ÅðéóôñïöÞ óôï Forum : ALMS 2012
ALMS Winter Test
Sebring International Raceway / 3.7 miles / February 8 - 9, 2012 / Sebring, Florida
Practice 1 (http://www.americanlemans.com/files/results/ALMS%20Winter%20Test%20Practice%201.pdf)
Practice 2 (http://www.americanlemans.com/files/results/ALMS%20Winter%20Test%20Practice%202.pdf)
Practice 3 (http://www.americanlemans.com/files/results/ALMS%20Winter%20Test%20Practice%203.pdf)
Practice 4 (http://www.americanlemans.com/files/results//ALMS%20Winter%20Test%20Practice%204.pdf)
BMW Team RLL kicks off the 2012 ALMS season in Sebring.
BMW Motorsport Press Release 12.03.2012
Munich, 12th March 2012. BMW Team RLL launches the defence of its titles in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at the 12 Hours of Sebring (US) this Saturday. The “Sebring International Raceway” is the oldest circuit in North America and this year hosts the spectacular endurance race for the 60th time.
This is not the only important anniversary this year: BMW M is celebrating its 40th birthday in 2012. A BMW M3 has triumphed in the GT class at Sebring on four occasions – 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2011. BMW also has two overall victories to its name. In 1975 the BMW 3.0 CSL won in Florida, while the BMW V12 LMR prototype crossed the line first after 12 hours in 1999.
Joey Hand (US) and Dirk Müller (DE) return to the ALMS as reigning GT champions. This year they will once again alternate behind the wheel of the no. 56 BMW M3 GT. Twenty three-year-old Jonathan Summerton (US) will join them as the third driver in Sebring, and will also line up at a further three races over the course of the season.
The no.55 BMW M3 GT, which finished runner-up in Sebring last season, will be driven by Bill Auberlen (US) and Jörg Müller (DE). Auberlen has finished third in the Drivers¢ Championship for the last two seasons. Jörg Müller is contesting his first ALMS season since 2001, when he won the GT title in the BMW M3 GTR. BMW Team RLL has called on the services of another old hand as this car¢s third driver, in the form of Uwe Alzen (DE). The German is also due to start at the “Petit Le Mans” in Road Atlanta (US).
Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):
“This weekend BMW Team RLL gets down to business in the American Le Mans Series for the first time since it won its titles in 2011. Everyone has worked hard through the winter to ensure that we remain successful with the BMW M3 GT this season. We will be the team to beat, but we are ready for that challenge. I am delighted that we will once again be represented by such an experienced and impressive team of drivers. Everything is in place for us to enjoy another strong year. Now we are all excited to see how the balance of power pans out in Sebring.”
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal):
“We¢ve made a number of changes this season. Although not as outwardly obvious as in previous years, we have continued to develop the BMW M3 GT for this season. For 2012, most of the improvements are under the skin to take advantage of some of the new tyres that Dunlop has developed. As we¢ve done in every season, the driver line-up has been modified with Jörg Müller replacing Dirk Werner for the season. We¢ve also added Uwe Alzen as a third driver at both Sebring and Petit. I¢m also excited to add Jonathan Summerton for four races to substitute for Joey. Along with my son Graham, Jonathan was one of the first six Formula BMW USA scholarship winners in 2004. I believe Jonathan will do a good job for us. Anchoring the line-up will, of course, be Bill Auberlen and Dirk Müller.”
Bill Auberlen (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):
“I can¢t wait for Sebring. I am looking forward to co-driving with Jörg Müller this year and have my fingers crossed that we find success together. The competition is going to be brutal, but we know our cars very well and the team which will work to find every advantage.”
Jörg Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):
“I have great memories of Sebring. I won there with the BMW V12 LMR in 1999, then won the GT class two years later with the BMW M3 GTR. The season kicks off with a real highlight at Sebring. I always feel very at home in America. Bill Auberlen, Uwe Alzen and I have experienced a lot in motor racing, and our wealth of experience will stand us in good stead.”
Uwe Alzen (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):
“What could be better than to start the season in sunny Florida, and at a fantastic event like the 12 Hours of Sebring. This circuit is a law unto itself. It covers a long distance, and we have to contend with the prototypes, so it will not be an easy race. I spend a lot of time in Florida every year, so this is something of a home race for me.”
Joey Hand (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):
“I am more than ready for Sebring this year as I¢ve spent more time testing than ever before. We have tested the ALMS M3 GT twice at Sebring already and I have only recently returned from the test in the BMW M3 DTM in Portugal. Added to that was a week of physical training in Italy. I would love to get the ALMS season started like we did last year with a 1-2 finish. Momentum is important in racing and there is no reason why BMW Team RLL can¢t keep our championship form rolling on this year.”
Dirk Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):
“Finally the waiting is over. Everyone at BMW Motorsport, BMW Team RLL and Dunlop is highly motivated to defend the titles we won last year. The preparations have been excellent and I am very optimistic that we will have another successful season. It certainly won't be easy, but we are well prepared. It feels great to be the team to beat again.”
Jonathan Summerton (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):
“I appreciate the opportunity BMW has given me and will do everything I can to support the BMW Team RLL programme at Sebring. I have had two productive tests with the team and feel ready for my first sports car endurance race.”
BMW Team RLL kicks off ALMS season in Sebring.
BMW Team RLL launches the defence of its titles in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at the 12 Hours of Sebring this Saturday.
http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/var/ezwebin_site/storage/images/motorsport/aktuell/2012/maerz/bmw_team_rll_startet_in_sebring_in_die_alms_saison/2681652-1-eng-GB/bmw_team_rll_kicks_off_alms_season_in_sebring_news _detail.jpg
The "Sebring International Raceway" is the oldest circuit in North America and this year hosts the spectacular endurance race for the 60th time. This is not the only important anniversary this year: BMW M is celebrating its 40th birthday in 2012. A BMW M3 has triumphed in the GT class at Sebring on three occasions – 1997, 1998 and 2011. BMW also has two overall victories to its name. In 1975 the BMW 3.0 CSL won in Florida, while the BMW V12 LMR prototype crossed the line first after 12 hours in 1999.
Joey Hand and Dirk Müller return to the ALMS as reigning GT champions. This year they will once again alternate behind the wheel of the no. 56 BMW M3 GT. Twenty three-year-old Jonathan Summerton will join them as the third driver in Sebring, and will also line up at a further three races over the course of the season.
The no.55 BMW M3 GT, which finished runner-up in Sebring last season, will be driven by Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller. Auberlen has finished third in the Drivers¢ Championship for the last two seasons. Jörg Müller is contesting his first ALMS season since 2001, when he won the GT title in the BMW M3 GTR. BMW Team RLL has called on the services of another old hand as this car¢s third driver, in the form of Uwe Alzen. The German is also due to start at the "Petit Le Mans" in Road Atlanta.
60th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Practice 3 (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/ALMS%20Sebring%20Practice%203.pdf)
Kristensen Sets Pace During Hectic Sebring Night Practice
BMW¢s Hand leads close GT battle on Thursday night
http://americanlemans.com/sites/default/files/Audi-031512-1.jpg
Tom Kristensen¢s Audi R18 was the only one of the three diesel-powered factory prototypes to emerge unscathed from a hectic nighttime practice session Thursday at Sebring International Raceway. The Dane made his fortunes count with the fastest time on the evening – a 1:47.049 in the Audi R18 that he will share with Allan McNish and Dindo Capello in Saturday¢s 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida.
The riveting night practice ended a day that saw a different Audi lead each of the three practice sessions in the run-up to the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and the FIA World Endurance Championship season-openers.
Kristensen was just 0.328 seconds clear of Andre Lotterer in the sister car at the end of the session that was extended 20 minutes due to multiple red-flag periods.
There was a bit of drama in the Audi camp a little more than midway through the session. Duval ran into the back of Nick Heidfeld¢s Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota after Heidfeld had to stop in order to avoid NGT Motorsport¢s spinning Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Loic Duval couldn¢t get his car restarted and was hit from behind by Marcel Fassler – Lotterer¢s teammate – in a second Audi.
Fassler¢s car appeared to sustain the brunt of the impact with damage to the front end but was able to return. Duval wasn¢t as lucky as his car didn¢t turn another lap. It still held the third-fastest lap thanks to Duval¢s time of 1:48.752.
Stephane Sarrazin posted the fastest P2 time on his second-to-last lap with a 1:51.824 in Starworks Motorsports¢ HPD ARX-03b. The Frenchman was a second quicker than Oak Racing¢s Olivier Pla in his Morgan-Judd with Ryan Hunter-Reay another 0.32 seconds back in the first of Level 5 Motorsports¢ HPD prototypes.
Joey Hand put BMW Team RLL on top in GT for the first time this week with a lap of 2:00.258. Hand and Dirk Mueller were part of the BMW¢s class win in last year¢s race, and the American led AF Corse¢s Gimmi Bruni by 0.065 seconds Thursday night.
Corvette Racing¢s Jan Magnussen sat third in class with a lap of 2:00.415 in his Corvette C6.R. The top four cars were within 0.17 seconds.
Raphael Matos went fasted in Prototype Challenge for Performance Tech Motorsports with a lap of 1:56.789. His time in the Performance Tech ORECA FLM09 put him 0.127 seconds quicker than Pablo Sanchez in the first of two Merchant Services Racing entries.
Dane Cameron was third-quickest for Dempsey Racing at 1:57.113.
Dominik Farnbacher set the fastest lap in GTE Am for Luxury Racing, the second time he did so on the day. His Ferrari F458 Italia turned a lap of 2:01.864 and put him 0.524 seconds ahead of Krohn Racing¢s Nic Jonsson, also in a Ferrari.
TRG¢s Spencer Pumpelly turned in the best GT Challenge lap on his final time around the circuit with a 2:07.623 in the team¢s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. It was just enough to top Green Racing Hornet¢s Sebastiaan Bleekemolen by 0.054 seconds.
The final practice session at Sebring is set for 9:55 a.m. ET. Qualifying will start at 3:20 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN3 in the United States and on alms.com outside the U.S.
Tom Kristensen, Audi Sport Team Joest
No. 2 Audi R18 (P1)
“Everyone has prepared hard as you can see with the turnout and more than 60 cars. You can call it action-packed or you can call it a nightmare. It is really difficult to find your way around here with that many cars. It¢s a big challenge to run competitive lap times with that traffic. In the night practice, everything didn¢t go completely smooth for all of us at Audi. With these type of cars, we have bad visibility and our sister cars No. 1 and No. 3 had contact with the Rebellion car at Turn 7. It is tough to see through there. So it was bad luck for one of them who couldn¢t get out again. Generally we are pretty happy and we were fastest in the night. It is a tough race and you need to be spot-on. It looks like the other cars in the P1 class can go further on their fuel than we can. So that could be a strategic advantage for them in the race.”
Luis Diaz, Level 5 Motorsports
HPD ARX-03b (P2)
“Ryan and I were about the same in speed tonight. We are happy with the performance of the car and the team. But it is going to be a very busy race for us for us and the many cars and traffic. The race will be physically challenging but tough mentally too. Because you have to be aware of everything around you with just so many cars. Things are happening already on the track. I saw three or four times that cars are getting together and it is only Thursday. Could somebody tell them that the race is on Saturday, please? This is a 12-hour race. We need to stay on the lead lap for the first eight hours, then we need to press for the first eight hours, then we push hard for the finish. We can¢t get too aggressive too early in the race. But I think we can win it.”
Andy Lally, Flying Lizard Motorsports
No. 44 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT)
“It¢s been a pretty productive week so far with us here at Flying Lizard. We¢re still sorting out a couple of little new car issues but a lot of it is just getting myself, Seth (Neiman) and Darren (Law) all on the same page and working together. We¢re liking the changes we¢ve made since yesterday. So far, so good. I like the car. It¢s my first time ever driving an RSR after all of these years. It¢s going in the right direction and I think it will be decent for the race.”
Bryan Sellers, Team Falken Tire
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (GT)
“So far things are going OK. We have had some problems through the week trying to get the balance right but I feel like we have constantly been gaining ground. It¢s a new car and a new tire for us so it¢s always going to be a little bit of a struggle to get a hold of everything. We¢re making progress and this is the best the Falken Porsche has been to-date. We still have some room to improve but we¢re better than we were a few days ago.”
The 2012 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón begins with the 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida on Saturday on March 17. The race, set for 10:30 a.m. ET, will be broadcast at noon March 18 on ABC and shown live on ESPN3.
The race is available to international audiences on MotorsTV in Europe, Fox Latin America, Rogers Sportnet in Canada, ESPN International, Fox Mideast and on ALMS.com.
Visit ALMS.com for information on tickets and area accommodations. Follow the Series on Twitter (@almsnotes, #Sebring12), Facebook and our official YouTube channel.
http://americanlemans.com/sites/default/files/BMW-Joey-Hand-031512-1.jpg
60th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring
Provisional Grid (http://www.americanlemans.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/ALMS-WEC%20Provisional%20Grid.pdf)
Link ãéá ôïí áãþíá ðïõ áñ÷ßæåé 16:30 (http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-2/18/16/v-381772.html)
Solid qualifying for BMW Team RLL.
BMW Team RLL completed the first qualifying session of the 2012 American Le Mans Series in Sebring today. Joey Hand, at the wheel of the no. 56 BMW M3 GT, set the third-fastest time of 1:59.776 minutes in the ALMS GT category. Jörg Müller came sixth in the number 155 car.
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The new seasons for both the ALMS and the FIA World Endurance Championship get underway at the “Sebring International Raceway” this weekend. In total, 64 cars will line up at the iconic circuit in Florida. When the 60th staging of the 12 Hours of Sebring gets underway at 10:30hrs local time (14:30 GMT) on Saturday, the two reigning GT champions, Joey Hand and Dirk Müller, will share the cockpit of their BMW M3 GT with Jonathan Summerton. Bill Auberlen and Uwe Alzen will be in action alongside Jörg Müller in the sister car.
Team principal Bobby Rahal said: “The front-runners might be a few tenths ahead of us. However, qualifying is one thing, but the race will be a completely different ballgame. It¢s tomorrow that it counts. We will try to stay out of trouble, make no mistakes at the pit stops and put in consistent lap times. And then we will have to wait and see how the race develops.”
“I love qualifying the car and the bit of extra tension that comes along with it," added Hand. "Overall I was really happy with the car. The Dunlop tyres worked very well. For the first time our rivals showed their full potential, so there¢s quite a lot of work ahead of us. However, in tomorrow¢s race it will be all about consistency. And in this respect I know just how strong our team is. The race will definitely be a completely different affair.”
Êáé íáé ç ïìÜäá ôçò RLL BMW êÝñäéóå ôï 12ùñï Sebring!!!
ÌðñÜâï óôï ðñÜìá!!
In touch with the front-runners.
After the first half of the 12 Hours of Sebring – the season opener of the 2012 American Le Mans Series – BMW Team RLL is running in promising positions.
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In the ALMS GT category the two BMW M3 GT cars were third and fourth respectively after six hours, while the no. 04 Chevrolet Corvette led this class. Dirk Müller started the 60th running of the endurance classic at the wheel of car number 56 and completed a double-stint. He handed over his BMW M3 GT to Joey Hand, with whom he won the ALMS GT drivers¢ title in 2011. Hand also spent more than two hours in the cockpit, before Jonathan Summerton got into the car for the first time.
Bill Auberlen was at the wheel of the no. 155 BMW M3 GT in the opening stages of the race, afterwards Jörg Müller completed his first race laps in Sebring since 2001. He did a double-stint, just as Uwe Alzen did after another pit stop.
Both cars were forced to pay the pit lane an unscheduled visit in the first part of the race for stop-and-go penalties. According to race control, car number 155 had overtaken under yellows, while no. 56 was caught for speeding in the pit lane.
BMW Team RLL wins Sebring 12h thriller.
BMW Team RLL had an excellent start to the 2012 American Le Mans Series season. At the 60th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring the no. 56 BMW M3 GT claimed overall victory in the GT class after 307 laps of the “Sebring International Raceway” and a dramatic final stage of the race.
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Over the course of the thrilling marathon, Dirk Müller, Joey Hand and Jonathan Summerton shared the driving duties. Last year, Müller and Hand (along with Andy Priaulx) crossed the line as winners in the BMW M3 GT at the season opener. The sister BMW M3 GT, number 155 was driven by Jörg Müller, Bill Auberlen and Uwe Alzen. The trio finished the race, which saw a combined field of ALMS GT cars and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) GTE entries, in fifth overall and scored fourth place points in ALMS GT class.
Summerton experienced a perfect debut in sports car racing by making it to the top step of the podium. With today¢s win, a BMW M3 has now emerged victorious in the GT class of this event for the fourth time: 1997, 1998, 2011 and 2012. BMW claimed overall victory in 1975 with the BMW 3.0 CSL as well as with the BMW V12 LMR in 1999. With BMW M celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, this historic win comes as the perfect present.
In contrast to many of their competitors, the BMW drivers managed to keep out of any turmoil in the first half of the race. Their BMW M3 GT cars enabled them to clock consistent lap times, keeping in touch with the front-runners throughout the race. As the race developed, a gripping duel between BMW Team RLL and the two Chevrolet Corvettes kept the fans on their feet, all four cars only seconds apart for several hours. More than ten full-course yellows kept the GT field close until the closing stages of the contest. Only in the dying moments of the race were the BMW drivers were able to seal their second consecutive Sebring GT win. Both Hand and Jörg Müller were both victims of contact in the final minutes of the race. While Hand successfully defended his lead despite driving a heavily damaged car, Jörg Müller lost third position in the ALMS class.
BMW Team RLL wins dramatic GT battle
Joey Hand won GT for BMW Team RLL after a wild last two laps that ended with the team¢s second straight Sebring victory with the BMW M3 GT. It was a frantic race for much of the second half with six cars in position for the lead. Hand, who battled the last three laps with AF Corse¢s Olivier Beretta, appeared to lose the lead on the final lap when he was forced off course by Gimmi Bruni in an AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia.
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Hand went off track but never stopped or lost the lead thanks to a remarkable recovery.
“We talked about this - what we had to do for this race,” Hand said. We knew we didn¢t have the ultimate lap. We knew we had the smartest guys – starting with Bobby Rahal – then BMW, Dunlop, a lot of great people. We had four or five issues that could have taken us laps down.”
“This wasn¢t GT; this was touring car,” said Mueller, who won the class championship with Hand last season. “We were flat out like a sprint the whole time. The win was really fantastic. Joey mentioned everybody; it's not a driver's job. It¢s a team sport. Where we are now with the team is really special.”
Corvette Racing¢s trio of Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor also got around Beretta at the finish and ended 6.3 seconds behind the BMW. Beretta, Andrea Bertolini and Marco Cioci placed third in their Ferrari F458 Italia.
“(Hand) wants to win, we want to win and that was just racing,” Beretta said. “He was on the outside line and there is not as much grip especially on the last lap of the race. It was just the racing circumstances.”
60th Anniversary Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida
Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Fla.
Saturday¢s results
1. (2) Allan McNish, Scotland; Tom Kristensen, Denmark; Dindo Capello, Italy; Audi R18 (1, P1), 325.
2. (3) Timo Bernhard, Germany; Romain Dumas, France; Loic Duval, France; Audi R18 (2, P1), 321.
3. (12) Stephane Sarrazin; Vicente Potolicchio; Ryan Dalziel; HPD ARX-03b Honda (3, P2), 319.
4. (16) Scott Tucker; Christophe Bouchut, France; Joao Barbosa, Portugal; HPD ARX-03b (4, P2), 319.
5. (11) Olivier Pla; Jacques Nicolet, Paris, France; Mattieu Lahaye; Morgan/Judd (5, P2), 318.
6. (10) Emmanuel Collard, France; Jean-Christophe Boullion, Plaisir, France; Julien Jousse, FRA; Pescarolo Judd (6, P1), 318.
7. (19) Pierre Kaffer; Soheil Ayari, Aix-les-Bains, Savoie; Luis Companc; Oreca/Nissan (7, P2), 317.
8. (23) Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Guy Smith, Beverley, UK; Steven Kane, Newtownards, IRE; Lola B12/60 Mazda (8, P1), 317.
9. (13) Elton Julian, Los Angeles, CA; Christian Zugel; Ricardo Gonzalez; Zytek Z11SN-Nissan (9, P2), 316.
10. (7) Jonny Kane, Ireland; Nick Leventis, GBR; Danny Watts, UK; HPD ARX-03a Honda (10, P1), 316.
11. (15) John Martin; Tor Graves; Robbie Kerr; Oreca 03 Nissan (11, P2), 315.
12. (22) Alex Papow; E.J. Viso; Burt Frisselle, Kihei, HI; Oreca FLM09 (12, PC), 312.
13. (28) Butch Leitzinger, State College, PA; Ken Dobson, Carmel Valley, CA; Rudy Junco Jr.; Oreca FLM09 (13, PC), 311.
14. (20) Thomas Holzer; Mirco Schultis; Luca Moro; Lola B12/80 Coupe Lotus (14, P2), 310.
15. (26) Jon Bennett; Colin Braun, Ovalo, TX; Eric Lux, Jacksonville, FL; Oreca FLM09 (15, PC), 310.
16. (1) Marcel Fassler, Switzerland; Andre Lotterer, Duisburg, DE; Benoit Treluyer, Alencon, FR; Audi R18 (16, P1), 310.
17. (6) David Brabham, Australia; Karun Chandhok, IND; Peter Dumbreck, Scotland; HPD ARX-03a Honda (17, P1), 309.
18. (36) Dirk Mueller; Jonathon Summerton; Joey Hand, Sacramento, CA; BMW E92 M3 (1, GT), 307.
19. (33) Jan Magnussen; Antonio Garcia; Jordan Taylor, Apopka, FL; Corvette C6-ZR1 (2, GT), 307.
20. (35) Olivier Beretta; Marco Cioci; Andrea Bertolini; Ferrari F458 Italia (3, GT), 307.
21. (34) Oliver Gavin; Tom Milner, Leesburg, VA; Richard Westbrook; Corvette C6-ZR1 (4, GT), 307.
22. (42) Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, CA; Uwe Alzen, Germany; Jorg Muller, Germany; BMW E92 M3 (5, GT), 307.
23. (41) Richard Lietz; Marc Lieb; Patrick Pilet; Porsche 911 RSR 997 (6, GT), 306.
24. (48) Sascha Maassen; Robert Bell; Bryce Miller, Hoboken, NJ; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (7, GT), 303.
25. (25) Pablo Sanchez; Chapman Ducote, Miami, FL; Javier Echeverria; Oreca FLM09 (8, PC), 303.
26. (57) Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA; Andy Lally, New York, NY; Darren Law, Phoenix, AZ; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (9, GT), 303.
27. (43) Anthony Lazzaro, Acworth, GA; Ed Brown, Las Vegas, NV; Jeff Segal, Miami, FL; Ferrari F458 Italia (10, GT), 303.
28. (4) Klaus Graf, Germany; Simon Pagenaud, France; Lucas Luhr, Germany; HPD ARX-03a (11, P1), 302.
29. (47) Paolo Ruberti; Christian Ried, Schoeneburg, Germany; Gianluca Roda, Como, Italy; Porsche 911 RSR 997 (12, GTE-AM), 298.
30. (62) Jon Fogarty, Los Gatos, CA; Tim Pappas, Boston, MA; Brett Curtis, Valencia, CA; Lola B11/80 HPD (13, P2), 298.
31. (49) Jean-Philippe Belloc; Christophe Bourret; Pascal Gibon; Corvette C6-ZR1 (14, GTE-AM), 297.
32. (8) Neel Jani; Nick Heidfeld; Nicolas Prost; Lola B12/60 Coupe Toyota (15, P1), 296.
33. (55) Dion von Moltke, Coral Gables, FL; Bill Sweedler, Westport, CT; Townsend Bell, Santa Monica, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (1, GTC), 292.
34. (39) Darren Turner; Stefan Mucke; Adrian Fernandez; Aston Martin Vantage V8 (16, GT), 292.
35. (54) Leh Keen, Dublin, GA; LP Dumoulin; Cooper MacNeil; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (2, GTC), 291.
36. (9) Andrea Belicchi, Itally; Harold Primat, Switzerland; Joeren Bleekemolen, Netherlands; Lola B12/60 Coupe Toyota (3, P1), 291.
37. (53) Damien Faulkner; Sebastiaan Bleekemolen; Peter Lesaffre, Rye, NH; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (4, GTC), 290.
38. (45) Wolf Henzler; Bryan Sellers, Centerville, OH; Martin Ragginger; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (17, GT), 290.
39. (46) Pedro Lamy, Lisbon Portugal; Patrick Bornhauser; Julien Canal, Le Mans, France; Corvette C6-ZR1 (18, GTE-AM), 288.
40. (59) Emilio Di Guida; Marc Bunting, Monkton, MD; Spencer Pumpelly, Mason Neck, VA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (5, GTC), 287.
41. (50) Rui Aguas; Robert Kauffman; Michael Waltrip, Owensboro, KY; Ferrari F458 Italia (6, GTE-AM), 283.
42. (27) Michael Guasch, Palo Alto, CA; Memo Gidley, San Rafael, CA; Roger Wills, Timaru, New Zealand; Oreca FLM09 (7, PC), 282.
43. (56) Kevin Estre; Chris Cumming, Vancouver, BC; Mark Bullitt, Miami, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (8, GTC), 282.
44. (17) Martin Plowman, Indianapolis, IN; David Heinemeier Hansson; Jan Heylen; Morgan/Judd (9, P2), 281.
45. (61) Michael Aventatti; Cort Wagner, Pacific Palisades, CA; Bob Faieta, Tujunga, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (10, GTC), 279.
46. (37) Guy Cosmo, Long Island, NY; Scott Sharp, Jupiter, FL; Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA; Ferrari F458 Italia (19, GT), 278.
47. (64) Fabien Giroix, Saint-Maur, France; Stefan Johansson; Maxime Jousse; Lola B12/80 Coupe Nissan (20, P2), 277.
48. (60) James Sofronas, Newport Beach, CA; Alex Welch; Rene Villeneuve; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (11, GTC), 276.
49. (30) Raphael Matos; Anthony Nicolosi, Brooklyn, NY; Ricardo Vera; Oreca FLM09 (12, PC), 274.
50. (44) Nic Jonsson; Michele Rugulo; Tracy Krohn, Houston, TX; Ferrari F458 Italia (13, GTE-AM), 265.
51. (21) Bruno Junqueira; Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, CA; Roberto Gonzalez; Oreca FLM09 (14, PC), 255.
52. (51) Joel Camathias, Switzerland; William Binnie, Portsmouth, NH; Markus Palttala; Porsche 911 RSR 997 (15, GTE-AM), 252.
53. (38) Jorg Bergmeister; Patrick Long, Oak Park, CA; Marco Holzer; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (21, GT), 251.
54. (58) Nicki Thiim; Angel Andres Benitez, Jr; Angel Raphael Benitez, Sr; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (16, GTC), 236.
55. (5) Guillaume Moreau, FRA; Bertrand Baguette, BEL; Dominik Kraihamer, AUT; Oak Pescarolo Judd (17, P1), 233.
56. (31) Toni Vilander; Giancarlo Fisichella , Rome, Italy; Gianmaria Bruni; Ferrari F458 GT (22, GT), 215.
57. (52) Sean Edwards; Carlos Kauffmann, Miami, FL; Henrique Cisneros, Miami, FL; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (18, GTC), 205.
58. (24) Dane Cameron, Sonom, CA; Henri Richard; Duncan Ende, Los Angeles; Oreca FLM09 (19, PC), 173.
59. (18) Luis Diaz, Mexico; Ryan Hunter-Reay, Boca Raton; Scott Tucker; HPD ARX-03b (20, P2), 85.
60. (14) Franck Mailleux; Olivier Lombard, Poissy, France; Jordan Tresson, FRA; Oreca 03 Nissan (21, P2), 85.
61. (32) Jaime Melo; Jean-Karl Vernay; Frederic Makowiecki; Ferrari F458 Italia (23, GT), 83.
62. (29) Kyle Marcelli; Lucas Downs, North Mankoto, MN; Dean Stirling; Oreca FLM09 (24, PC), 38.
63. (40) Dominik Farnbacher, Germany; Francois Jakubowski; Pierre Ehret, Santa Rosa, CA; Ferrari F458 Italia (26, GTE-AM), 0.
http://americanlemans.com/sites/default/files/Audi-031512-1.jpg
ÐñïóùðéêÜ, áõôÞ ç åéêüíá ìå ÷áëÜåé. Äåí ìðïñþ íá ðáñáêïëïõèÞóù áãþíá ìå "áíüìïéá" (åìöáíéóéáêÜ) áõôïêßíçôá.
Óõìöùíþ, êáé ãéá áõôü ðåñéìÝíù ôï DTM ìå áíõðïìïíçóßá.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iigzv4gXkQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoaBSw_9L4k
Long Beach Street Circuit / 1.968 miles / April 13 - 14, 2012 / Long Beach, California
Qualifying (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/ALMS%20Long%20Beach%20Final%20Grid.pdf)
Race (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/ALMS%20Long%20Beach%20Provisional%20Race.pdf)
Second place thanks to strong Dunlop tyres.
With a second-place GT class finish by the no. 56 BMW M3 GT in the second round of the American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, BMW is now tied for the manufacturer¢s point lead. The second podium of the young ALMS season for Joey Hand and Dirk Müller solidifies their lead in the driver¢s standings.
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The defending GT driver co-champions started the race from the class pole with Hand at the wheel of the no. 56 BMW M3 GT. He led the race for the opening 16 laps until a prototype ran into him causing a puncture of the right rear tyre. Hand pitted for fuel and four new tyres, returning to the race in the seventh. The races only caution period brought him back to the pits on lap 41 where Team Principal Bobby Rahal made a bold strategic move to not change tyres and jump the field in the pits to send the BMW Motorsport driver out in the lead. Müller lost the lead, but drove a strong stint to extend BMW Team RLL¢s Long Beach podium streak to four years.
Team-mates Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller, driving the no. 55 BMW M3 GT, finished out of the points in 11th. Müller, making his first start at Long Beach, was the victim of a first lap accident that forced him to the pits for lengthy repairs to replace the radiator. He returned 13 laps down to the leaders, but put his head down, setting some of the fastest laps of that part of the race. He handed off to Auberlen during the race¢s only caution period and the Californian, who had finished in the top-3 here in both 2009 and 2010, did not disappoint his home race fans as he circulated at a very fast pace until the chequered flag.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal): “A great day for Dunlop. We double-stinted the tyres at Sebring and that¢s what got us the win. Here we asked for the same thing. There was no question that we had to leap frog the field after being hit and having a flat tyre. We didn¢t have enough to beat the no. 4 Corvette, but we held everyone else off. We'll take a well-deserved second place.”
Dirk Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 56): “That race was certainly was another mileage test for Dunlop. Bobby and Chris made the right call and it paid off. I knew I had to go a full stint on tyres that had already gone 25 laps so I focused on their management – not what was behind me.”
Joey Hand (BMW M3 GT – No. 56): “We won the race at Sebring by double stinting tyres and we placed here the same way. It says a lot to have that kind of confidence in a tyre that not only has the performance, but it will also go the distance. I know I can¢t win the Championship again this year, but I really, really want to do my best to help the team, BMW and Dirk repeat."
Jörg Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 55): “It¢s disappointing that I got trapped in an accident on the second lap. The Corvette braked very hard and I had nowhere to go. We had to change the radiator so we lost many laps. Afterwards the car was still fast. It¢s a shame when you have the real potential to win the race and you don¢t get any points.”
Bill Auberlen (BMW M3 GT – No. 55): “The No. 55 M3 was a rocket ship today, but you need luck at Long Beach. Traffic got stacked up and Jörg got into it. The radiator was damaged, but after he went back out he was the fastest car on the track. It hurts to know how hard everybody worked and that we had a car that could win, but could not show it.”
http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/dam/bmw/sportsmarketing/BMW_Motorsport/Content%20Bilder/Aktuell/News/Detail/News%20April%202012/Content_ALMS_Long_Beach_2.jpg.resource.13344828164 31.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu2MKxHoKJo&feature=digest_wed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWS8cB2rA7M&feature=digest_wed
Mazda Raceway, Corkscrew Familiar Territory for Auberlen
Long-time BMW ace¢s first Monterey race came in 1987
This marks Bill Auberlen¢s 25th year of racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca… and 25 years of navigating the Corkscrew.
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The complex – turns 8 and 8A on a track map - is one of racing¢s most iconic corners. It features an 18 percent drop from the entry of Turn 8 to the apex of 8A. A race car drops five-and-half stories by the time it exits the Corkscrew – a span of 450 feet of track.
Auberlen says the Corkscrew is still a challenge after all these years; he first raced on the Monterey circuit in 1987. He and the rest of BMW Team RLL revisit the Corkscrew this weekend during the American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patrón. The six-hour race is the third round of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón championship.
“As cars are getting better and better, you slow down easier into the corner,” said Auberlen, who drives a BMW M3 GT with Jörg Müller. “You have traction control and aids that get you through there easier than before. It¢s a joy now and still a thrill to dive off it and use markers in the distance to guide you through.”
Auberlen¢s history in Monterey includes driving Porsches, Mazdas and a Panoz, but he spent most of his time driving BMWs through the years. He won an IMSA World Sports Car race in 1998 at Mazda Raceway driving a BMW-powered prototype and was third a year later in a BMW V12 LMR.
“With the M3 GT, you can attack (the Corkscrew) much harder because you have less power,” he said. “In the prototype, you could smoke the tires off the top and go around but the grip came in at the bottom of the hill. With all the horsepower you had to really be careful on the entry not to overdo it.”
The American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patrón is set for 1:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 12, from the 2.238-mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. ESPN2 airs the race at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 13. Live coverage is available starting at 4:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.
The Series¢ website offers additional content such as live in-car cameras, and timing and scoring for all users around the world. Viewers outside the U.S. can watch the Monterey round and all ALMS races live on ALMS.com.
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American Le Mans Series Monterey Presented by Patrón
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca / 2.238 miles / May 10 - 12, 2012 / Monterey, CA
Qualifying (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/ALMS%20MRLS%20Qualifying.pdf)
BMW Team RLL eyeing strong result at Laguna Seca.
Despite a clean sweep of the American Le Mans Series GT class championships in 2011 and the Manufacturer and Team titles in 2010, one important victory has thus far eluded BMW Team RLL.
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In both seasons Joey Hand and Dirk Müller have finished in the runner-up spot, but never on the top step of the Laguna Seca Raceway podium. This Saturday BMW Team RLL is hoping to change that for 2012.
BMW has shared a significant history with the classic 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course beginning with a win by Hans-Joachim Stuck and Dieter Quester in a BMW CSL in 1975. Nothing would please the Bobby Rahal-led team as much as adding one more Laguna Seca victory during BMW M¢s 40th anniversary year.
The six-hour American Le Mans Series Monterey race will be held on 12th May, therefore making its return as the third round of the series, as it was in 2010, rather than being the penultimate round of the championship like last year. The team arrives tied for the lead in the Manufacturer points standings. Hand and Müller sit atop the Driver points after a win at the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring and a second place finish four weeks ago at Long Beach.
Team-mates Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller finished fourth in the ALMS class at Sebring, but an early race collision at Long Beach knocked them out of a points-paying finish. Both BMW veterans know the way to victory lane at Laguna Seca, having won in significant BMW racing machines of previous years.
In 1998, Auberlen co-drove with Didier de Radiguès to the first BMW powered prototype win at Laguna Seca, so proving the engine package that would power BMW to the 1999 Le Mans victory. Müller shared a GT win with JJ Lehto at Laguna Seca in 2001 in the BMW M3 GTR on his way to that season¢s driver title.
“The last two years we were in a position to win the race but we failed to do so, so I¢m hopeful that the third time is the charm", says Team Principal Bobby Rahal. "The track has suited the car and we are hoping for a great result. Personally, and as a team, whether it be with BMW Team RLL or with the Indy car team, we have had a lot of success at Laguna Seca so we are hopeful the tradition continues.”
What the drivers say.
"Laguna Seca always gives the fans some of the best racing of the season", says Joey Hand. Read more driver comments on the exciting race in California.
Bill Auberlen (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):
“Our team was first and second with just minutes remaining in last year¢s race when we had a mechanical problem and the other BMW M3 GT fell back. Those days are over and we fully intend completing what we missed out on last year. The RLL team has been strong and the Dunlop tyres are even better so I am very positive about our potential.”
Jörg Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):
“My first time at Laguna Seca was 1998 in the GT1 World Championship in the Porsche GT1 and my last time was in 2001 in the BMW GTR. That was a few years ago, but Laguna Seca is a track you never forget with its famous Corkscrew chicane. I¢m really looking forward to this ace because the points we have in the championship at the moment do not show the pace and the performance of the no. 55 BMW M3 GT.”
Joey Hand (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):
“Laguna Seca always gives the fans some of the best racing of the season. The circuit is especially suited to the strengths of the BMW M3 GT and our Dunlop tyres so we have always been in the hunt. We¢ve come close to the win in the previous two years, but just have not closed the deal. With a bit of luck we will get the win this year.”
Dirk Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):
“I am really up for the race in Laguna Seca. The season has started brilliantly for me with the win in Sebring and second place in Long Beach. I have also finished on the podium at all my outings so far in the VLN Endurance Championship on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Long may this run continue. In 2010 and 2011 we finished runners-up to secure the title in Laguna Seca. As this year¢s event comes earlier in the calendar, we can take a more aggressive approach. I am really looking forward to it.”
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What a Day in Monterey: Corvette Wins as GT Steals Show
Graf, Luhr win overall for second straight ALMS race
Muscle Milk Pickett Racing cruised to its second straight victory in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón on Friday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. But another thrilling GT battle stole the show as Corvette Racing¢s Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner also took their second consecutive class win.
The last 90 minutes of the GT race undoubtedly was the highlight of the American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patrón. Seven cars in the class were within two seconds in the closing hour including the two Corvettes, BMW Team RLL¢s two BMW M3s and Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs from Flying Lizard Motorsports and Team Falken Tire.
Gavin made what turned out to be the winning pass in his Corvette C6.R on Team Falken Tire¢s Wolf Henzler with a little less than an hour left at the final turn. But the drama carried on for the next 60 minutes. Bill Auberlen in the No. 55 BMW M3 GT looked set to challenge Gavin for the race win before Jan Magnussen in the sister Corvette muscled his way past the BMW with less than 15 minutes to go.
“It was so tight in our class. You could never let off and think 'I'm alright now,¢” Gavin said. “I had a few close calls in the pitlane, and then Wolf passed me for the lead. He was hard but fair, and he gave me just enough room to get by at the last turn. I managed to sneak by a lot of people today, and we managed to catch all the breaks. It was a great race for me today.”
Two rare less-than-stellar pit stops seemed to take the No. 4 Corvette out of contention past the halfway point. First there was a refueling issue that sent the car from first to seventh under caution, and then the team couldn¢t get the left-rear tire changed on another stop. It was a sickening feeling, Milner admitted but hope always remained.
“It was frustrating, but the car really was one of the best race cars I've ever had,” Milner said. “I knew it would be tough to make it back to the front there. From first on back to sixth, the cars were so competitive. Passing is pretty difficult and I knew I had to bide my time, and be careful in many situations. I had a few close calls and a little contact, but beyond that we got up to third or fourth, gave it over to Oliver and he took it to the finish. “
Magnussen and Antonio Garcia wrapped up the Corvette 1-2 after Magnussen¢s daring pass. Their No. 3 Corvette also won the GT portion of the Michelin Green X Challenge due to its superior efficiency and emissions control compared to the rest of the GT cars.
Auberlen and Jörg Müller placed third in the GT standings.
American Le Mans Monterey presented by Patrón
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif.
Saturday¢s results
1. (1) Klaus Graf, Germany; Lucas Luhr, Germany; HPD ARX-03a Honda (1, P1), 242.
2. (4) Luis Diaz, Mexico; Scott Tucker; Franck Montagny, Brignoles France; HPD ARX-03b Honda (2, P2), 239.
3. (10) Colin Braun, Ovalo, TX; Jon Bennett; Oreca FLM09 (3, PC), 236.
4. (6) Roberto Gonzalez; Tomy Drissi, Hollywood, CA; Bruno Junqueira; Oreca FLM09 (4, PC), 236.
5. (7) Tom Kimber-Smith, England; Alex Papow; Oreca FLM09 (5, PC), 236.
6. (8) Michael Guasch, Palo Alto, CA; Memo Gidley, San Rafael, CA; Archie Hamilton, Hampshire, UK; Oreca FLM09 (6, PC), 236.
7. (12) Lucas Downs, North Mankoto, MN; Kyle Marcelli; Dean Stirling, England; Oreca FLM09 (7, PC), 234.
8. (9) Butch Leitzinger, State College, PA; Ken Dobson, Carmel Valley, CA; Oreca FLM09 (8, PC), 232.
9. (17) Oliver Gavin; Tom Milner, Leesburg, VA; Corvette C6-ZR1 (1, GT), 232.
10. (20) Jan Magnussen; Antonio Garcia; Corvette C6-ZR1 (2, GT), 232.
11. (18) Jorg Muller, Germany; Bill Auberlen, Hermosa Beach, CA; BMW E92 M3 (3, GT), 232.
12. (22) Dirk Mueller; Joey Hand, Sacramento, CA; BMW E92 M3 (4, GT), 232.
13. (21) Scott Sharp, Jupiter, FL; Johannes van Overbeek, San Francisco, CA; Ferrari F458 Italia (5, GT), 232.
14. (19) Patrick Long, Oak Park, CA; Jorg Bergmeister; Richard Lietz, Ybbsitz; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (6, GT), 232.
15. (24) Bryan Sellers, Centerville, OH; Wolf Henzler; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (7, GT), 232.
16. (11) Ryan Lewis, UK; Duncan Ende, Los Angeles; Henri Richard; Oreca FLM09 (8, PC), 231.
17. (16) Stefan Mucke, Germany; Darren Turner; Adrian Fernandez; Aston Martin Vantage (9, GT), 230.
18. (27) Marco Holzer; Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (10, GT), 230.
19. (25) Sascha Maassen; Bryce Miller, Hoboken, NJ; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (11, GT), 229.
20. (35) David Heinemeier Hansson; Martin Plowman, Indianapolis, IN; Antonio Pizzonia, Manaus BR; Morgan/Nissan (12, P2), 227.
21. (13) Anthony Nicolosi, Brooklyn, NY; Ricardo Vera; Oreca FLM09 (13, PC), 225.
22. (23) Guy Cosmo, Long Island, NY; Ed Brown, Las Vegas, NV; Ferrari F458 Italia (14, GT), 224.
23. (2) Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Johnny Mowlem, England; Guy Smith, Beverley, UK; Lola B12/60 Mazda (15, P1), 222.
24. (30) Emilio Di Guida; Joeren Bleekemolen, Netherlands; Brett Curtis, Valencia, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (1, GTC), 219.
25. (34) James Sofronas, Newport Beach, CA; Rene Villeneuve, Woodland Hills, CA; Alex Welch; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (2, GTC), 219.
26. (32) Michael Aventatti; Bob Faieta, Tujunga, CA; Cort Wagner, Pacific Palisades, CA; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (3, GTC), 219.
27. (33) Anthony Lazzaro, Acworth, GA; Cooper MacNeil; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (4, GTC), 216.
28. (28) Damien Faulkner; Sebastiaan Bleekemolen, Haarlem, NL; Peter Lesaffre, Rye, NH; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (5, GTC), 211.
29. (3) Scott Tucker; Christophe Bouchut, France; Franck Montagny, Brignoles France; HPD ARX-03b Honda (6, P2), 207.
30. (5) Joe Foster, Lawrenceville, GA; Jonny Cocker, UK; Patrick Dempsey; Lola B12/87-Judd BMW V8 (7, P2), 202.
31. (14) Andrew Prendeville, Chatham, NJ; Rusty Mitchell, Midland, TX; Duarte Felix de Costa, Cascias PT; Radical SR10/Rousch Yates (8, P2), 185.
32. (29) Nick Tandy; Mike Hedlund, Woodside, CA; Tracy Krohn, Houston, TX; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (9, GTC), 178.
33. (31) Martin Ragginger, Austria; Chris Cumming, Vancouver, BC; Matthew Marsh, Welwyn, UK; Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (10, GTC), 119.
34. (15) Tony Burgess, Canada; Antonio Downs, Minneapolis, MN; Chapman Ducote, Miami, FL; Oreca FLM09 (11, PC), 100.
35. (26) Townsend Bell, Santa Monica, CA; Bill Sweedler, Westport, CT; Lotus Evora/Cosworth (16, GT), 67.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESBIOjyLjg&feature=digest_thu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKEVkmuziBk&feature=digest_thu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgFlYNbrDUg&feature=digest_thu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kzkXN7cF4Q&feature=digest_thu
http://www.alms.com/articles/see-what-dunlop-tire-sees-around-mid-ohio
2012 American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix
Lime Rock Park / 1.474 miles / July 6 - 7, 2012 / Lakeville, CT
Provisional Grid (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/Lime%20Rock%20Provisional%20Grid.pdf)
Bill Auberlen will make his 100th ALMS start with his first Lime Rock pole position in the Series for the GT class. "Mr. BMW" set a lap of 50.290 (104.211 mph) in the BMW Team RLL BMW M3 GT that he drives with Jörg Müller. The time broke BMW RLL teammate Joey Hand's record from last year by 0.005 seconds.
Auberlen was 0.379 seconds quicker than Corvette Racing's Oliver Gavin who is teaming with Tommy Milner. The pairing won the previous two GT rounds. The second BMW Team RLL M3 GT of Joey Hand and Dirk Müller - last year's Lime Rock class winners - will start third. Hand posted a time of 51.334 (103.370 mph).
"We rolled off the truck really strong," Auberlen said. "We were really strong the first session and got better in the second. Qualifying went green and we banged a good lap out. The session went red (after one of Extreme Speed Motorsports' Ferraris went off at Turn 1) and we're lucky that the time was already there."
Even if his time didn't stand, Auberlen has experience in winning at Lime Rock from spots other than pole position.
"I remember a World Challenge race where I started in the rain from the pits and passed the entire field," he said. "At the end I wasn't sure where we finished. When I asked they said, 'Well you finished P1'. This weekend too, the BMW is really fast, and its such a great car. I know I can just focus on the hood emblem and it will take us to the checkered flag."
Auberlen has more than 10 career professional victories at Lime Rock Park but none in ALMS. He was a runner-up in 2010, and third in 2009 and 2006. Each of those results came in a BMW.
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2012 American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix
Lime Rock Park / 1.474 miles / July 6 - 7, 2012 / Lakeville, CT
Race (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/Lime%20Rock%20Provisional%20Race.pdf)
Pit Notes (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/Lime%20Rock%20Pit%20Notes_4.pdf)
Fifth and sixth for BMW Team RLL at Lime Rock Park.
BMW Team RLL fought back from a day of bad luck to finish fifth and sixth in the GT class at the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at Lime Rock Park.
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This result was the first time a BMW Team RLL car hasn¢t been on the podium at the team¢s home track, but a determined effort kept the squad in second place in the manufacturer points and very much in contention for a third consecutive GT class title. Victory was secured by the two Porsche drivers, Jörg Bergmeister and Patrick Long.
The two BMW M3 GT cars lined up at Lime Rock Park with a black ribbon attached to the right front fender of each car. This is in memory of a BMW Motorsport engineer who died suddenly in Munich on Friday night. The thoughts of his BMW Motorsport colleagues are with his family during this difficult time.
Joey Hand and Dirk Müller finished fifth in the no. 56 BMW M3 GT and now stand third in the driver points. Hand started the race from second and pitted under the race¢s first caution period for left side tyres and fuel on the 21st lap of the race on the1.5-mile, 8-turn Lime Rock Park circuit. He returned to the race in sixth and continued until lap 62 when he handed over Dirk Müller after a left front tyre puncture brought him to the pits. Müller had to make an unplanned pit stop on lap 70 to remove the hood after its mounting loosened and blocked his view. One lap down, he stayed in the car for the remainder of the race, ultimately completing 159 laps and finishing fifth.
Bill Auberlen qualified the no. 55 BMW M3 GT on pole for the GT class, but unfortunately the BMW ace had to start his 100th ALMS race from the pit lane after a fuel cell issue on the installation lap robbed him of his best starting position of the season. He did not wait long to make up time setting a new race record of 51.091 seconds on lap nine. He stayed out during the race¢s first caution period to regain more track position. Pitting under the green flag on lap 61 he handed over to Jörg Müller. The BMW Motorsport veteran was forced back to the pits 14 laps later with a left rear tyre puncture at the cost of one lap to the leaders. Müller remained in the car to the chequered flag, finishing sixth. Auberlen and Müller stand sixth in the driver points.
“Today was one tough day", says team principal Bobby Rahal. "We had a puncture on the 56 car and a fuel leak and a puncture on the 55 car. It was a long, hard day for us, but we scored points. We will need to finish in front of the Corvettes from here on out and that is going to be tough.”
BMW Team RLL aims to fight back at Mosport.
Round five of the ten-race 2012 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) will be held at Mosport International Raceway on Saturday. This track forms part of the newly renovated Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, in Bowmansville.
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Mosport is a very fast 2.459-mile, 10-turn circuit that has challenged drivers since 1961 and has only given up two third place finishes to BMW Team RLL in the previous three seasons of ALMS competition.
Following a streak of three consecutive podium finishes in the first three races of the season, including a win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, BMW Team RLL had a difficult day at the most recent race at Lime Rock Park. With only a fifth and sixth place finish, BMW stands second in manufacturer points, trailing Chevrolet by ten points. BMW Team RLL is second in ALMS team points. Joey Hand and Dirk Müller are third in driver points. Team-mates Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller stand sixth.
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal):
“Mosport has been one of our most challenging races every year in terms of getting the results we have been capable of. We have qualified well but haven¢t earned the finishes we deserved. Last year we were in the lead with 15 minutes to go and we made contact with a competitor. As a result we were given a drive through penalty which ended our chances of a victory. Hopefully this year we won¢t make those kinds of mistakes. The ALMS made a number of changes to the specifications of our competition even as recently as the last race. As a result, our car has suffered in terms of the performance it had at one point. The Corvettes are very strong. The Ferrari¢s have been given bigger restrictors at the last race which will have much more of an effect at Mosport than it would at Lime Rock Park, so that will be a difficult challenge for us. Porsche has always run well there and they have been given a number of upgrades over the course of this year so I think it will be a tough race for us given all of that. All we can do is do our best. Frankly, we really seem to be competing against Corvette at this point in time in terms of the championship. However, having said that, Porsche won the last race and I don¢t think we can take our eyes off of them either.”
Bill Auberlen (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):
“I finished third at Mosport in the past two seasons, but we should have been higher up on the podium. Mosport always offers many challenges, but every real driver accepts them because to race hard and finish well there is something that does not happen often.”
Jörg Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 55):
“Mosport is the fastest track on our calendar and aerodynamics is the most important thing there. All the corners are quick and this should suit our BMW M3 GT. I'm really looking forward to coming back to Canada. JJ Lehto and I finished second in 2000 in the V12 LMR and won there in 2001 in our BMW M3 GTR.”
Joey Hand (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):
“In previous years we¢ve had the speed at Mosport, but, for a host of reasons, not the success. This year because of the strength our tyre partner Dunlop has demonstrated at races like Sebring and Long Beach, I think we can add one more ingredient to the mix that may change things in our favour. These races are so competitive that having a tyre we can push longer in a stint or know we can splash-and-go towards the end of the race without changing tyres may just make the difference we need.”
Dirk Müller (BMW M3 GT – No. 56):
“I always enjoy racing at Mosport. We have been quick there and over the last three years I have been on pole twice. This race is a tough one and we need to work together to achieve a good result. The really important time in the championship has started and we need to score every point we can.”
2012 Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park / 2.459 miles
July 20 - 22, 2012 / Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
ÄïêéìáóôéêÜ (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/CTMP%20Provisional%20Grid.pdf)
Áãþíáò (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/CTMP%20Provisional%20Race.pdf)
BMW Team RLL comes third and seventh at Grand Prix of Mosport.
BMW Team RLL persevered through Sunday¢s 2.45-hour American Le Mans Series Grand Prix of Mosport to cross the line fourth and eighth in the GT class. Following the exclusion of the winning Porsche, the two BMW M3 GT cars were ultimately classified third and seventh.
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Limited by technical regulations that have reduced the BMW M3 GT¢s top speed, the fans that lined Mosport¢s 2.459 miles were unable to watch the 2010 and 2011 GT class champions in their familiar positions at the front of the field.
Joey Hand and Dirk Müller were classified third in the no. 56 BMW M3 GT. Dirk Müller started the car from sixth and ran as high as third before pitting on lap 30 for fuel and tyres. On lap 62 he pitted to turn the car over to Hand. Hand pitted once more for tyres and fuel in the final 49 laps of the race.
Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller finished seventh in the no. 55 BMW M3 GT. Auberlen started the car from third spot and took advantage of the race¢s first caution period to pit for fuel and tyres on lap 14. Running as high as second he was only seven seconds behind the class leader at the one hour mark. Forced into the pits under green on lap 51 for new tyres he handed over to Jörg Müller who returned to the race in ninth one lap down on the leaders. Müller moved up to sixth before needing new tyres just before the two-hour mark. He rejoined the race in eight, holding that position to the chequered flag.
Round six of the 2012 American Le Mans Series will be held Saturday, 4th August, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington.
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BMW Team RLL aims to make up ground on the front-runners.
The 4th August Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge is next on the 2012 American Le Mans Series calendar for BMW Team RLL. Mid-Ohio marks a special homecoming for team principal Bobby Rahal, who attended the very first sports car race at the circuit in 1962.
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Following a streak of three consecutive podium finishes in the first three races of the season, including a win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, BMW Team RLL had two difficult races at Lime Rock Park and Mosport. Only fifth and sixth places were netted at Lime Rock Park and the post-race disqualification of the winner gave the team third and seventh at Mosport. Trailing Chevrolet by 13 points in the Manufacturer standings and 18 points behind in the Team standings, BMW Team RLL is looking for a strong result at Mid-Ohio to move closer to the top. Joey Hand and Dirk Müller stand third in the driver points. Teammates, Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller, are sixth.
ALMS Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course / 2.258 miles
August 2 - 5, 2012 / Lexington, Ohio
Qualifying (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/Mid-Ohio%20Provisional%20Grid.pdf)
Race (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/Mid-Ohio%20Provisional%20Race.pdf)
BMW Team RLL – Baltimore ALMS Preview
29.08.2012
Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – August 29, 2012… With only three races left in the 2012 American Le Mans Series season a third consecutive GT class championship remains the goal of BMW Team RLL. This weekend, the venue is the Baltimore Sports Car Challenge, a two-hour race through the city streets that surround Baltimore¢s Inner Harbor. In comparison with many of the other tracks the series sees, Baltimore¢s temporary two-mile, 12-turn circuit is analogous to a wrestling steel cage match. Concrete walls on both sides mean there is only one way out - forward to the checkered flag. There will be many competitors, but as the last year has demonstrated, only one real opponent – Corvette.
Last season, the inaugural ALMS race at Baltimore ended in disappointment for BMW Team RLL as the No. 55 M3 GT was punted from the lead by an overzealous pass attempt by one of the Corvettes with only 22 minutes remaining in the race. Bill Auberlen (and co-driver Dirk Werner) ultimately finished fifth. Joey Hand and Dirk Müller finished second in the No. 56 M3 GT and BMW Team RLL would continue on to clinch a second consecutive GT class Manufacturer and Team title, adding the Driver¢s championship for Hand and Müller.
This year, the rivalry escalated with the most recent episode at Road America when the Corvette of Oliver Gavin knocked the No. 56 M3 GT of Dirk Müller from second place and into the fence with only two laps remaining in the race. Auberlen and co-driver Jörg Müller would win the race to keep BMW second in Manufacturer points - only 10 points back of Chevrolet.
With wins at Sebring and Road America and an additional four podium finishes in the first seven races of the season, BMW stands second in the GT Class Manufacturer points and BMW Team RLL is second in Team points. Dirk Müller stands third in Driver points. Joey Hand stands fourth after missing the race at Road America due to a conflict with his DTM schedule. Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller are fifth.
“We qualified first and third in Baltimore last year and ran at the front all day but, once again, one of the Corvettes took us out of the position to win while we were leading,” said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “Clearly our cars ran well there and I think there is every reason to believe we will be strong in Baltimore again. Coming off of a win gives you a little bit of a boost. This championship isn¢t over yet, that¢s for sure. We just have to keep focused and do what we need to do.”
Commenting on the most recent race he continued, “Road America is a place we have had a lot of success in the past but clearly this year we haven¢t been as competitive, for various reasons, as we have in previous seasons so we were frankly a little concerned about it given all of the long straights. But the one thing about Elkhart Lake is that it has a lot of fast corners and a good-handling car is very critical and I think our car excels on the types of corners that Elkhart has. In the end, we took advantage of the yellow and had good strategy and Bill and Jörg drove a great race. They got themselves in a position to win the race and they stayed there. They were fast when they needed to be and ended up winning. Obviously the No. 56 car was not as fortunate as they were running second and were hit by both Corvettes, the last hit being the one that stuck us in the gravel trap for the rest of the race. It was a very disappointing finish for that car. In the end, it was great to have a car win the race and, with the Corvettes finishing where they did, it closed the championship up.”
Bill Auberlen, driver No. 55 M3 GT – “The No. 55 M3 GT has been showing strength in the second half of the season. In the last four races, Jörg and I have two poles, a third place finish at Mid-Ohio and a win at Road America. Now it¢s time to put our stamp on Baltimore.”
Jörg Müller, driver No. 55 M3 GT – “I don¢t think I could locate Baltimore on a map, but I do know that it is a street circuit. I¢ve had success at many, including Macau and Monaco, and hope I can add Baltimore to the list.”
Joey Hand, driver No. 56 M3 GT – “Baltimore is a great street race venue - second only to Long Beach. The track is tight but it's a street track and I love street tracks of any sort. They did a really great job last year in only the first year of the event. Everything is close. I loved the fact that we could walk from our Holiday Inn through the Orioles stadium and into our paddock. Also we had the largest BMW CCA turn out I've ever seen at a race. The support from those BMW folks was great.”
Dirk Müller, driver No. 56 M3 GT – “Baltimore was the best venue of the season last year. I like street tracks a lot and especially this one. Joey and I were on the second step of the podium last year. This year we¢d like to move up to the top step.”
The Baltimore Sports Car Challenge will take the green flag at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 1st. Live streaming coverage will begin at 4:15 p.m. ET on ESPN3.com. ABC television will broadcast the race at 12:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 2.
The Series¢ website offers additional content such as live in-car cameras, and timing and scoring for all users around the world. Viewers outside the U.S. can watch all ALMS races live on ALMS.com.
Baltimore Sports Car Challenge presented by SRT
Qualifying (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/Baltimore%20Provisional%20Grid.pdf)
Race (http://www.alms.com/sites/default/files/race_result_files/Baltimore%20Provisional%20Race.pdf)
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BMW Team RLL – Virginia International Raceway ALMS Preview
11.09.2012
Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – September 11, 2012… BMW Team RLL will contest its first race at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), in Alton, Va., on Sept. 15. The four-hour VIR 240 is the penultimate round of the 2012 American Le Mans Series season and only a strong finish will keep the team in the hunt for a third consecutive GT class championship.
The team will face the weekend with heavy hearts following the death of Scott Roembke. Despite being away from most of the 2011 and 2012 seasons to battle his illness, Scott remained an integral part of the RLL organization. Officially he was Chief Operating Officer, but everyone who was part of the first years of the BMW Team RLL program will never forget his reassuring, “Okay, babe.” or continue to be amazed by the strategy calls he made. The team¢s 2010 ALMS championship is a testament to what Scott brought to the team and the sport.
Still standing second in GT class manufacturer points, the team has shown it potential to win in the most recent rounds. However, several setbacks have, despite excellent efforts, resulted in less than maximum results. A controversial call for “avoidable contact” by the series¢ steward at the most recent race in Baltimore took the No. 55 M3 GT of Jörg Müller from the race lead to serve a one minute penalty and ultimately a eighth place finish. In the prior race at Road America, close competition resulted in contact that put the No. 56 M3 GT into the wall, ruining what would have been most certainly a 1-2 finish for the team. At Lime Rock, Bill Auberlen qualified the No. 55 M3 GT on the GT class pole, but unfortunately the BMW ace had to start his 100th ALMS race one lap done from the pit lane after a fuel cell issue on the installation lap.
With two wins and an additional four podium finishes in the first eight races of the season, Dirk Müller stands third in driver points. Joey Hand stands fourth, but will miss the race at VIR as well as Petit Le Mans due to conflicts with his DTM schedule. Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller are seventh. Jonathan Summerton will substitute for Joey at VIR.
“The race at VIR is a first time event for us,” said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “It¢s a very fast circuit which, I believe, actually works to our strengths. Like at Elkhart Lake, our car seems to like fast corners. It will be a new experience, so gearing and other areas of the setup are still a little bit of an exploration. We did have a good test there in June so I expect good things. It¢s a difficult place to pass but it should make for a great race.”
Bill Auberlen, driver No. 55 M3 GT – “VIR is my other favorite racetrack in North America. Fast turns make it fun to drive. We have a great and tested team. I think good things will happen.”
Jörg Müller, driver No. 55 M3 GT – “This track is brilliant. I am fortunate that we tested there two months ago. I enjoyed the track and I am glad I have a few laps of experience for this race coming up. My teammates like the track a lot so this will be positive for everyone.”
Dirk Müller, driver No. 56 M3 GT – “I so enjoy this track. It is beautiful like Spa with uphills and blind corners. I think our car will do very well there. Since testing there in June I have been excited to go back again.”
Jonathan Summerton, driver No. 56 M3 GT - I really can¢t wait to get back in the car and do whatever I can to help the team. We had a test at VIR a while back and we learned a lot that will help us.”
The four-hour VIR 240 race will take the green flag at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 15 with live streaming coverage available on ESPN3.com starting at 2:15 p.m. ET. ESPN2 will broadcast the race at 5:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept 16th.
The Series¢ website offers additional content such as live in-car cameras, and timing and scoring for all users around the world. Viewers outside the U.S. can watch all ALMS races live on ALMS.com.
In Memory: Scott Roembke
One of the best and brightest minds in motorsport
Motorsports lost a true friend over the weekend in Scott Roembke, COO of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
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"The passing of Scott Roembke leaves us all with a heavy heart and great sadness," said Scott Atherton, President and CEO, American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón
"I had the pleasure of working with Scott in both the ALMS and IndyCar. He was equally comfortable and accomplished in both arenas. There is no question of his success as a top level racing team executive, but he was a dedicated friend of the industry and a constant source insight, guidance and information that will difficult to replace."
Roembke began his professional racing career in 1986. After growing up a passionate race fan in suburban Indianapolis, Roembke realized his lifelong dream when he joined Patrick Racing as the logistics manager and worked closely with the legendary Jim McGee. He later assumed the role of Assistant Team Manager for Patrick Racing. Late in 1991, he joined Rahal-Hogan Racing as General Manager and in 2000 was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, a title he held at the time of his passing. Under Roembke¢s guidance, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has become recognized as an industry innovator and one of the premier teams in open-wheel and sports car racing.
"Scott faced life¢s most difficult challenges with the same quiet, understated determination that was the hallmark of his style," Atherton said. "Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Scott¢s family, friends and the entire Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing organization."
BMW Team RLL finish fourth and ninth at VIR.
BMW Team RLL finished the inaugural American Le Mans Series (ALMS) race at the Virginia International Raceway with the no. 55 BMW M3 GT of Bill Auberlen and Jörg Müller in fourth and the no. 56 car of Dirk Müller and Jonathan Summerton in ninth.
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The disappointing result ended the team¢s drive for a third consecutive GT class championship as Corvette Racing clinched the 2012 GT titles.
For the second consecutive race, a first turn altercation after the race start between prototype cars brought out the yellow flag and caused the rest of the field to scramble behind them. Dirk Müller, starting from the outside of the GT class front row, was forced onto the grass and fell back to tenth. Auberlen, who had started from the seventh spot, had a bit more time to react and took to the grass on the inside of the corner, moving up to fourth.
The two BMW M3 GTs raced mid-field before pitting just before the race¢s second yellow flag was waved. Auberlen came in on lap 28 to hand over to Jörg Müller. Four laps later and just past the one hour mark Dirk Müller entered the pits and Jonathan Summerton took over. With one-and-a-half hours complete, Summerton held the third spot. Jörg Müller was two positions back in fifth. As the clock ticked past the mid-point of the race Summerton continued to hold third spot. Jörg Müller was sixth.
Jörg Müller pitted the no. 56 BMW M3 GT on lap 63 for fuel and new Dunlop tyres. He remained in the car for a second stint. Summerton pitted five laps later to hand the No. 56 back to Dirk Müller. With one-and-a-half hours remaining the no. 56 held onto second, only some seven seconds behind the leader. The no. 55 car moved up to fifth.
Just before the three hour mark no. 55 pitted and Auberlen got back behind the wheel. Unfortunately, at almost the same time it all went wrong for no. 56. Dirk Müller was hit by a prototype car and forced to the pits to change a broken right front wheel. He returned to the race, but pitted on the next lap and the crew went to work on the damaged suspension. Unable to fix the bent toe link, Müller continued to circulate to collect points. He ultimately finished ninth.
Auberlen continued a strong run, moving up to third in the final stages of the race. A deflating tyre lost him the podium as he was passed before having to pit to change it in the closing minutes of the race.
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Highlights 2012: Marathon staying power.
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18th March 2012, Sebring, USA. BMW Team RLL repeats last year¢s victory at the classic 12 Hours of Sebring. Joey Hand, Dirk Müller and Jonathan Summerton are unbeatable at the wheel of the number 56 BMW M3 GT.
It marks the return of Joey Hand and Dirk Müller to the circuit, at which they triumphed in 2011 and laid the foundation for the subsequent hat-trick of titles in the GT driver, team and manufacturer competitions in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Jonathan Summerton, on the other hand, is making his debut in the BMW M3 GT. The season gets off to a good start in the first qualifying of the new season, with Hand putting car number 56 in third place on the grid. The second car, with Bill Auberlen, Jörg Müller and Jonathan Summerton at the wheel, starts from sixth place.
The race develops into a battle between both BMW Team RLL cars, the two Corvettes and the number 71 Ferrari. Numerous yellow-flag phases ensure that the five cars are always closely bunched together. Hand takes over in the cockpit of the number 56 BMW M3 GT and sets off on a seemingly endless final stint, which he ends at the head of the race.
“My knee was hurting from all the braking, and my tyres hardly had any grip left,” said Hand, describing the closing stages. Despite this, he holds onto the lead until a collision with a slower car almost sees victory slip from his hands on the final lap. Thankfully he is able to coax the damaged car over the finish line in first place.
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BMW Moves to Z4 for 2013 ALMS Championship
New model follows on extensive success of BMW M3
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For the first time in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, BMW¢s racing efforts in GT will center around a car other than its M3. BMW Motorsport officials announced Saturday that BMW Team RLL is turning to the BMW Z4 for the 2013 ALMS season.
“This change in model shows that we are focussing fully on the BMW Z4 as an all-encompassing GT car,” said Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director. “The BMW Z4 GT3 has been very successful on the GT3 scene in recent years, and has proven its ability to win races. I am confident this car will also play a major role as a GT car in the ALMS.”
The BMW Z4 was a successful car in Europe during the 2012 season. It won four races in the FIA GT1 World Championship as well as the Italian GT championship. Meanwhile, the BMW M3 GT finished its competitive career in the ALMS with a stellar record.
Versions of the M3 won 16 GT races in the Series, and BMW ranks third among ALMS GT manufacturers in terms of victories. The M3 helped BMW to win the class manufacturer championship in 2001, 2010 and 2011. The latter was part of a BMW and BMW Team RLL hat-trick of sorts – driver, team and manufacturer titles in GT.
BMW also announced that American Joey Hand, who shared the GT drivers title in 2011, is part of the manufacturer¢s roster in the 2013 DTM championship. Details on BMW¢s ALMS driver lineup are forthcoming.
The 2013 ALMS season starts with the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 16 from Sebring International Raceway. BMW Team RLL is the defending GT winner.
New car, new drivers, new manager: BMW Team RLL returns to 2013 ALMS with new BMW Z4 GTE.
17.01.2013
Munich (DE), 14th January 2013. BMW Team RLL will again be running BMW¢s American Le Mans Series (ALMS) entries in 2013. The two car team will do battle with the best of North American GT class sports cars with the new BMW Z4 GTE starting with the season-opening 12 hours of Sebring (US) on 16th March.
“With the BMW Z4 GTE, we are starting a new chapter in North America alongside BMW Team RLL”, said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “We have celebrated magnificent victories and titles with the BMW M3 GT and BMW Team RLL over the past four years. The BMW Z4 GTE has everything it needs to continue this success story.”
“We are really looking forward to this new chapter for BMW racing in North America”, said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO of BMW of North America. “After several championship wins for BMW Team RLL and the BMW M3 GT, we now entrust the same strong team to deliver more trophies with our new BMW Z4 GTE. We are absolutely convinced BMW fans will again see great ALMS GT class racing in 2013.”
The BMW Z4 GTE was developed for the ALMS regulations, based on the BMW Z4 GT3, which has celebrated multiple championship wins in Europe and Asia in the capable hands of professional and privateer BMW drivers. This year¢s ten-race ALMS season will also be used as a development year for the new car in order to lay the best foundation for the all-new face of North American sports car racing in 2014.
“All of us at BMW Team RLL are very excited about the 2013 season with the new BMW Z4 GTE”, said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “We had four great years with the BMW M3 GT and now want to compete on a par with our rivals with the BMW Z4 GTE as soon as possible. With any new car there is going to be a period of development, but we are excited about the upcoming season. This will be our fifth year with BMW and it¢s obvious we have a great working relationship. In fact, some of the members of the team are in Munich working side-by-side with BMW Motorsport building the cars. We share the same approach in terms of our desire to be successful and it¢s a real honour and privilege to represent BMW in motorsport.”
This year, the BMW Team RLL driver line-up will feature a strong mix of experience and youth. Returning drivers Bill Auberlen (US), Joey Hand (US) and Dirk Müller (DE) will anchor the effort. Due to his full-time commitment to BMW in the DTM series, for a second consecutive season, Hand will contest only some ALMS races in 2013. Twenty-one-year old New Yorker John Edwards (US) will join the team, replacing Hand for the races that don¢t fit into his DTM schedule. Beginning his career in open-wheel racing, Edwards won the Star Mazda title in 2008 and the Atlantic series championship in 2009. Since 2010 he has focused on GT and GS class racing in the GRAND-AM series.
The newest BMW Motorsport driver, Maxime Martin (BE), will join BMW Team RLL for the full 2013 season. The 26-year old finished second in the 2012 BMW Sport Trophy after a strong season racing a BMW Z4 GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series and a BMW ALPINA B6 GT3 in the ADAC GT Masters. For the long-distance races at Sebring and the Petit Le Mans, Uwe Alzen (DE) and Jörg Müller (DE) will return to the team.
Long-time BMW employee Gordon McDonnell has been named the dedicated BMW NA Motorsport Manager, responsible for leading the programme from concept to the finish line. McDonnell¢s diverse experience includes North American management of BMW Motorsport Parts, M Performance Parts, and BMW NA¢s current GRAND-AM programmes. Given the merger between ALMS and GRAND-AM, McDonnell is well-positioned to maximize BMW¢s racing successes in the USA.
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