Podium course ends with a disappointing finish for the BMW M4 GT3 at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
20-03-2022 07:11 - MOTORSPORT
Starting from seventh on the grid, the #24 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3 made its way up the field to the podium and briefly took the lead in the GTD-PRO class at half-time. From then on he was part of a thrilling battle for the lead and the second six hours became a thoroughbred sprint race. The car ran like clockwork, the team acted strategically and Eng, Yelloly and Wittmann made no mistakes. The number 24 was second until an hour from the end, but then fell out of the podium with a gearbox problem.
The #25 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3 was also in the top 3 in the early stages of the race, but a setback followed after two hours of racing. A problem with the power steering required a lengthy repair. As a result, the trio of Augusto Farfus (BRA), John Edwards (USA) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) fell far behind in the field, but they resumed the race and brought the number 25 home in tenth place.
The two BMW M Motorsport teams in the GTD class also had an eventful twelve hours that didn't end with the top results they deserved. At Turner Motorsport, Bill Auberlen (USA) completed his 500th race for BMW at Sebring, and up until the eighth hour it looked like the Californian would have reason to celebrate at this milestone. Auberlen, who shared the #96 BMW M4 GT3 with Robby Foley and Michael Dinan (both USA), had just taken the lead in the GTD when he was hit in the rear by a competitor and flipped onto the grass. This dropped the number 96 to eighth place in the class. But the Turner Motorsport drivers fought their way back up the field and with three and a half hours to go Auberlen put the car back in front. The #96 crew stayed on top,
The newest member of the BMW M Motorsport family, Paul Miller Racing, suffered bad luck in the race after convincing performances in all sessions. In the first three hours of racing, the #1 BMW M4 GT3 fought at the top of the GTD class. But then, through no fault of his own, he was drawn into an incident in the LMP field. A car trying to avoid a spinning LMP2 prototype hit the #1 on the left rear. The suspension was damaged in the process and Paul Miller Racing suffered a major setback en route to a strong result in his first race in the BMW M4 GT3. Madison Snow, Bryan Sellers (both USA) and Erik Johansson (SWE) ended up 16th in the GTD class.
The BMW M4 GT4s of the BMW M Motorsport teams were already in action on Thursday in the two-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race. The #43 BMW M4 GT4 fielded by Stephen Cameron Racing crossed the finish line in fifth place. Sean Quinlan and Gregory Liefooghe (both USA) shared the cockpit. Turner Motorsport finished ninth with the #95 BMW M4 GT4, driven by Auberlen and Dillon Machavern (USA). Their teammates Foley and Vincent Barletta (USA) retired early in the #96 car.
The #25 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3 was also in the top 3 in the early stages of the race, but a setback followed after two hours of racing. A problem with the power steering required a lengthy repair. As a result, the trio of Augusto Farfus (BRA), John Edwards (USA) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) fell far behind in the field, but they resumed the race and brought the number 25 home in tenth place.
The two BMW M Motorsport teams in the GTD class also had an eventful twelve hours that didn't end with the top results they deserved. At Turner Motorsport, Bill Auberlen (USA) completed his 500th race for BMW at Sebring, and up until the eighth hour it looked like the Californian would have reason to celebrate at this milestone. Auberlen, who shared the #96 BMW M4 GT3 with Robby Foley and Michael Dinan (both USA), had just taken the lead in the GTD when he was hit in the rear by a competitor and flipped onto the grass. This dropped the number 96 to eighth place in the class. But the Turner Motorsport drivers fought their way back up the field and with three and a half hours to go Auberlen put the car back in front. The #96 crew stayed on top,
The newest member of the BMW M Motorsport family, Paul Miller Racing, suffered bad luck in the race after convincing performances in all sessions. In the first three hours of racing, the #1 BMW M4 GT3 fought at the top of the GTD class. But then, through no fault of his own, he was drawn into an incident in the LMP field. A car trying to avoid a spinning LMP2 prototype hit the #1 on the left rear. The suspension was damaged in the process and Paul Miller Racing suffered a major setback en route to a strong result in his first race in the BMW M4 GT3. Madison Snow, Bryan Sellers (both USA) and Erik Johansson (SWE) ended up 16th in the GTD class.
The BMW M4 GT4s of the BMW M Motorsport teams were already in action on Thursday in the two-hour IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race. The #43 BMW M4 GT4 fielded by Stephen Cameron Racing crossed the finish line in fifth place. Sean Quinlan and Gregory Liefooghe (both USA) shared the cockpit. Turner Motorsport finished ninth with the #95 BMW M4 GT4, driven by Auberlen and Dillon Machavern (USA). Their teammates Foley and Vincent Barletta (USA) retired early in the #96 car.