Following a streak of three consecutive podium finishes in the first three races of the season, including a win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, BMW Team RLL had a difficult day at the most recent race at
“Mosport has been one of our most challenging races every year in terms of getting the results we have been capable of,” said Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “We have qualified well but haven’t earned the finishes we deserved. Last year we were in the lead with 15 minutes to go and we made contact with a competitor. As a result we were given a drive through penalty which ended our chances for a victory. Hopefully this year we won’t make those kinds of mistakes.”
Commenting on the challenges ahead in the second half of the season Rahal continued, “The ALMS made a number of changes to the specifications of our competition even as recently as the last race. As a result, our car has suffered in terms of the performance it had at one point. The Corvettes are very strong. The Ferrari’s have been given bigger restrictors at the last race which will have much more of an effect at Mosport than it would at Lime Rock Park so that will be a difficult challenge for us. Porsche has always run well there and they have been given a number of upgrades over the course of this year so I think it will be a tough race for us given all of that. All we can do is do our best. Frankly, we really seem to be competing against Corvette at this point in time in terms of the championship. However, having said that, Porsche won the last race and I don’t think we can take our eyes off of them either.”
Bill Auberlen, driver No. 55 M3 GT – “I finished third at Mosport in the past two seasons, but we should have been higher up on the podium. Mosport always offers many challenges, but every real driver accepts them because to race hard and finish well there is something that does not happen often.”
Jörg Müller, driver No. 55 M3 GT – “Mosport is the fastest track on our calendar and aerodynamics is the most important thing there. All the corners are quick and this should suit our BMW M3 GT. I'm really looking forward to come back to
Dirk Müller, driver No. 56 M3 GT – “I always enjoy racing at Mosport. We have been quick there and over the last three years I have been twice on pole. This race is a tough one and we need to work together to achieve a good result. The really important time in the championship has started and we need to score every point we can.”
The 2.45-hour Grand Prix of Mosport race is the fifth round of the 2012 ALMS championship. The race will take the green flag at 12:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 22. ESPN2 will air the race same-day beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET. Live streaming coverage is available starting at 11:45 a.m. ET on ESPN3.com.
The Series’ website offers additional content such as live in-car cameras, and timing and scoring for all users around the world. Viewers outside the
About BMW Team RLL:
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
BMW’s partner, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Hilliard, Ohio and co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan and CBS LATE SHOW host David Letterman, has been competing for nearly two decades, compiling 22 victories, 31 poles and two series championships (1992, 2010) as well as claiming an Indianapolis 500 victory (Buddy Rice in 2004). In 2009 the team joined BMW of North America to campaign the new BMW M3 in the American Le Mans Series. In 2010 the team won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category. In 2011 the team swept all three GT titles – Manufacturer, Team and Driver.
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