BMW Team RLL aims to make up ground on the front-runners

The Circuit Of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas (US), will host the penultimate round of the 2015 United SportsCar Championship (USCC) with the two-hour-and-forty-minute Lone Star Le Mans race on 19th September.

BMW Team RLL recently completed a two-day test with both BMW Z4 GTLM racing cars at the 3.4-mile, 20-turn circuit with drivers Bill Auberlen (US), Dirk Werner (DE) and John Edwards (US) in attendance. Lucas Luhr (DE) was participating at the Goodwood Revival, driving a BMW Group Classic BMW 1800 TiSA. BMW’s best finish at COTA is a third-place finish for Edwards and Dirk Müller (DE) in 2013.

Auberlen and Werner are third in the driver points standings, eight points in arrears of Patrick Pilet (FR). Seven points further back, Edwards and Luhr stand tied in fourth. The number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM and the number 24 sister car are third and fourth in the team points standings respectively. BMW stands second in the manufacturer points, eight points behind Porsche and six points in front of Chevrolet (Corvette).

“It’s going to be a tough weekend for sure. In past years we have qualified reasonably well there, but COTA is a very fast circuit and has not really been to our liking in terms of our competitiveness on the long straights. And we are struggling with that again compared to the Porsche and Ferrari.”

“We still have a chance at the championship, but we need to continue to improve. Our test at COTA went well and I’m confident we’re on the right track for the push at the end of the season.”

Dirk Werner  (Number 25 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“Certainly we need to get back on the podium if we hope to continue the chase for the championship. The test went well with me turning my first laps on the COTA circuit. It is a very technical track and I look forward to the race.”

John Edwards (Number 24 BMW Z4 GTLM):
“I’m excited to come back to COTA. My first race here with BMW proved to be a hard fight, but Dirk (Müller) and I finished third after starting at the back of the field. Lucas (Luhr) and I have lost a bit of ground in the last few races this season, but no one has given in. The test went well with a lot of miles driven in very hot conditions. We’ve made progress and I believe we’ll show more competitiveness.”

“COTA is a very cool, modern track. We need a very strong result with both cars to stay in the hunt for the championship and I know everybody is pushing hard for that.”