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Can the new BMW M8 GTE Coupe, specifically the #25
be victorious at Daytona this year? (Image source: bmwblog.com)
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As not only had I forgotten that Ford's
latest iteration of its legendous' GT won last year's event, but per tipicali
here on Thy Isle 'O Nofendersville, where time simply Zoom-Zooms' by, I've had
very little lately due to finally getting to re-charge Thy Batteries from
another just concluded marvelously wonderful two weeks Roadtrip.
Hence, I didn't have time to follow the
outcome of this year's Roar Before test session, and having just returned a
week's time before the Grid's set for this year's Daytona 24hrs, naturally am
playin' Ketsup to Poond Out the multitudes of this year's three IMSA
Weathertech SportsCar Championship Classes, specifically the plethora of Rolex
24 contestants.
Hey, You try analyzing 50 Car/Driver/Team combinations; SHEISA!
And although I actually first began studying
the lower tier GT Daytona runners first following Santa's arrival, instead, I
began with the Big Brother Grand Touring Le Mans (GTLM) Class for obvious reasons,
i.e.; least competitors and most stable line-ups - which only sees one
manufacturer unveiling a new "Hammer" for this year's GTLM Scrum,
which surely will be another good 'Ol fashion Donnybrook Especially with two
less contestants evening the Pitch.
(2) Corvette Racing
Chassis: Corvette C7R
Engine: 5.5-litre normally aspirated V-8
#3) Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia and Mike Rockenfeller
#4) Oliver Gabin, Tommy Milner and Marcel Fassler
The "Fly Yellow" Stingray Vettes' were
simply outclassed, or was that Out-gassed, Eh? As "the General's"
kept the driver lineups intact. Including former Audi Overall 24 Heurs du Mans winner's Marcel Fassler and Mike
"Rocky" Rockenfeller remaining for the endurance events.
Last year saw the No. 3 of MAGS' (Jan
Magnussen) Garcia and Rocky' (Rockenfeller) Hmm? Why do I feel a Rocky &
Bullwinkle Joke coming on here? Cymbol Crash please! With the trio ultimately
finishing fourth in class as the highest finishing Stingray.
As the mid-engine runners, especially the
"Blown" turbos seemed to have the legs' upon the Vettes', yet their reliability
and precision Pit stops shouldn't be overlooked. Not to mention they've won the
championship the past two consecutive years, and the drivers should know their
mounts inside 'N out.
(2) BMW Team RLL
Chassis: BMW M8 GTE
Engine: 4.0-litre V-8 Turbo
#24) John Edwards, Augusto Farfus, Nicky Catsburg and Jesse Krohn
#25) Bill Auberlen, Connor
De Phillippi, Alexander Sims and Philipp
Eng
Bobby Rahal, Dave Letterman and Mike Lanigan
keep Thar decade long tenure as BMW Team RLL rolling on, with the biggest change being the
debut of BMW's M8 GTE coupe propelled by a smaller four-litre V-8 twin-turbo
lump'. Whilst the Driver line-ups get tweaked.
Martin
Tomczyk AND Augusto Farfus will join the WEC effort, With Farfus
Contesting THE ENTIRE deutsche Touren Wagen Masters (DTM) season. While Catsburg & Eng will pull
"Double Duty" by also competing abroad in the World Endurance
Championship campaign.
Yet most notably is the changing of the
guard, with longtime Bimmer Billy' making way for Connor De Phillippi to contest the full
season. As Auberlen will contest just the Enduros' along with his Brand
Ambassadorship role. While Kuno
Wittmer and Bruno Spengler are effectively replaced by BMW Junior recruit Jesse Krohn
and Philipp Eng, while Tomczyk moonlights in GT Daytona.
Only knock upon the M8 is that it's brand
new, and invariably will run into teething issues, regardless of how much
testing it's completed before its first true Baptism under Fire...
(1) Risi Competizione
Chassis: Ferrari 488 GTE
Engine: 3.9-litre V-8 turbo
#62) Toni
Vilander, James
Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Davide Rigon
Once again, Maranello's represented by the
lone entry of its latest Prancing Horse, campaigned by Houston's Risi
Competizione, whom even with their Scuderia connection, seem to still be
struggling financially? As reportedly they'll only be sending one driver to the
Roar Before.
Although that's just what I read via Racer magazine
prior to going on Holiday the weekend of The Roar Before, then noticing upon
return that they've added a second Italiano, nee Messer Rigon, a Scuderia
Ferrari test driver to the roster...
Also, not sure what's going on with 'Ol "Fishyfellah,"
nee ex-Formula 1 Ace Giancarlo Fisichella, who's been replaced by another
Italiano this January.
Although Alessandro Pier Guidi is a longtime
Tintop Pilote, with much experience with la Scuderia Me Thinks? Along with
having won the 2014 Rolex 24 GT Daytona class aboard a Ferrari 458 Italia.
Pier
Guidi's reportedly signed a contract with Ferrari, and at age
34, I'm wondering if Maranello feels the older Fishyfellah's getting a 'Wee bit
long in thou tooth?
Meanwhile, James Calado, who briefly led the class near
the race's finish last year, before getting "Duped" by eventual class
winner Dirk Muller, who's pass was so brazenly impressive that it also enabled
Porsche's Patrick Pilet to slip by! Seeing Calado wind-up third in class, will
obviously wish to rectify this fading outcome.
(2) Ford Chip Ganassi Racing
Chassis: Ford GT
Engine: 3.5-litre V-6 turbo
#66) Joey Hand, Dirk Muller and Sebastian Bourdais
#67) Ryan Briscoe, Richard Westbrook and Scott Dixon
Just like his IndyCar Team, Cheeps' slimming
down to just two cars for this year's Rolex 24, albeit with the defending class
winner, aka the No. 66. As funny how a year screams by and Yuhs forget that
riveting finish put on by Dirk Muller...
As Cheeps' North American IMSA Drivers are
all back, with two current 2018 IndyCar chauffeurs in tow, Ganassi's Number One
Man Scott Dixon, whilst ARSE-Sumedly le Hamburgular', nee SeaBass', aka
Sebastain Bourdais will be itching to continue his rehab after last year's monstrous
Shunt at Mother Speedway during qualifying!
(2) Porsche GT Team
Chassis: Porsche 911 RSR
Engine: 4.0-litre normally aspirated Flat-six
#911) Patrick
Pilet, Frederic Makowiecki and Nick Tandy
#912) Gianmaria
Bruni, Laurens Vanthoor and Earl Bamber
Upon Porsche withdrawing from the vaunted WEC
Hybrid Prototypes category last year, two thirds of its` winning 24 Heurs du
Mans trio move Stateside this season to bolster Weissach's GT Le Mans North
American "Works" squad.
With New Zealander Earl Bamber
and United Kingdom's Nick Tandy taking one seat apiece respectively, whilst Bamber's
Countryman Brendon Hartley graduates to Formula 1, becoming the first Kiwi in
F1 in some three Bloody Decades!
Fifty percent of last year's driving lineup's
been retained, including two-thirds of le "Frenchie's," Pardon Mwah Monsieur,
Uhm, continuing this year with Tandy now being the meat in le Ménage Twah
between Pilet
and Makowiecki; Hya!
Belgium's Vanthoor returns, although now with two new
Co-drivers, the aforementioned Bamber,
and former Minardi Formula 1 driver ) Gianmaria Bruni, whom extricated
himself from being a factory Prancing Horse Pilote last year.
As the new & improved mid-engine 911's
had a season's racing underneath it's belt and should be a Contendah' with its
stout Driver pairings...
