SHERIDAN, WYOMING – July 2, 2025 – BMW M Team RLL faced a challenging weekend in Detroit as both BMW M Hybrid V8 cars missed the podium for the first time this IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship sprint race season, despite promising qualifying performances. After a fierce 100-minute battle through the tight city circuit, the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 finished fifth, while the #25 car came home seventh following a post-race penalty.
A Promising Start That Fell Short in the Race
The weekend looked hopeful when Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor secured third and fourth on the grid, ending Vanthoor’s impressive streak of four consecutive pole positions. But Detroit’s unforgiving streets didn’t allow the BMW M Hybrid V8s to capitalize on these strong starts.
Dries Vanthoor shared his thoughts after the race: "That was a tough race. On my part, I didn’t get a good start and lost two positions. Over the course of the race, we didn’t optimise our strategy. We need to keep working on this and understand why others are doing a better job in this area. We’ll come back fighting next time."
Sheldon van der Linde added: "What started with a great qualifying and third place unfortunately ended with relatively few points in the race. I was very happy with my lap in qualifying. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to capitalise on the good starting position in the race. That’s something we absolutely need to improve on. I’m confident that we’ll manage to do so in Watkins Glen. The BMW M Hybrid V8 has performed well there in the past, and I hope we can secure our first podium of the season."
Challenges Continue for Paul Miller Racing in GTD PRO
In the GTD PRO class, Paul Miller Racing showed early promise with third and fourth starting positions. However, technical issues and incidents derailed both crews’ efforts, leading to disappointment:
- The #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO driven by Madison Snow and Neil Verhagen “suffered technical issues, causing it to lose several laps and ultimately finish 11th in class.”
- The #48 car of Dan Harper and Max Hesse “fought for a podium spot for a long time, but after a collision and a subsequent drive-through penalty, Hesse dropped to seventh in class.”
Determined to Bounce Back at Watkins Glen
Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, summed up the team’s resolve: "Unfortunately, the race in Detroit did not go as we had hoped. After qualifying, things looked promising with third and fourth places in both classes, but unfortunately, we were unable to maintain those positions in a tough race with many contacts. In the GTP class, our streaks of four pole positions and two consecutive podiums have come to an end, but we are determined to start new streaks at the next race at Watkins Glen. Paul Miller Racing needs to quickly put this disappointing race behind them. We will carefully analyse what caused the issue with the #1 car."
Looking Ahead: Watkins Glen Offers Hope
Despite the Detroit setback, BMW M Motorsport fans have reason to stay optimistic. With the BMW M Hybrid V8’s proven track record at Watkins Glen, the team is focused on turning their fortunes around and reclaiming podium finishes in the coming races.
Learn more at www.bmw-m.com/motorsport.