The upcoming Indianapolis 8 Hour (USA) on 5th October (Race start: 18:15 CEST) serves as the season finale for both the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS. BMW M Motorsport is in contention for titles in both race series. Team WRT is competing with two BMW M4 GT3s and six BMW M works drivers to secure the driver and manufacturer titles in the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
One of the two cars features the design of Premium Technology Partner Shell. Additionally, the simulation software provider Ansys is participating for the first time as an Official Partner. In GT World Challenge America, ST Racing and Turner Motorsport are still in contention for the title in the Pro-Am class. Five BMW M4 GT3s will be taking to the start for this event.
Team WRT enters the Indianapolis 8 Hour as the winner from the previous year. In the #31 BMW M4 GT3 with the Shell design, Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor, and Charles Weerts (both BEL) will take turns as they did at Bathurst (AUS) and Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). Weerts, currently second in the Intercontinental GT Challenge driver standings, is in the best position. He finished third on the podium at both the 24h Nürburgring (GER) and the 24h Spa-Francorchamps. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Dan Harper (GBR), and Max Hesse (GER) will race in car #33. This trio, well-matched from the GT World Challenge Europe, also have good chances in the driver standings. BMW is in second place in the manufacturer standings ahead of the season finale.
In GT World Challenge America, which finishes its season with the 8-hour race, five BMW M4 GT3s entered by customer teams will compete: two from ST Racing and one each from Turner Motorsport, Random Vandals Racing, and Flying Lizard Motorsports. Regular participants and BMW M works drivers Neil Verhagen and Robby Foley (both USA) will be present, competing against each other for the Pro-Am class title in the cars of ST Racing and Turner Motorsport, along with Samantha Tan (CAN) and Justin Rothberg (USA). Bill Auberlen (USA) will be at the wheel of ST Racing’s Pro class car. At Indianapolis, BMW M works drivers Philipp Eng (AUT), Connor De Phillippi (USA), and Nick Yelloly (GBR) will join. Eng will reinforce ST Racing, De Phillippi will join Random Vandals Racing, and Yelloly will be with Flying Lizard Motorsports.
Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport: “We have the best memories of the Indianapolis 8 Hours. Last year, and also in 2020, BMW M Motorsport was able to celebrate victory at the legendary Motorsport Speedway. As the defending champions, Team WRT is once again at the start with a very strong line-up of BMW M works drivers. We have selected the driver pairings in such a way that we have the best possible chance of influencing the title decision for the driver’s standings in the Intercontinental GT Challenge, in addition to the manufacturer’s standings. Furthermore, I am pleased to see an impressive line-up of cars from our North American customer teams. Five BMW M4 GT3s in the starting field of the GT World Challenge America shows how popular our GT3 flagship is worldwide. It is an honour for us to support these teams with BMW M works drivers at their season highlight.”
Ansys becomes a new Official Partner of BMW M Motorsport.
For the first time at Indianapolis, Ansys joins the BMW M Motorsport family as a new Official Partner. The collaboration with the leading provider of simulation software extends far beyond a mere branding partnership, as BMW M Motorsport relies on the technological expertise of Ansys. Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH, stated: “We are delighted to welcome Ansys as a new Official Partner of BMW M Motorsport. The collaboration with Ansys is crucial for our success in motorsport and in the various racing series. As a leading provider of simulation software, Ansys helps us to continuously optimise our cars and stay at the forefront of competition. At BMW M Motorsport, we already work closely with Ansys, especially in the area of drivetrain design and construction. The flexibility and performance of Ansys solutions enable us to quickly implement innovations and accelerate our product development – from design to final validation.”
Walt Hearn, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Customer Excellence at Ansys, said: “Each time BMW M Motorsport takes the track is an opportunity for them to display their engineering prowess. Before drivers push cars to the limits on the course, we help BMW M Motorsport engineers test the boundaries of performance through simulation, boosting the team’s confidence in their race strategy. Ansys is proud to sponsor BMW M Motorsport in their quest for victory and technological innovation.”
