The upcoming third race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season is set to take place on the street circuit at Long Beach in the United States on Saturday. BMW M Team RLL, fresh off a podium finish at Sebring, will be fielding two BMW M Hybrid V8s in the GTP class and three BMW M4 GT3s in the GTD category. The 100-minute race will be the shortest of the IMSA season and present a unique challenge for the drivers, particularly those who are new to the distinctive street circuit.
Only one of the BMW M Team RLL drivers, Connor De Phillippi from the USA, is familiar with the track, while his teammate Nick Yelloly from Great Britain and Augusto Farfus from Brazil and Philipp Eng from Austria will be experiencing it for the first time. All BMW M works drivers have prepared extensively in the simulator and will be aiming to build on their second-place finish from Sebring. Qualifying will be a crucial factor in the race due to the tight circuit.
Paul Miller Racing, winners of two consecutive victories in the GTD class, will be represented by Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow from the USA. The duo won last year’s race at Long Beach and later secured the 2022 GTD Sprint title. Turner Motorsport’s Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher, both from the USA, will be driving the #96 BMW M4 GT3, while Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull, also both from the USA, will be driving the #95 car in the GTD class for the sprint races.
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will commence on Saturday, April 15, at 14:05 local time (23:05 CEST). BMW M Team RLL’s Team Principal, Bobby Rahal, has expressed optimism about their chances at the race and emphasized the importance of a good qualifying effort on a tight street circuit. Meanwhile, BMW M Hybrid V8 driver Augusto Farfus acknowledged the challenge of racing on a new circuit and is looking forward to the exciting event.