BMW M Hybrid V8 battling for podium first hours

WECHyperCar

Sep 8

BMW M Team WRT showed strong pace with both BMW M Hybrid V8s at the third-to-last race of the season in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), battling for a podium position over long stretches. Penalties ultimately didn’t reflect their on-track performance with #15 ending eighth and #20 thirteenth.

Promising Hyperpole results

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Lone Star Le Mans. Both BMW M Hybrid V8 during Hyperpole

For the first time in its debut season, both BMW M Hybrid V8 qualified for Hyperpole with Dries Vanthoor in #15 seventh and Robin Frijns ninth in #20. During Hyperpole, both drivers qualified their BMW Hypercars in fourth row with Frijns seventh and Vanthoor eighth.

Championship points for #15 BMW M Hybrid V8

Marco Wittmann took the start with #15 car ending his stint in P4. Marciello took over but a 5-sec time penalty was added to his next pitstop for overtaking off track. Vanthoor took over, finishing in eighth place, achieving the trio’s best result of the season so far, .

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Lone Star Le Mans. Marciello-Vanthoor-Wittmann with #15 BMW M Hybrid V8.

Raffaele Marciello (BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, 8th place): “Austin has shown that for sure we have gained speed. We were able to fight more this weekend. We finished in the lead lap, so this is positive. It was the first time we were able to achieve it. We are going into the right direction and we got good points. We are improving and now let’s see what Fuji brings.” Source: BMW Group.

First race lead for sister #20

Rene Rast took the start at the wheel of #20 ending his two hours stint in P1. Robin Frijns took over to had over to van der Linde in P4. A 100 sec. stop & go for technical infringement dropped the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 in P13.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Lone Star Le Mans. Frijns-Rast-van der Linde with #20 BMW M Hybrid V8.

René Rast (BMW M Team WRT, #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, 14th place): “On the one hand, it was positive that we had the pace to drive in the top five 5 and to even fight for the podium positions. How the race ended, however, is of course frustrating. Two penalties knocked us out of the points in the end. We’ll attack again in Fuji, and we hope to be just as competitive there as we have been here.” Source: BMW Group.