luhr (Number 100 BMW M6 GTLM):
“Going into the last race of the season, it would be nice to be
fighting for a title, but sadly this year we don’t have the chance for
this. Petit Le Mans is a great event and at one of my favourite
circuits. We will be pushing to get a good result for BMW Motorsport
and Team RLL to finish off what has been a very challenging year on a high.”
Kuno Wittmer (Number 100 BMW M6 GTLM):
“I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of
the BMW M6 GTLM. The last time I raced with the team, was at the
Sebring 12h, this past March. In the meantime, lots of action and
testing has kept me busy. I cannot wait to attack the course and fight
our competitors hard for the top step. I feel very optimistic for the
weekend. We are due for a victory!”