BMW M Hybrid V8 secures a top-5 finish during races on Detroit's streets, according to IMSA.
The fifth race of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season saw a disappointing performance from BMW M Team RLL in Detroit, USA. The team, which has been battling performance deficits and strategic shortcomings, failed to secure a podium position for the first time.
Marco Wittmann (GER) and Philipp Eng (AUT) drove the #25 and #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 cars respectively in the race. However, the team faced difficult conditions and a lack of necessary pace compared to some competitors from the start of the race weekend, which limited their competitiveness. Despite managing a top-5 finish as their best result in Detroit, this was the maximum achievable given the challenges they encountered.
Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Dries Vanthoor (BEL) qualified third and fourth for the Detroit race. However, Vanthoor lost positions at the start, while van der Linde was happy with his lap in qualifying but failed to capitalize on the good starting position in the race. Vanthoor eventually finished the race in 5th place, while van der Linde ended up in 7th.
The #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO driven by Madison Snow and Neil Verhagen suffered technical issues in the race, causing it to finish 11th in class. Paul Miller Racing, which started third and fourth in the GTD PRO class in qualifying, also faced technical issues, finishing 11th due to problems with the #1 car in the Detroit race.
Dries Vanthoor's streak of four consecutive pole positions ended in the Detroit race. The 100-minute Detroit race was filled with battles and contact, but the BMW M Team RLL struggled with strategy optimization during the race. Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, expressed his disappointment with the Detroit race results, acknowledging that the team had to "fight with blunt weapons," indicating the car and team were not fully competitive.
Despite the setbacks in Detroit, BMW M Team RLL is determined to start new streaks at the next race at Watkins Glen. The BMW M Hybrid V8 has performed well at Watkins Glen in the past, offering a glimmer of hope for the team. The team will be hoping to overcome their current struggles and return to their earlier form in the upcoming races.
Sports enthusiasts might find auto-racing exciting, as The fifth race of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season featured various teams competing, including BMW M Team RLL. Unfortunately, they faced difficult conditions and a lack of necessary pace compared to some competitors, ultimately failing to secure a podium position, even managing a top-5 finish as their best result.
