In the fourth race of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) season, BMW M Team WRT emerged victorious at the Indianapolis 8 Hour. The BMW M4 GT3, piloted by Philipp Eng, Sheldon van der Linde, and Dries Vanthoor, secured a win at the prestigious Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a 53-second lead. This win marked BMW’s third consecutive victory in the IGTC, allowing them to maintain their lead in the manufacturer standings ahead of Mercedes. Eng remains in second place in the driver’s championship but has closed the gap with the top spot. BMW M Motorsport will compete in the season finale in Abu Dhabi in December, aiming for titles in both categories.
The race saw the #30 BMW M4 GT3 start from fourth position, but Eng managed to take the lead in the first corner. The BMW M Team WRT encountered a setback when they received a drive-through penalty for exceeding the maximum stint duration, temporarily losing the lead. However, with excellent speed and the advantage of cooler temperatures on race day, Eng staged a comeback, propelling the team from fourth to second place. The #31 BMW M4 GT3, driven by Augusto Farfus, Maxime Martin, and Charles Weerts, led the race with a little over two hours remaining. Unfortunately, Farfus collided with another car while attempting to overtake, resulting in damage to the front suspension of his car. Despite the setback, BMW M Team WRT repaired the damage but lost significant time in the process. Nevertheless, the team celebrated their first victory in the USA.
In addition to the BMW M Team WRT, North American BMW M Motorsport teams BimmerWorld and ST Racing also competed in Indianapolis. Samantha Tan, Neil Verhagen, and Jake Walker finished in 12th place, while Bill Auberlen, Robby Foley, and Chandler Hull retired from the race near the end.
The IGTC season finale, the Gulf 12 Hours, will take place on December 9th/10th in Abu Dhabi.
After the race, Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, congratulated BMW M Team WRT and their drivers on their victory and highlighted the global strength of the BMW M4 GT3. Vincent Vosse, Team Principal of BMW M Team WRT, expressed his joy at winning a race in the USA for the first time, despite the setback with their second car. Philipp Eng, Sheldon van der Linde, and Dries Vanthoor, who drove the winning #30 BMW M4 GT3, praised the performance of their team and their determination to fight back after a penalty. Augusto Farfus, who piloted the #31 BMW M4 GT3 before the collision, took responsibility for the incident and expressed his disappointment.