IMSA at Mosport: BMW M Team RLL travels to Canada with a lot of momentum after the BMW M Hybrid V8’s maiden victory.

Munich. Two weeks after the first victory for the brand new BMW M Hybrid V8 at Watkins Glen (USA), BMW M Team RLL arrives at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CAN) with a lot of momentum. The circuit near Toronto, formally named Mosport, will host the sixth round of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship (IMSA series) this coming weekend. 

Following the race weekend at Watkins Glen, the team tested at the same venue for an additional two days with Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR). All four drivers also spent time in the simulator as Philipp Eng (AUT), Augusto Farfus (BRA), and Yelloly have never turned a wheel at the Canadian circuit. Eng, Farfus, and Yelloly returned to Europe to compete in last weekend’s 24 Hours of Spa (BEL), where Eng and Yelloly, together with Marco Wittmann (GER), claimed BMW’s 25th overall win in the ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3. For Yelloly, it was the second major victory within one week.

Reflecting on the Watkins Glen victory, BMW M Team RLL Team Principal Bobby Rahal said, “There is nothing like winning, but I was most happy with the pace of the BMW M Hybrid V8 throughout the Watkins Glen race. My thanks to everyone at BMW who have worked so diligently on both sides of the Atlantic over a very intense period of time on the new-era GTP program. Our guys were in Munich starting last July, assisting with the car builds. We received the cars in September and began testing in October. Five races into the season we are winners.”

The IMSA win at Watkins Glen was the team’s 23rd victory and 99th podium finish since 2009 so there is a bit of an extra push to register podium number 100 at Mosport. Racing in the GT category prior to this season, the team has one win (2017) and three runner-up finishes (2015, 2017, and 2019) at Mosport.

In the GT Daytona class, three BMW M4 GT3s will compete. Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow (both USA) continue to lead the GTD class points with the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3. The pair has won at Sebring and Long Beach, as well as a well-earned second-place at Watkins Glen after battling from three laps down. Turner Motorsport brings two BMW M4 GT3s for Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (both USA) and for Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull (both USA).

The two-hour-and-forty-minute race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park gets underway on Sunday, 9th July at 12:05 local time (18:05 CEST).

Quotes ahead of the Mosport race.

Connor De Phillippi (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8): “Mosport is one of the most challenging and high commitment tracks on our calendar. We have some good momentum coming off of Watkins Glen and we will continue to focus on making additional performance steps throughout the weekend. I’m very excited to drive this track for the first time in a prototype!”

Nick Yelloly (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8): “We will certainly try to keep our roll going after a strong race at Watkins Glen. Mosport is a circuit that only Connor has been to before so it will be a challenge for three of the four of us. From what I can tell, if the car was good at Watkins Glen, it should be in the window at Mosport. I am looking forward to exploring what looks to be a very exciting circuit.”

Philipp Eng (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8): “This weekend will be my first time in Canada and at Mosport. We have had a very good preparation on the simulator following Watkins Glen. The track is fast and relatively short, so we should be able to complete many laps in free practice and get the #24 car up to speed. The win at Watkins Glen was very important for the entire GTP project so we will work hard to keep that momentum.”

Augusto Farfus (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8): “Mosport is one of those fast old-school circuits. I have never been there, but I am a fan of old-school and fast. Philipp and I will have to work quickly to get our car in the window. Based on the success the #25 car had at Watkins Glen and the knowledge the team gained perhaps we can have two BMWs on the podium at Mosport.”