Roar before the 24: BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers intensively prepare for the 24h Daytona.

Daytona. During the Roar before the 24 last weekend, BMW M Motorsport drivers and teams intensely prepared for the first season highlight of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC), the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA). One week before the race, three test days featuring seven sessions were held, during which BMW M Team RLL with its two BMW M Hybrid V8s gave strong performances. Dries Vanthoor (BEL) set the overall fastest time with 1:35.424 minutes. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) used the tests to complete their first laps as BMW M works drivers.

In the GTP category, BMW M Team RLL carried out an extensive testing programme, completing more than 370 laps at the Daytona International Speedway. In the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, Philipp Eng (AUT), Dries Vanthoor, Kevin Magnussen, and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) took turns driving. In car #25, Marco Wittmann (GER), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Robin Frijns (NED), and René Rast (GER) shared the cockpit. Three of the sessions ended with a BMW M Hybrid V8 setting the best time. BMW M Motorsport newcomer Magnussen spent a lot of time getting accustomed to the car and team.

In the GTD-PRO class, Kelvin van der Linde had his premiere at the wheel of the #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO from Paul Miller Racing. He shared driving duties with Madison Snow, Neil Verhagen, and Connor De Phillippi (all USA). In the sister #48 car, Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER), Jesse Krohn (FIN), and Augusto Farfus (BRA) were in action. Harper and Hesse missed the first test day due to illness but caught up on their laps without issues later on. In total, the team’s two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs completed around 370 laps. They sported the BMW M Motorsport “Inception” design for the first time, which they will sport throughout the season.

In the GTD class, Turner Motorsport tested its new BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Over the course of the Roar before the 24, the four drivers Robby Foley, Patrick Gallagher, Jake Walker (all USA), and Jens Klingmann (GER) completed around 150 laps. Starting next Thursday, the Daytona racing action continues with practice and qualifying. The 24-hour race begins on Saturday, 25^th January, at 13:40 local time (19:40 CET). All session can be watched live on www.imsa.tv.

Partnership with Champion Ignition enters its second season.
With the race at Daytona, the partnership between BMW M Motorsport and spark plug manufacturer Champion enters its second season. The Champion logo will continue to be featured on the two BMW M Hybrid V8s of BMW M Team RLL, as it was in 2024. The successful partnership will also continue in the DTM with one of the BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars featuring the Champion branding. The focus in 2025 is on expanding the collaboration to a technological level. Among other things, both partners are looking to find optimisations for the P66/3 combustion engine used in the hybrid system of the BMW M Hybrid V8, where the ignition system plays a crucial role. On-site, BMW M Motorsport offers employees, customers, and guests of Champion exclusive experiences and provides extraordinary insights into the operations at the racetrack. Both partners also closely coordinate their activation measures and marketing communications.

In just a few months last season, BMW M Motorsport and Champion celebrated a 1-2 finish for the BMW M Hybrid V8 at Indianapolis (USA), as well as three wins, five podium finishes, and the team title for Schubert Motorsport in the DTM. “It's great to be able to continue and even expand our partnership with Champion. We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration in our programmes in IMSA and DTM. In 2024, the Champion logo on our cars brought us luck,” said Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH.

Comments after the Roar before the 24:

Dries Vanthoor (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team RLL): “I'm happy with how the Roar went. It feels good to know that everything is running smoothly and that the car is performing well. But of course, it all counts next weekend. That's when the winners are crowned, and that's when we need to be there.”

Kevin Magnussen (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team RLL): “We had a few very productive test days at the Roar. There are many new things for me to learn at BMW M Motorsport, and I feel more comfortable with every lap on the track. This week is the big test where we can show how strong we really are compared to our competitors. I'm really looking forward to it.”

Marco Wittmann (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team RLL): “We can be very satisfied with the sessions at the Roar. We've checked many things off our to-do list, so next week we can focus on fine-tuning. The goal is to be well-prepared for the first season highlight and hopefully compete for the podium and the win. Our performance at the Roar was encouraging, but we all know that it really counts in the race.”

Kelvin van der Linde (#1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Paul Miller Racing): “For me, it was most important to cover as many kilometres as possible in the first few days. Thanks to the support of my teammates, I quickly got used to the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. They really helped me a lot. I feel comfortable in the car and am ready to go full attack at the 24-hour race. We'll have to see where we stand in terms of performance this week, but the mood in the team is good.”

Dan Harper (#48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Paul Miller Racing): “Max and I caught some virus after our win at the 24H Dubai and didn't feel well, so we missed the first day. Our teammates Jesse and Augusto took the opportunity to prepare the setup of the new car. We built on that on the second day, and I think we have a pretty good base. The team is doing a great job, very organised and professional. We definitely have room for improvement in terms of speed on a single lap, but there are still a few practice sessions left.”

Jens Klingmann (#96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Turner Motorsport): “Our focus in preparation for the race was clearly on the car's behaviour over the race distance. You don't win a 24-hour race in the first lap, so we worked on finding a good balance and pace for the long runs. The dress rehearsal of the brand-new BMW M4 GT3 EVO went perfectly. We put the car on the track, and everything worked exactly as it should. We are optimistic that we will have a package this week that can compete for the podium.”