BMW Motorsport is hard at work preparing two BMW M3 GTs for this year’s edition of the world’s most famous car race, 24-Hour Le Mans. They just finished 147 test laps at “Circuit de la Sarthe”.
This is the only testing opportunity provided for the participants and some 52 cars were tried to make the most of it, gathering valuable data on the car and the track to use for the actual race that’s going to be held on 11th/12th June 2011.
BMW cars number 55 and 56 are the proven endurance cars which have a successful career in different endurance series in Europe and America. The no. 55 BMW M3 GT, with Augusto Farfus (BR), Jörg Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE) at the wheel, came third in the GTE Pro class after two four-hour test sessions with a lap time of 4:01.631 minutes. Andy Priaulx (GB), Dirk Müller (DE) and Joey Hand (US) shared driving duties in the second BMW M3 GT, finishing seventh after clocking a time of 4:03.856 minutes.
Same drivers will be piloting the M3 at the big race.
“This test ahead of the 24-hour race definitely was an important one for us,” said Team Manager Charly Lamm following the test day. “Le Mans is such a unique and mighty venue that every single lap of this track helps. The team used the occasion to reacquaint itself with the special demands and workings asked for by this classic circuit. The test was of particular importance for Joey Hand. He was a Le Mans rookie and successfully qualified for the race held in June. Conditions were excellent, all six drivers managed to put in many laps and collected a lot of data.”
