Just_me

They’ve been sorely missed in ACO-rules racing, since that fantastic 2001 season, when the M3 GTRs battled with the 911 GT3-RSs.

Now BMW is back, with a “full factory” return to the ALMS for 2006, run by Tom Milner’s Team PTG. The two-car effort of M3s will be the first of what is expected to be “many entrants in the new GT2S class”, which IMSA describes as “a subcategory of GT2”. GT2S entries will compete for wins and points in GT2, but will not be eligible for Le Mans.

“Today we welcome The Ultimate Driving Machine back to the ultimate professional sports car racing series – and we could not be more pleased,” said Scott Atherton, president and CEO of the American Le Mans Series. “This announcement fulfils one of the ‘predictions’ that was referenced during my State of the Series address in September. This continues the string of positive announcements and builds upon the momentum that has been growing within the American Le Mans Series over the past year.”

Scott Atherton is clearly one very happy CEO right now.

“The American Le Mans Series represents authentic, world-class sports car racing that is a perfect fit for BMW's authentic, world-class road cars,” he continues. “It has been a mutually frustrating separation, but with today's announcement, we are all back together in the right place.”

The “mutually frustrating separation” is a reference to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s London announcement in late 2001, after which it became all but impossible for BMW to remain racing under ACO rules. The M3 GTRs had a fragmented career after that, but now the way is clear for the latest version of the M3 to make its presence felt in the 2006 ALMS.

The cars will make their race debut at the 54th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – but will be seen in public for the first time at the Wheels Down Winter test at the same track, January 23-25.

“BMW of North America's racing operations, run by Tom Milner's Prototype Technology Group, is a textbook example of the type of program the American Le Mans Series is all about,” explained Scott Atherton.

“They represent the addition of another very professional team with manufacturer support behind them and top level drivers.”

We don’t know who those drivers will be yet: in 2001 we saw the JJ Lehto, Jorg Muller, Boris Said, Hans Stuck, Dirk Muller, Fredrik Ekblom, Bill Auberlen and Nic Jonsson ‘collection’ in the M3 GTRs – two cars each from BMW Motorsport and PTG. As in 2001, the 2006 PTG BMWs will run on Yokohama tyres – and it seems almost certain that one of the drivers will be called Tom Milner Jr. (left).

We also can’t yet be sure exactly how many marques will be competing against the BMWs, although as of this moment, at least Porsche, Panoz and Ferrari should be on the GT2 / GT2S grid at Sebring next March. It might be a relatively lower-key year for the other German manufacturer, before a full scale, GT return in 2007.

“This is a historic occasion for everyone at the American Le Mans Series and IMSA,” said Tim Mayer, IMSA’s COO. “Expanding our grid and increasing the level of competition in our fields is one of our primary goals. It doesn’t get much better than bringing back BMW and Team PTG to our series in this capacity.”

“Over the past few months we have announced new teams, new manufacturers, new sponsors, new events in important markets and the best overall television package in American Le Mans Series history,” continues Scott Atherton. “BMW has recognized all of this and has again embraced the American Le Mans Series as the best fit for their business plan. BMW rejoins the host of other premium brands that have been actively benefiting from the unmatched ROI and genuine sports car competition the American Le Mans Series provides.

“The biggest winners today are the fans. They (BMW) have missed the American Le Mans Series and we have missed them. We received more emails and letters from frustrated BMW fans than all other owners groups combined. But today we put everyone back where they have always wanted to be. We couldn't be happier about this news and I know BMW fans feel the same way.”

Meanwhile, PTG has sold all five of its 2005 Grand Am GT Class M3s, to two private teams, which will race them in that series in 2006. BMW Team PTG will provide technical support and BMW will enhance its privateer contingency program to support this effort.


LoL, loks like BMW fans are winning

Curb Zone

 

E12

M3GTR strikes back.

Nurb24h next year too?

Matt

Is this going to be the E90 M3 GTR??? If so I cant wait for that bad boy. Awsome!

Carbon

"It might be a relatively lower-key year for the other German manufacturer, before a full scale, GT return in 2007."

This is talking about Porsche? I thought they already had a racing version of the 997 on tracks. Maybe I was mistaken, or they do and are just going to go back to a works effort. It seems kind of weird that they'd do that as opposed to going full works with the LMP2 car (unless their contract doesn't allow for it yet).

Curb Zone