BMW moves ahead with van der Linde in second Detroit GP practice

Chevrolet Sports Car Classic: Practice Report

Detroit, MI – In a crucial lead-up to qualifying for the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic, the No. 25 Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 showcased formidable pace during second practice, clocking the fastest lap at 1:06.427, with driver Sheldon van der Linde at the helm. This time puts him just half a second off the course record established by Nick Tandy last year.

Tandy’s No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 recorded a commendable second-fastest lap at 1:06.720 but faced challenges later in the session. After sliding through Turn 1 and impacting the tire barrier, Tandy’s car released debris, resulting in a red flag. Tandy will consequently lose his fastest lap for qualifying.

Similarly impacted was the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, which brought out another red flag after Filipe Albuquerque collided with the concrete barrier. Both teams will face penalties during qualifying.

Dries Vanthoor, who has secured pole position in previous races, claimed third in the No. 24 RLL BMW. He was followed closely by Renger van der Zande in the fourth position with the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06. Matt Campbell in the No. 6 Penske Porsche, Earl Bamber in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac, and Albuquerque rounded out the top seven.

In the GTD PRO category, the two Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3s continued their dominance, with Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette setting the fastest time at 1:10.565. Tommy Milner’s No. 4 Corvette closely followed, just one hundredth of a second adrift. However, the No. 3 Corvette is also penalized for a red flag incident due to debris.

Completing the GTD PRO top five were the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracan GT3, No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3, and the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3.

Next Steps: Qualifying is set to commence at 4:50 PM ET, streamed live on Peacock in the U.S. and via the official IMSA YouTube channel and IMSA.TV globally.

Results Summary:

1. IMSA GTP:

   • 1. No. 25 BMW – 1:06.427
   • 1. No. 7 Porsche – 1:06.720
   • 1. No. 24 BMW – Driver: Dries Vanthoor
2. GTD PRO:
   • 1. No. 3 Corvette – 1:10.565
   • 1. No. 4 Corvette – 1:10.566
   • 1. No. 9 Lamborghini – Driver: Unknown

This afternoon’s performance sets the stage for an intensified qualifying session in Detroit, teeming with competitive stakes and technical narratives.