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The BMW M Hybrid V8 took centre stage at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round in Long Beach, showcasing its qualifying prowess with a third consecutive pole position in as many races. BMW M Team RLL’s car #24, driven by Dries Vanthoor, continued its undefeated streak in qualifying, and teammate Sheldon van der Linde put the sister #25 BMW in second place, locking out the front row for the team. This one-two qualifying punch underscored the BMW prototype’s raw speed and had the team optimistic heading into the 100-minute street race.
Both BMW M Hybrid V8 entries jumped out front early in the race, but a pit stop issue soon compromised their advantage during the first full-course caution period?. A mistimed stop saw both cars lose valuable track position; in particular, the #25 dropped to the tail of the GTP field after the driver change. From there, Marco Wittmann – who took over the second car – delivered a determined comeback drive, fighting his way up from tenth to a fifth-place finish by the chequered flag?.
Up ahead, the pole-sitting #24 machine (shared by Vanthoor and Philipp Eng) relinquished the lead only to a pair of charging Porsche 963s, ultimately securing third place and a spot on the podium?. Eng’s third-place result marked BMW M Team RLL’s first podium of the season?, an encouraging milestone after narrowly missing out in the earlier rounds.
Despite the podium finish, the team’s post-race mood was cautious optimism. The BMW camp was proud of the M Hybrid V8’s pace – highlighted by three poles in three events – but acknowledged that cleaner execution in the race is needed to convert such performance into victories?. Team personnel noted that locking out the front row was a fantastic achievement, yet a minor pit lane misstep had cost them a shot at the win at Long Beach?.
On the positive side, the strong recovery by the second car reinforced confidence in the car’s capabilities, and the first podium provided a tangible reward for their efforts. Armed with a potent package and lessons learned, BMW M Team RLL aims to refine its race strategy and eliminate errors, intent on turning its proven speed into a breakthrough victory as the IMSA season progresses.
