BMW calls drivers for two-car attack on Rolex 24

The Bavarian brand will contest the entire IMSA campaign in the new GTD Pro division for 2022, which will replace the GT Le Mans with two brand new M4 GT3s from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Five of the six drivers who were part of BMW’s attack on last year’s Michelin Endurance Cup-only program are returning for the Rolex 24 – Jesse Krohn, John Edwards, Augusto Farfus, Connor de Phillippi and Philipp Eng.

Krohn, Edwards, Farfus and de Phillippi share the number 25 car, while Eng in the number 24 machine is accompanied by two-time DTM champions Marco Wittmann, Nick Yelloly and Sheldon van der Linde.

Wittmann made his Rolex 24 debut with BMW Team RLL last year, while his DTM colleague van der Linde and Aston Martin F1 simulator driver Yelloly are new to the squad.

Yelloly previously had IMSA experience with the BMW customer team Turner Motorsport, while van der Linde contested the Florida classic in 2018 for the first time in an Audi R8 LMS entered by Land Motorsport.

BMW Motorsport Director Mike Krack comments: “With our drivers, who start in the two BMW M Team RLL BMW M4 GT3s, we have relied on speed and experience – both in Daytona and with the new car.

“Almost all of our BMW M works drivers have already contested the Daytona 24 Hours and will work together on the perfect set-up for the BMW M4 GT3 at the ‘Roar Before The 24’ at the International Speedway. [test on January 21-23] beautiful.

“I am confident that we will be very well prepared for the GTD Pro premiere of the IMSA series. I’m also curious to see how Turner Motorsport will do in the GTD class. “

While BMW did not specify its lineups for the entire season, it did state that Krohn and van der Linde are only part of the roster for the Rolex 24 season opener.

This means that the Finnish driver Krohn was demoted after three seasons as a BMW full-time driver in GTLM from 2018-20 and another one as part of his exclusive Michelin Endurance Cup in 2021.