BMW TEAM RLL MISSES OUT ON PODIUM IN SEBRING – BMW Z4 GTLMS FINISH FOURTH AND EIGHTH AT 63RD TWELVE HOURS OF SEBRING

Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – March 21, 2015… Lucas Luhr (DE), John Edwards (US) and Jens Klingmann (DE) finished fourth in the GTLM class for BMW Team RLL in the 12 Hours of Sebring (US), the second round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (USCC). The three drivers completed a total of 329 laps with the No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM. The No. 3 Corvette crew of Antonio García (ES), Jan Magnussen (DK) and Ryan Briscoe (AU) claimed the GTLM victory.

For Dirk Werner (DE), Bill Auberlen (US) and Augusto Farfus (BR) the race didn't go according to plan with the No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM. After five and a half hours, Werner entered the pit lane with a damaged front subframe, running in sixth at that time. The necessary repair work cost the trio more than ten laps, and they dropped to the very back of the GTLM field. Werner, Auberlen and Farfus proved their fighting spirit in the second half of the race, ultimately finishing eighth.

In the GTD class Turner Motorsport raced the No. 97 BMW Z4 GTD. BMW works driver Andy Priaulx (GB), Boris Said (US), Markus Palttala (FI), the 2014 BMW Sports Trophy winner, and Michael Marsal (US) took the chequered flag eighth in class.

Prior to the start of the race, the winning BMW 3.0 CSL from 1975 went out on an honorary lap with Hans-Joachim Stuck (DE) at the wheel. Several members of the BMW Motorsport crew from 40 years ago followed him in two BMW M4 Convertibles. Among them were Jochen Neerpasch (DE), the first Managing Director of BMW Motorsport GmbH, and Stuck's 1975 team-mate, Brian Redman (GB). In addition, Stuck had the honour of serving as 'Grand Marshal' for the event.

Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal, BMW Team RLL):

'It has been a disappointing day in many respects. The strategy was working very well on the 24 car and then we had a power steering issue at the end. We could have ended up second for sure. It was just a shame, but we ended up fourth, that is not the worst thing in the world, but it is disappointing when things were kind of going according to plan. Then on the 25 car we had a suspension breakage that lost us a lot of time. It still finished, but it is a lot of work on this track and you would like to be rewarded a little bit more for all that work.'

Lucas Luhr (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):

'It has been a long day. When we first came here we all thought our pace was better than it really was at the end. We have finished fourth twice now, which is not an ideal result. But we had problems at the end that meant the car didn't steer properly. It was very tough and hard and I am just glad the race is over. We were there. We were on the lead lap, we stuck to our plan, but we were missing a little bit to have a fight with the others today. We go back home, see what went wrong, what was good and we will come back and hopefully we will be on the podium.'

John Edwards (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):

'It was a hot one today. My stints were fairly close together so I had to kind of rush to get my lunch in, rehydrate and get back in the car. At the end of the day the car was consistent, and not super difficult to drive, but I think we are lacking a little bit of pace that some of the front runners had at least in the race trim. Having this in mind, P4 isn't too bad.'

Jens Klingmann (No. 24 BMW Z4 GTLM, 4th place):

'Of course we had hoped for a bit more here in Sebring. A podium would have been great. This time we were even closer than when we came fourth in Daytona. However, for me personally it was a great experience. It was my first race in Sebring – and I found my way quite well straight away. The team did a great job. It's a pity that the power steering hampered us from scoring a better result. But I'm sure the boys will make it onto the podium in the next races. I'm already looking forward to being back with the team in Road Atlanta.'

Dirk Werner (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 8th place):

'It was a tough day for us, and in the end for the whole team and our car, especially because in the middle of the race we were over ten laps back because we had a problem with the car. We tried to put the car back on the track and show it to the fans to the end of the race. It was still fun to drive, but it is disappointing for sure because there was a good chance today to maybe get onto the podium, and also get some good points. The next one is Long Beach and that is Bill's home track so we will be good there.'

Bill Auberlen (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 8th place):

'I had huge hopes coming into here. With the livery that was representing the victory from 1975 I wanted more than anything to bring home a win. Instead we had a very rare mechanical failure. We have never had problems with this part as we had today. If it is going to come up it is going to come up in Sebring, that will do it. But I set the fastest race lap, which shows we had pace, and we just have to take it to the competition in Long Beach and keep going on.'

Augusto Farfus (No. 25 BMW Z4 GTLM, 8th place):

'I am very disappointed with the race. It didn't go as we planned. Even if we did have a failure, we didn't have the pace over the distance. But I have to say the team has done a great job and I am looking forward to more races in the US, but now for me it is time to go to Europe and concentrate on the DTM.'

The third round of the 2015 TUDOR United Sports Car Championship will be held in Long Beach, California on April 18th.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 and X4 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 339 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 147 BMW motorcycle retailers, 122 MINI passenger car dealers, and 35 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

The BMW Group

With its three brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world's leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2014, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.118 million cars and 123,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2013 was euro 7.91 billion on revenues amounting to approximately euro 76.06 billion. As of 31 December 2013, the BMW Group had a workforce of 110,351 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

BMW's partner, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Hilliard, Ohio and co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan, has been competing for over two decades. Prior to the start of the 2015 season, the team had compiled 30 victories, 47 poles, 130 podium finishes, three series championships (1992, 2010, 2011) and claimed an Indianapolis 500 victory (Buddy Rice in 2004). In 2009 the team joined BMW of North America to campaign the new BMW M3 in the American Le Mans Series. The following year, the team won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category and swept all three GT titles - Manufacturer, Team and Driver – in 2011. In 2012 the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championship. The 2014 season brought a new challenge with the creation of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the team finished on the podium six times including four second-place finishes. In 2015, the team will attempt to add to their 10 wins and 49 sports car podium finishes.

Photo credit: BMW
posted on conceptcarz.com

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