SHERIDAN, WYOMING – June 11, 2025 – The BMW M Team RLL faced a tough challenge at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race in Detroit, but managed to secure a fifth-place finish with the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 after a demanding 100-minute street battle.
Despite not reaching the podium this time, fans can still take pride in the team's grit and determination as they continue to push forward in the 2025 season.
A gritty street fight with setbacks
On the narrow and unforgiving Detroit street circuit, both BMW M Hybrid V8s started strong, qualifying in third and fourth positions. The lineup of Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Dries Vanthoor (BEL) had high hopes to extend their impressive performances from Long Beach and Laguna Seca.
However, the race had different plans. The event was marked by tight battles and unavoidable contact, limiting the cars' ability to gain ground. Vanthoor handed over the #24 car to Philipp Eng (AUT), while van der Linde passed the #25 machine to Marco Wittmann (GER). After a later pit stop, Eng re-entered the race ahead of Wittmann and held his ground to finish fifth. Wittmann originally crossed the line in sixth, but a post-race penalty for overtaking under yellow flags dropped him to seventh.
GTD PRO class: a race to forget
In the GTD PRO category, Paul Miller Racing showed early promise with third and fourth in qualifying. But the actual race was a letdown:
- The #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, driven by Madison Snow and Neil Verhagen, encountered technical issues, falling several laps behind and ending in 11th place.
- The #48 car, with Dan Harper and Max Hesse behind the wheel, was in the hunt for a podium but suffered a collision and a subsequent drive-through penalty, eventually finishing seventh in class.
Team insights and determination to rebound
Despite the disappointing results, BMW M Motorsport remains focused on bouncing back stronger at the next event in Watkins Glen.
Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, shared candid reflections:
"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."
Driver Dries Vanthoor echoed the challenges faced during the event:
"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 a hopeful outlook:
"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."
Looking ahead with optimism
While the Detroit race proved difficult, the passion and professionalism of the BMW M Motorsport team continue to inspire fans worldwide. With Watkins Glen on the horizon, the team is geared up to return to podium form and deliver the exciting performances fans have come to love.
Learn more at www.bmw-m.com/motorsport