BMW M Team RLL Secures Emotional Victory at Road America
In a dramatic return to form, BMW M Team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) clinched a 1-2 class finish at the Motul SportsCar Grand Prix, marking their first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory of the season. Philipp Eng and Dries Vanthoor piloted the No. 24 BMW to victory, with teammates Marco Wittmann and Sheldon van der Linde finishing closely behind in second. This win takes on heightened significance as BMW and RLL prepare to part ways after the season.
Eng, who has been with the team since the inception of the BMW M Hybrid V8 program, praised the team’s efforts, stating, "They’ve done a fantastic job all season… it was not faultless, but I think this is racing." He had anticipated the victory, texting team co-owner Bobby Rahal the day prior, urging the team to "finish this on a high."
Wittmann shared his relief after a challenging season, emphasizing the motivation derived from the 1-2 finish: "We’ve had a difficult season until now… we’ve always been up there in qualifying, but in the races, we haven’t been able to deliver," he stated. Vanthoor echoed that sentiment, acknowledging the challenge of the season while celebrating the triumph.
Prior to the race, uncertainties loomed due to previous missed opportunities, and an unsettling pit lane incident involving a team mechanic heightened the tension. Eng recounted the moment: "The first question was if our mechanic was okay… it was quite a significant hit," referring to the mechanic’s injury by a competing car.
Strategically, BMW split its cars’ strategies early. After a setback following the first pit stops, the team managed to capitalize on a Full Course Yellow instigated by a collision between the No. 7 Penske Porsche and the No. 10 Acura. This fortuitous timing allowed BMW to cycle to the front without needing further stops.
Eng noted the flawless execution of their race plan: "The car was really fast… Dries drove brilliantly in the first stint," highlighting the team’s key to success through effective strategy, even from a disadvantaged starting point.
Vanthoor added that, despite not securing pole positions in prior races, executing a strong race was critical: "You don’t need to be on pole, but just have to execute a good race. We finally made sure we did that."
This victory not only underscores BMW’s resilience but also serves as a fitting capstone to their storied partnership with RLL, leading into the final two races of the season.
