Le Mans. Two victories for the BMW M Team WRT and the BMW M4 GT3 within the supporting programme, a formidable total presence of BMW M and the primary GT3 triumph for Valentino Rossi (ITA). Although the premiere of the BMW M Hybrid V8 on the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) isn’t on the agenda till 2024, BMW M was already an emphatic a part of the occasion at a number of ranges this 12 months on the 100-year anniversary of the world’s most well-known endurance race.
On the racetrack, BMW M Team WRT competed with BMW M works drivers Valentino Rossi and Max Hesse (GER) within the Road to Le Mans assist races, that are a part of the Michelin Le Mans Cup. On Thursday, the victory went to Hesse and his team-mate Tim Whale (GBR). Rossi shared the cockpit of the #46 BMW M4 GT3 within the two 55-minute races with Jérôme Policand (FRA). The duo had motive to have fun on Friday when Rossi perfected his first GT3 triumph with an overtaking manoeuvre on the penultimate lap. Hesse and Whale accomplished the WRT one-two as runners-up.
For BMW M Team WRT, it was the primary deployment for BMW M Motorsport at Le Mans, earlier than the BMW M Hybrid V8 premieres within the prime class in 2024. This season, the group is getting into two LMP2 vehicles within the 24-hour race for the final time. A 3rd BMW M4 GT3 was fielded within the Road to Le Mans races by the GMB Motorsport group. The drivers Roland and Kristian Poulsen (each DEN) completed in seventh and fifteenth locations.
Marking the event of the 100-year anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one historic BMW race automotive will go across the observe on demo laps on the weekend – the BMW V12 LMR, with which BMW M Motorsport claimed total victory in 1999. Also on view are the legendary BMW Art Cars by Alexander Calder and Jeff Koons, which triggered a sensation at Le Mans in 1975 and 2010. A preview of subsequent 12 months is offered by the BMW M Hybrid V8 present automotive, which shares the paddock area with the BMW M manufacturing mannequin BMW XM (gasoline consumption in l/100 km mixed: 1.7 – 1.6 WLTP; energy consumption in kWh/100 km mixed: 34.5 – 33.0 WLTP; CO2 emissions in g/km mixed: 39 – 35 WLTP).
Reactions to the Road to Le Mans races:
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “We had tremendous profitable days right here with our BMW M4 GT3 along with WRT within the Road to Le Mans races. It was additionally the primary BMW race look for a number of years at Le Mans. With the victory within the first race and the one-two within the second race, we’re in fact very glad. To see Valentino Rossi along with Jérôme Policand in addition to Max Hesse and Tim Whale on prime of the rostrum is just unbelievable. We hope to have the ability to construct on these successes subsequent 12 months. This was a primary step. Many thanks, in fact, for the dedication to the entire group, the drivers and the crew of BMW M Motorsport. They gave our BMW M4 GT3 a fantastic Le Mans debut.”
Valentino Rossi (#46 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team WRT): “We are very completely satisfied as a result of we received. It was the primary victory along with BMW, and it was additionally a fantastic expertise to come back right here to organize for subsequent 12 months’s 24-hour race. We had a robust tempo since yesterday morning and in qualifying however we have been a bit unfortunate within the first race so we wished to go for the rostrum within the second race. Jérôme had an excellent first stint, and on the finish of the day we have been capable of win. I had an excellent tempo and was capable of do some good overtakes. We are very, very completely satisfied.”
Max Hesse (#31 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team WRT): “We are in fact very completely satisfied. On Thursday we already had a fantastic race. WRT did an ideal job on the pit cease. We selected the fitting technique. It was a fantastic honour to have the ability to drive right here. Being right here for the primary time was very, very cool for me and it was good to be taught, as a result of there was not a lot stress and you might drive many laps. We are actually pleased with first and second place. Congratulations in fact additionally to our team-mates on the victory on Friday.”