BMW M Team RLL found the execution that it’s been missing, earning its first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory this season on a strategy call at Road America.
With one hour remaining, Team RLL pitted its pair of BMW M Hybrid V8s and then capitalized when the fifth caution flew several minutes later.
The No. 24 BMW M Team RLL of Phillip Eng and Dries Vanthoor inherited the lead and scored the victory over its No. 25 teammate car of Marco Wittmann and Sheldon van der Linde.
IMSA ROAD AMERICA RESULTS: Click here for overall l By class
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: Click here for the points after Road America
It marked the second 1-2 finish in the Grand Touring Prototype category for BMW, which will be splitting from Team RLL after this year, but the manufacturer is expected to remain in IMSA’s top division.
“The team did a strategic masterclass boxing us on a very early window,” Eng said.
It’s the 24th class victory for Team RLL and its third in GTP. The team opened the 2025 season with four consecutive poles by the No. 24 in the premier hybrid class, but misfortune and mistakes kept the team out of victory lane.
“It’s been such a difficult, weird season with a lot of highlights but a lot of lows for us as well for sure,” Vanthoor said. “We never gave up. We had a very bad stop (early in the Road America race), but the car was amazing today. Philipp did a great job. We knew we had to take risks because we were last. Sometimes those don’t work out, but today it did.
“Super happy to finally get a win. Many poles but not a win so glad to bring it home today.”
The No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06, which was aiming for a third consecutive victory, finished third after starting from the pole position.
In the championship standings, the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 extended its lead in GTP with a fifth place by Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet. The team leads by 85 points over the No. 7 963 duo of Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy, who finished 11th.
The Road America winners in other categories:
LMP2: No. 99 AO Racing ORECA LMP2 07 with co-drivers Dane Cameron and PJ Hyett. It’s the second consecutive victory for the team, which moved into the championship lead by 107 points. It’s AO Racing’s fifth IMSA class win this season (Sebring in GTD Pro, GTD in Long Beach, GTD Pro in Laguna Seca and LMP2 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park).
GTD Pro: No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO with co-drivers Madison Snow and Neil Verhagen. It’s the second IMSA class win this year for Paul Miller Racing, which won at Watkins Glen with its No. 48 car. In the championship standings, Corvette drivers Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims lead by 30 points.
GTD: No. 021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 with co-drivers Kenton Koch and Onofrio Triarsi. It’s the first IMSA class win for the team, whose previous best finish was fourth four times.
IMSA ROAD AMERICA RESULTS
Race results
Results by class
Fastest laps by driver
Fastest laps by driver after race (over the weekend)
Fastest laps by driver and class after race
Lap chart
Best sector times
Leader sequence
Race distance and average speed
Fastest lap sequence
Race analysis by lap
Stint analysis
Time cards
Pit stop time cards
Flag analysis
Weather report
NEXT RACE
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will race with the GTD Pro and GTD categories Sunday, Aug. 24 at Virginia International Raceway (2 p.m. ET, Peacock).
