Augusto Farfus says that the GTLM victory in the Rolex 24 at Daytona is the best 24-hour race he has ever driven.
BMW Team RLL took a hard-fought victory in the GTLM class of last weekend’s IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship opener, defeating the two Porsche 911 RSR-19s after an intense battle that raged through the night.
The #24 BMW M8 GTE took top honours, courtesy of Farfus, John Edwards, Jesse Krohn and Chaz Mostert, fending off both the #911 and #912 Porsche 911 RSR-19 for hours, with the BMW’s speed advantage on the oval section proving vital in deciding the race outcome.
“I am speechless. That was the best 24-hour race I have driven in my whole life,” says Farfus. “It was extremely fast, extremely close, and you could not afford to make any mistakes. We drove a perfect race: team, strategy, drivers, mechanics. The car worked well throughout the entire race. You don’t get through the full 24 hours like that very often. To win this race twice in a row is exceptional.”
The BMW crew was on the back foot at one point after an unplanned brake change, but fought back and moved into podium position after a number of late cautions before finishing ahead of the two Porsches.
“What a race! It feels absolutely incredible,” said Jesse Krohn, who brought the car across the line. “This is my third year in the GTLM class – and my first victory. We have come so close so often, and now we have actually done it here at Daytona.
The team was awesome. Thank you very much to BMW Motorsport and RLL for trusting me to take the final stint of the race. Every single person did a mega job. I cannot believe that we are on the very top step of the podium.”
