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Daytona. the motorsports world revved up for its first major event of the season this weekend with the “Roar Before the 24” at Daytona International Speedway (USA). BMW M Team WRT completed approximately 450 laps in six test sessions with its two BMW M Hybrid V8s,gathering crucial data ahead of next weekend’s 24 Hours of Daytona-the opening race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA Series). The hypercars debuted the striking BMW M Motorsport Inception design during the Roar.
Months of readiness culminated in intensive testing in Florida for the BMW M Team WRT as they fine-tuned the BMW M Hybrid V8 for the IMSA series. Every mile covered with the aerodynamically refined vehicle was vital in the lead-up to the grueling 24-hour endurance test. The collected data will undergo thorough analysis to optimize performance for the upcoming race weekend.
In the GTD PRO category, Paul Miller Racing logged around 180 test laps with the #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, mirroring the distance achieved by Turner Motorsport in the GTD class with the #96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
Practice for the 24h Daytona commences on Thursday at 10:05 a.m. local time (4:05 p.m.CET). The iconic race begins on Saturday at 1:40 p.m. local time (7:40 p.m. CET). The BMW M Endurance Challenge, a 4-hour race kicking off the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season, is scheduled for Friday at 1:45 p.m. local time (7:45 p.m. CET), featuring nine BMW M4 GT4 EVOs on the starting grid.
driver comments after the “Roar Before the 24”:
Sheldon van der Linde (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team WRT, GTP): “We used the last few days to address the basic issues with so many new people on the team. Now, training will focus on performance, aiming for a fast car capable of fighting for victory. I’m really looking forward to getting started. We have a very strong line-up in the number 24.”
René Rast (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8,BMW M Team WRT,GTP):
“With so many new faces on the team adn WRT entering a new racing series,it naturally takes time for everything to run smoothly. However, my impression after the Roar is positive. Everything functioned well, and we completed all test sessions without technical issues. We’re currently a bit short on performance, so we need to maximize the training sessions next week to refine the car’s balance.”
Marco Wittmann (#25 BMW M hybrid V8,BMW M Team WRT,
GTP): “The Roar was crucial for us to get acquainted with the car and the team. We made good progress, but there’s still a lot of work ahead. We need to analyse the data and find ways to improve the car’s performance.”
Connor De Phillippi (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team WRT, GTP): “The Roar was a productive weekend. We focused on getting pleasant with the car and establishing a baseline setup. We identified areas where we can improve,and we’re confident that we can make significant progress before the race.”
augusto Farfus (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team WRT, GTP): “It was great to be back in the car and working with the team. We had a good Roar, and I’m looking forward to the 24 Hours of Daytona. Its a challenging race,but we have a strong team and a competitive car.”
Philipp Eng (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team WRT, GTP): “The Roar was a valuable possibility to learn the car and the track. We made good progress, but there’s still a lot of work to do. We need to refine the car’s setup and optimize our strategy for the race.”
Max Hesse (GER), Endurance
