As today’s Hybrid BMW V-8 racecar is a totally
different Animal…
As noted, BMW effectively “scrapped” it’s V-12
LM racecar following it’s unsuccessful debut at the 1998 24 Heurs du Mans.
Selling chassis No. 1 to German racer Thomas Bscher, and chassis No. 2 to
Japan’s Team Goh.
As both of these chassis would compete in the
1999 24 Hours of Le Mans race with mixed results…
While the V-12 LMR retained it’s 6.0-litre
normally aspirated lump’, the rest of the car was completely redesigned. With
all new bodywork to correct it’s aerodynamic deficiencies. Most notably it’s
cooling ducts being moved topside, vs. the V-12 LM’s being on the chassis
bottom and being compromised by track heat.
The LMR’s most striking feature had to be the
use of a rules loophole to fashion a single seater style roll hoop just behind
the driver’s helmet, which allowed for better airflow to it’s rear wing. Not to
mention causing less drag. As the LMR is claimed to have reached 342 kph on the
Mulsanne straight. Or 214mph for us metrically challenged Yanks’, Aye Karumba!
A further four chassis were built, with
Schnitzer Motorsport running the entries, including a two car effort for the
newly created American Le Mans Series. (ALMS) With the new LMR making it’s
racing debut at that year’s 12 Hours of Sebring.
The car was fast, claiming it’s maiden Pole
position, with both Schnitzer entries running up front, before the No. 43
suffered a massive crash. Effectively writing off this chassis! While the No.
42 with Jorg Muller, Tom Kristensen and JJ Letho were victorious.
Next Schnitzer showed up at Circuit de la
Sarthe with three BMW V-12 LMR’s for the requisite test day. With the Nos
15-17. The third LMR chassis being the striking BMW #16 Art Car designed by
Jenny Holzer. Yet that would be it’s lone outing at Le Mans.
Having scribbled
about BMW’s Art Cars in a multi-part tome, for which I’ll point Y’all to one of
these No Fenders stories below…
http://www.nofenders.net/2022/04/retro-more-bmw-competition-art-cars.html
Thus the two V-12 LMr’s (Nos. 15 & 17)
lined-up third and sixth on the grid when the Tricolour was waved on June 12,
1999. As both cars proved reliable and able to circulate at the sharp end. Before
JJ Letho driving the No. 17 reportedly suffered a struck throttle late in the
race, crashing out!
This left Yannick Dalmas, Joachim Winkelhock
and Pierluigi Martini’s No. 15 in the lead, which they retained to the
chequered flag – despite heavy pressure from one of the Toyota GT-1’s, before
it suffered a high speed tyre puncture!
Ironically, the second highest finishing BMW
was the No. 18 Price + Bscher BMW V-12 LM in fifth overall. With Thomas Bscher,
Bill Auberlen and Steve Soper at it’s controls, albeit 20 laps behind the
winner.
The No. 19 Team Goh privateer V-12 LM entry
retired on lap-223 with gearbox issues. Having just learned that part of it’s
Japanese drivers trio included King Hiro’, aka Hiro Matsushita! A name Hardcore
IndyCar Fans should remember.
Now I’m feeling S-L-O-W! Since I’ve just
finally realized that’s the exact same Team Goh that partnered with Dale Coyne
Wayback’ in 2020 to run some rookie IndyCar driver named Alex Palou…
Whilst Team Goh won the 2004 24 Heurs du Mans
with a privateer Audi R8 with Seiji Ara and Audi Factory drivers Tom Kristensen
and Rinaldo Capello behind the wheel. As it was then “Mr. Le Mans” fifth
consecutive Le Mans victory!
Meanwhile, after winning Le Mans, “Team
Schnitzer” returned to the ALMS, enroute to winning a further three races that
season. With JJ Letho and Steve Soper in the #42 winning at Sears Point, Laguna
Seca and Las Vegas’s November 7th season finale.
The year 2000 would be BMW’s swan song for it’s
Werks’ prototype V-12 LMR. Although sadly, BMW chose not to defend its 24 Heurs
du Mans victory, having checked that box. Instead focusing upon its new Formula
1 effort with Williams F1. Supplying Sir Frank 3.0-litre normally aspirated
V-10 lumps’.
Schnitzer Motorsport did campaign two cars in that
year’s ALMS season. Yet the Sebring 12 Hours season opening round saw Audi
flexing its muscles with its soon dominant Audi R8. Seeing the BMW’s settling
for third and fourth place finishes.
The BMW V-12 LMR would play second fiddle to
the Audi R8 the entire 2000 ALMS season. Scoring its final two wins at
Charlotte and Silverstone, which Audi had skipped in order to prepare for Le
Mans.
As the No. 42 with JJ Letho and new teammate
Jorg Muller won both races. Whilst its Seester’ No. 43 entry of Jean-Marc Gounon
and Bill Auberlen fought for “crumbs”.
Meanwhile, Thomas Bscher who’d campaigned His
BMW V-12LM, prepared by David Price Racing in the 1999 ALMS season. Returned to
Le Mans one final time, being the lone BMW Le Mans Prototype (LMP1) entry for
2000, with the chassis once again prepared by David Price Racing.
Yet the #15 entry with Bscher, Geoff Lees and Jean-Marc
Gounon behind its keyboard retired on lap 180 with gearbox damage, due to an
accident. Before the car made its final race outing later that Fall at the
Nurburgring. Followed by Bscher retiring from racing.
Although Team Goh’s V-12 LM was supposedly
heavily updated by Dome, the car never raced again…
For that year’s Petit Le Mans, BMW brought the
V-12 LMR Art Car out of mothballs, seeing three V-12 LMR’s entered at Road
Atlanta. As the Art Car would be the only LMR to finish in fifth place – during
its lone race outing.
Schnitzer ran the final two North American ALMS
races, finishing a best of third behind both Audi R8’s again. Before BMW decided
to skip the season finale Australian round. Closing the book upon the V-12 Le
Mans Prototype effort.
Thus it would be nearly a quarter of a century
before BMW returned to Circuit de la Sarthe with a factory Le Mans Prototype
category. This being the BMW M Hybrid V-8 which made its debut at the 2023
Rolex 24 at Daytona. With longtime BMW partner Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
running the program’s two Le Mans Daytona Hybrid-spec (LMDH) racecars.
Having
scribbled about the BMW M Hybrid V-8 and its German IMSA GTP contemporary in
the following No Fenders tome…
http://www.nofenders.net/2023/01/rolex-24-iconic-german-brands-join-gtp.html
With Belgium’s multiple championships winning W Racing Team, better known as WRT campaigning a brace of BMW M Hybrid v-8’s in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar class under the banner of BMW M Team WRT.
