Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:
“The past two weeks have been a great success story on both
sides of the world. Turner Motorsport has shone in both the IMSA
Series and the GT World Challenge America. Congratulations to the team
and drivers! I myself was a guest in Okayama last weekend and was able
to celebrate the fantastic class victories of Team KRC in the GT World
Challenge Asia – as well as the first podium of the year for Team PLUS
with BMW M Team Studie. Also in Asia, the previous week saw the
sensational victory for the Pacific Racing Team in SUPER GT. Added to
this were the great successes of Team WRT in the GT World Challenge
Europe. Wherever you look, the BMW M Motorsport family is racing from
one success to the next. That makes me very happy!”
—
US Racing: Wins and podiums in the IMSA Series and SRO America
Two race weekends in the USA, two triumphs for Turner Motorsport with
the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. On 23rd August, Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher
(both USA) finished second in the GTD class in car #96 at the all-GT
event of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Virginia
International Raceway (USA). In the overall standings, this also means
second place with two races to go – just 36 points behind the leaders.
In the GTD-PRO class, Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen (both USA)
finished fifth in the #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO from Paul Miller Racing,
maintaining their lead in the overall standings of their category.
Turner Motorsport also made it onto the podium with the BMW M4 GT4
EVO. In the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race, Luca Mars and Dillon
Machavern (both USA) finished third.
Last weekend, Turner Motorsport went one better at Road America
(USA). In the three-hour GT World Challenge America powered by AWS
race, Robby Foley, this time alongside Justin Rothberg (USA) in the
#29 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, took a commanding victory. It was the duo’s second
triumph in their first season together in the Pro category. In the
overall standings, Foley and Rothberg are just four points behind in
second place.
At the SRO America race weekend, GT4 America and GT America were also
on the schedule – with successes for the BMW M Motorsport teams and
the BMW M4 GT4 EVO in both. In GT4 America, the teams Random Vandals
Racing, Auto Technic Racing, and Colorado Motorsport with Flying
Lizard all achieved podium finishes in their classes. Among others,
BMW M Racing Academy participant Josh Green (USA) finished third in
the highest Silver category alongside Bruno Colombo (USA) in
Saturday’s race. On Sunday, they finished fourth. Craig Lumsden (USA)
added to his two Am podiums in GT4 America for Colorado Motorsport
with Flying Lizard by taking first place twice in the GT4 class of GT America.
All
results from the IMSA Series
—
Top topic: An interview with Robby Foley.
Robby Foley is living proof that with talent and hard work, you can
rise from being a BMW M Motorsport customer racer to a BMW M works
driver. He has been racing very successfully for Turner Motorsport for
many years in both the IMSA Series and the GT World Challenge America
– in both GT3 and GT4 cars. Supporting young American privateer
drivers is especially close to his heart. Fittingly, he is also a
passionate mentor and part of the BMW M Racing Academy, the support
programme for young customer racers, which will soon begin the
selection process for the “Class of 2027.”
Robby, let’s start with the IMSA Series: How do you look back
on the recent podium and the season as a whole?
Robby Foley: “The podium at VIR was very good,
especially since we didn’t have the fastest car in the race. The
result gives us good prospects in the title fight ahead of the last
two races, with the top four crews very close together. Overall, the
season is a huge improvement over 2025. The team has a good handle on
the BMW M4 GT3 EVO’s set-up, and we’ve been consistently strong. We’ve
already been on the podium three times, only the win is missing. Now
we have to carry this momentum into the final stretch of the season.”
You compete at IMSA weekends in both the BMW M4 GT3 EVO and
the BMW M4 GT4 EVO. How big is the adjustment?
Foley: “It’s generally tricky, but I’ve been doing it
for a few years now and have a good rhythm. However, the difference in
tyres is quite big at the moment. That mainly affects the braking
points. But I’ve gotten used to that quickly as well.”
In your first year in the Pro category of the GT World
Challenge America, things are going very well after the recent win, right?
Foley: “Yes. We had a great weekend at Road America
recently. Our BMW M4 GT3 EVO was very strong from the start. Now we’re
also in a good position in the championship. There are only two races
left, but since double points are awarded at the Indianapolis 8 Hour,
the title fight is still wide open. It’s great to see how quickly
Justin Rothberg has adapted to the Pro class and raised his
performance level significantly. The same goes for the team. Big
compliments to everyone!”
How stressful is the racing driver’s life when you’re
competing in three series at once?
Foley: “I’m definitely never bored. At least the two
IMSA programmes always take place on the same weekends, which makes
things a bit easier. With all the race events, tests, and other
activities like the BMW M Racing Academy, I end up travelling 30 to 35
weeks a year. It’s intense, but I enjoy it.”
Speaking of the BMW M Racing Academy: Why is the support
programme so important to you?
Foley: “I can really identify with the programme’s
approach of supporting private drivers, because that’s exactly where I
come from. I was a privateer myself when I first raced a BMW M
Motorsport car in 2018. I can really relate to the young talents we
work with. In a way, I’m the example of how you can make it from
customer racing to works driver. In the current ‘Class of 2026,’ I
work closely with Josh Green, who races in GT4 America. I’m really
looking forward to meeting the new class soon.”
—
M News compact: More victories and podium finishes.
GT World Challenge Asia (28th-30th August): Team KRC
scored a total of three class wins with its two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs in the
races at Okayama (JPN). Maxime Oosten (NED) and Brian Lee (TPE) won
the Silver-Am class both times. In the second race, they also finished
third overall. BMW M works driver Neil Verhagen (USA) and Ruan Cunfan
(CHN) achieved the same result in the sister car in race one –
equivalent to a Pro-Am class win. PLUS with BMW M Team Studie
celebrated its first podium of the season with the BMW M4 GT3 EVO in
the iconic BLEACH design.
—
SUPER GT (21st-23rd August): Pacific Racing Team
celebrated victory in the GT300 class at the Suzuka (JPN) race with
the #9 BMW M4 GT3 EVO and drivers Yusuke Tomibayashi and Yuta Fujiwara
(both JPN).