BMW has discovered its new motorsport enviornment in IMSA. Bad information for Formula 1.
BMW is back on the massive motorsport scene. This weekend’s 24 Hours of Daytona (stay at https://www.imsa.com/tvlive/ from 19:40) marks the finish of a 23-year absence from the premier sports activities automobile class. With the BMW M Hybrid V8, the folks from Munich need to write a new chapter in motorsport historical past.
READ MORE – Marco Wittmann: “Hardware is making good progress”
“To return to an absolute high-level motorsport prototype after 1999 is an unimaginable occasion,” BMW-M Motorsport Director Andreas Roos instructed F1-Insider.com. “At the identical time, the North American market is essential for us, particularly BMW M fashions have very excessive gross sales. That’s why it is thrilling for us to be on the street in the US.”
So attention-grabbing that even CEO Oliver Zipse is anticipated to be on the beginning grid at Tempo Temple in Florida. Roos defies excessive expectations and at the identical time raises them once more: “Within 18 months, we have been in a position to get two racing automobiles out of a clean sheet of paper. It could be presumptuous to say that every thing went nicely in the preparation. But we aren’t right here simply to be. In the long run, we need to win the championship and win with the automobile.”
BMW will begin the 24 Hours of Daytona from seventh and eighth positions. Then the IMSA US Sports Car Championship is on the schedule for the yr. In 2024, the 24 Hours of Le Mans might be an entry into the World Sports Car Championship.
This is feasible due to the new LMDh rules, primarily based on an LMP2 chassis and a hybrid drivetrain restricted to 680 horsepower. BMW, Porsche and Cadillac depend on V8 as the base engine, Acura put in V6.
Surprise: abruptly the engine monsters are back. BMW’s P66/3 options a four-liter displacement and two new flanged turbochargers. The V8 initially got here from a DTM automobile and exhibits: Reengineering in motorsport. Instead of making new and costly engines with unique supplies, the focus is on robustness and energy, however above all total sustainability, given the speedy improvement of CO2 impartial fuels. The combustion engine is a cheaply developed 68 hp as customary Bosch engine. supplied with an electrical unit.
This mixture permits for a “long-term motorsport technique that runs parallel to on-road improvement,” emphasizes Roos. Just one instance: the twin-turbo structure of the V8 can also be used in the M8. “Here we now have the BMW XM (4.4-liter V8 twin-turbo hybrid; ed.) as a security automobile – additionally outfitted with a V8 hybrid. The closeness to serial manufacturing could be very attention-grabbing.”
At the identical time, that is dangerous information for the pinnacle of motorsport. “Formula 1 isn’t a difficulty for us at the second,” Ross mentioned of the prime flight. “It is necessary for us to fly parallel to the sequence. We’re right here immediately with the V8 Hybrid at Daytona. This is a 1:1 match for our street autos. Not popping out with a new hybrid till 2026 (as Formula 1 plans; ed.) is a few years too late for us.”
In addition, in keeping with the German: “Formula 1 is at the moment operating with a hybrid system that isn’t associated to sequence manufacturing. The LMDh is a excellent platform for us, as the XM isn’t the final BMW with such a powertrain. Then we now have to have a look at how electrification in motorsport will proceed. But it is clearly in opposition to Formula 1.”
Also, aside from the technical and monetary points, the sports activities base of IMSA and WEC is right. “The automobiles are all designed to very strict specs,” says Roos. “Formula 1 could be pleased if its discipline was seven-tenths of a second.” BMW has discovered its new playground.
24 Hours of Daytona Grid GTP
1. T Blomqvist / C Braun / H Castroneves / S Pagenaud, Meyer Shank Racing, Acura ARX-06
2. M Campbell / F Nasr / M Christensen, Porsche Penske, Porsche 963
3. R Taylor / F Albuquerque / L Deletraz / B Hartley, Konica Minolta, Acura ARX-06
4. Bourdet / R van der Zande / S Dixon, Cadillac Racing, Cadillac V-LMDh
5. E Bamber / A Lynn / R Westbrook, Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-LMDh
6. P Derani / A Sims / J Aitken, Whelen Engineering, Cadillac V-LMDh
7. P Eng / A Farfus / M Wittmann / C Herta, BMW M Team RLL, BMW M Hybrid V8
8. S De Phillippi / N Yelli / S van der Linde / S Gerta, BMW M Team RLL, BMW M Hybrid V8
9. M. Jaminet / N. Tandy / D. Cameron, Porsche Penske, Porsche 963
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