BMW RLL announces the drivers
lineup for 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
by Horatiu Boeriu
In 2017, BMW Team RLL will again be
represented by two BMW M6 GTLMs in the
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC). Bill Auberlen (US) and John Edwards (US) will be the regular drivers from
the USA next season. They will be joined by two new team-mates from Europe: in
2017, Auberlen will start alongside Alexander Sims (GB), whose fine
performances in this season included overall victory for the ROWE Racing team
with the BMW M6 GT3 at the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps (BE).
At the wheel of the second BMW M6
GTLM, BMW works driver Martin Tomczyk (DE) will join Edwards for the GTLM class
races. The quartet will be supported by DTM drivers Augusto Farfus and Bruno
Spengler, as well as Kuno Wittmer (CA) and Nick Catsburg (NL) for the endurance
races on the calendar. Auberlen, Sims, Farfus and Spengler will also share
driving duties in the BMW M6 GTLM Art Car for the 24 Hours of Daytona (US) on
28th/29th January 2017, a car designed by US artist John
Baldessari.
BMW Motorsport Director
Jens Marquardt: “We are looking
forward to an exciting second season with the BMW M6 GTLM in North America. Of
course, our goal is to record the first win with this car. Competing with the
19th BMW Art Car in Daytona will be a real highlight to start the
year off. I’d like to thank Dirk Werner and Lucas Luhr for their hard work last
season – and now it’s time to welcome Alexander Sims and Martin Tomczyk. I am
convinced that they will both settle in very quickly at BMW Team RLL and will
soon be successful. I wish Dirk all the best in his new sporting challenges. We
have been delighted to have him on board since 2010. He impressed us with his
speed, his professionalism and his down-to-earth nature.”
