BMW a annoncé ce mercredi lors du Chicaco Auto Show son retour en American Le Mans Series avec la M3 Coupe dernière génération, qui débutera fin 2008. Le Rahal-Letterman Racing alignera les voitures pour le compte de BMW Motorsport.
"C'est un nouveau jour mémorable pour l'ALMS" confirme Scott Atherton, le Président et CEO de la série. "Nous avons eu un début d'année 2008 phénoménal et cette grande nouvelle de la part de BMW vient s'y ajouter. BMW représente un des piliers sur lequel l'ALMS a été construite, et a toujours eu un public fidèle composé de fans et de propriétaires. Nous sommes ravis d'accueillir cet engagement de BMW avec le Rahal-Letterman Racing".
En 2009, l'équipe de Bobby Rahal alignera deux M3s sur l'ensemble du championnat. En GT2, BMW devra faire face à une concurrence féroce, composée de Aston Martin, Corvette, Dodge, Ford, Panoz, mais surtout Ferrari et Porsche. Pas moins de huit marques différentes devraient donc être présentes dans cette catégorie !
Pour BMW, c'est un véritable retour aux sources. Le constructeur allemand était déjà présent en 1999, pour la première saison de l'ALMS. JJ Lehto, Tom Kristensen et Jorg Muller avaient d'ailleurs remporté les 12 Heures de Sebring au volant de la BMW V12 LMR. Au total, BMW s'est imposé à quinze reprises dans le championnat : six fois en LMP1 et neuf fois en GT2.
Bobby Rahal, co-propriétaire du Rahal Letterman Racing : "C'est un jour important pour l'avenir du Rahal Letterman Racing et nous sommes impatients de jouer un rôle majeur dans le retour de BMW en première ligne des grilles de départ de l'ALMS. Au cours de ma carrière, non seulement en sport automobile mais également en tant que distributeur BMW, j'ai toujours été impressionné par le professionnalisme et l'efficacité du Groupe BMW et chez Rahal Letterman Racing nous sommes fiers de nous y joindre."
Martin Birkman, Manager du Département Compétition de BMW North of America : "Nous sommes ravis d'annoncer notre retour dans l'American Le Mans Series avec la quatrième génération de la BMW M3 dans le même temps où la version routière arrive dans les halls d'exposition de BMW. Nous sommes également enchantés de notre partenariat avec le Rahal Letterman Racing. Le sport automobile est profondément ancré dans l'ADN de BMW et nous sommes contents d'être le partenaire d'une organisation qui partage ce même héritage. Le Rahal Letterman Racing est le partenaire parfait pour conduire notre nouvel engagement sportif avec la BMW M3."
Le team RLR précise qu'il va se mettre immédiatement à la préparation des BMW M3.. L'annonce des pilotes et des sponsors sera faite conjointement avec BMW dans les prochains mois.
D'après les communiqué de l'ALMS (ci dessous), et du Rahal-Letterman (ici).
Claude Foubert et Anthony Megevand
BMW, M3 RETURNING TO AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES WITH RAHAL LETTERMAN
BMW announced at the Chicago Auto Show Wednesday its plan to return to the American Le Mans Series with its next-generation M3 coupe starting late 2008. For this venture, Rahal Letterman Racing will campaign the cars on behalf of BMW Motorsport.
"This is another monumental day for the American Le Mans Series - we have had a phenomenal start to '08 and this big news from BMW adds to our momentum," said Series President and CEO Scott Atherton. "BMW represents one of the cornerstones on which the American Le Mans Series was built and has maintained a loyal following of dedicated owners and fans since that time. We are thrilled to embrace this effort from BMW with Rahal Letterman Racing."
The 2009 season will see Rahal Letterman campaign two M3s for a full-season championship run.
As a result, BMW will compete in a GT2 field that !include!s efforts from defending class champion Ferrari as well as Aston Martin, Dodge, Ford, Panoz and Porsche. The Series boasts more manufacturers in the single GT2 class than many other motorsports series do in their entire grid.
"The American Le Mans Series prides itself on being the ultimate R&D platform for manufacturers from all over the globe," Atherton said. "And now BMW - 'The Ultimate Driving Machine' - joins the most extensive list of world-class manufacturers to recognize the opportunity the Series offers to transfer the technology present on their race cars directly to showrooms and dealerships around the world. I have no doubt that BMW will capitalize on its investment in the American Le Mans Series and see the same rewards our other competing manufacturers have realized."
The return of BMW appropriately coincides with the American Le Mans Series' 10th season of world-class sports car racing. BMW won the first race in the history of the American Le Mans Series as JJ Lehto, Tom Kristensen and Jorg Muller drove a BMW V12 LMR to victory in the 1999 Twelve Hours of Sebring. That same year, BMW became the first team from the American Le Mans Series to win the overall championship at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In all, BMW teams have won 15 times in the series - nine in GT2 and six in LMP1.
"Not only has the American Le Mans Series' fan base increased substantially over the years, but also has BMW's following among its owners and club members," Atherton said. "BMW has some of the most passionate and outspoken fans - trust me, I hear them often... - and I believe we can speak for these fans in saying we are overjoyed that they will be returning to the Series. We share the passion and appreciation they have for world-class sports car racing and competition, and we can't wait to see the new BMW M3 back on the race track."
Wednesday's announcement is the latest in what has been a history-making offseason. In January, the Series revealed a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy and SAE International as it was recognized as the world's first motorsports body to meet the criteria for green racing being developed by these groups. The Series also laid the groundwork for the Green Challenge, a competition that will encourage manufacturers to introduce and develop their "green" technologies. It will debut at Petit Le Mans.
In a related development, the Series also announced in conjunction with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) that KL Process Design Group will supply cellulosic E85 for 2008. Corvette Racing in GT1 and Drayson Barwell Motorsport in GT2 will campaign the full season on E85.
The Series also will see new entries from Acura, Aston Martin, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche for 2008.
The 2008 season opens with the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 15. The race will start at 10 a.m. ET and will be broadcast live by SPEED, which will begin its coverage at 9:30 a.m. MotorsTV, Fox Latin America, 7TV in Russia and Greenlight Television will provide international coverage as well. American Le Mans Radio and IMSA's Live Timing & Scoring will be available at americanlemans.com.
