What initially seemed like a frustrating race for BMW M Motorsport turned into a podium celebration in the LMGT3 class during a spectacular final stage. At the "Lone Star Le Mans”, the sixth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) at the Circuit of the Americas, Ahmad Al Harthy, Valentino Rossi, and Kelvin van der Linde secured second place on the podium in the Team WRT #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. In the Hypercar category, the BMW M Hybrid V8 fell significantly short of expectations. After six hours of racing, the #15 car finished in a disappointing twelfth place, while the sister car retired due to technical issues.
Race week, which began with nearly 40-degree heat, turned into a wet event by the weekend. The track was already damp during qualifying, but the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 and both BMW M4 GT3 EVOs managed to secure spots in Hyperpole. However, none of the cars were initially able to capitalise on their strong starting positions during the race on the wet track. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 struggled with the conditions and was unable to generate the necessary grip on wet tyres for competitive lap times at any point. In the end, it finished in a disappointing twelfth place. The #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8 retired early due to an electronics issue with the hybrid system.
The two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs started from fourth and ninth on the grid. They also faced challenges in the heavy rain but made a remarkable comeback in the final stage as the track began to dry. Final drivers van der Linde and Farfus gained position after position on slicks, climbing to third and fourth in the closing minutes of the race. Following post-race time penalties, the #46 car was promoted to second place, while the #31 car dropped to ninth after Farfus received a penalty for a collision with a Hypercar.
What a turn of events in the final 30 minutes of the race! Congratulations to both LMGT3 crews. On the Hypercar side, we struggled significantly with the wet conditions during the race and were unable to showcase the potential we had demonstrated in practice sessions. That is very disappointing.
On the Hypercar side, the weekend was very disappointing. We haven’t had much experience driving in such wet conditions, and it’s clear we still have a lot to learn in this area. On the GT3 side, the race was a rollercoaster. The podium finish for the #46 car allows us to look back on the race weekend with a smile.
Driver statements.
Raffaele Marciello (BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, 12th place): “This is not the race we wanted. We really struggled out there. Now we need to analyse and understand why we were so slow under these conditions today.”
René Rast (BMW M Team WRT, #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8, DNF): “It’s frustrating not to even be able to properly start the race. I think we had a good package and could have scored a lot of points here, but that’s how motorsport is sometimes. Now we have to focus on Fuji and try to get back on the podium there.”
Kelvin van der Linde (Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 2nd place): “This is a fantastic result for everyone, especially considering the issues we’ve had with pace over the past three weekends. These conditions were perfect for the car. We’re all very happy and proud; the team did an amazing job.”
Valentino Rossi (Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 2nd place): “This is incredible. I’m very happy with this podium – especially for the team. We had our struggles during the race and were even at the back at one point, but a race isn’t over until the checkered flag. Our car was unbelievably strong on slicks on the drying track at the end, and Kelvin did a fantastic job.”
Ahmad Al Harthy (Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 2nd place): “This weekend was a rollercoaster. You should never give up, and we didn’t. We fought until the very last lap. The podium is a well-deserved reward for the entire team. It’s been a while since we’ve been up there. For me personally, it’s my first podium in the USA.”
Augusto Farfus (The Bend Team WRT, #31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 9th place): “That was a very challenging race. We didn’t expect to finish in third and fourth, which later turned into second and ninth. The team did an amazing job. Congratulations to the #46 crew on the podium. I received a penalty for the contact with the Ferrari Hypercar. It was an unfortunate situation and by no means intentional. Something like that can happen in such a tight corner on a slippery track.”