Continental Tire IMSA Driver Spotlight: Dirk Mueller

Driver Spotlight: Dirk Mueller
Driver: No. 56 BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE
Follow: @MuellerDirk

How would you rate your 2014 season with BMW Team RLL?

“It was a really difficult and disappointing year for us. John [Edwards] and I had three podiums this year, but we were never able to win a race on our own. The BoP was totally against us this year. When the competition is faster than you on the straights and nearly the same in the corner, it makes it really tough to win. We never gave up and with good strategy calls and good pit work we were able to bring home the 7th position in the championship as the best BMW this year.”

What were some of the biggest challenges?

“That is pretty clear and easy to answer. Due to the BoP adjustment we were the slowest car on the straight line and with that I mean our acceleration power was much weaker than from all the other competition. This means overtaking has to happen with a very risky move just before the corner. Saying that, out biggest disadvantage was the traffic with slower cars. It was costing us much more time to get by cars than others and that made it very challenging.”

With one year of the new championship complete, is there anything you’d like to see IMSA change for 2015?

“Well first of all congratulations to IMSA for the first year and and I believe that the future is looking great. The conversations between the teams, drivers and IMSA are always ongoing and very productive. I would like to may point out that Sebring and Road Atlanta had way too many yellows, as everybody knows. So this would be a point to work on.”

How does racing in America compare to Europe and which do you prefer?

“The racing itself is the same, as they’re both at a very high performance level. The work around the track activity is different as the mentality is. I very much love racing and winning in the USA, but at the same time I do over here [in Europe]. My favorite track is definitely the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It has a lot of challenges, but luckily the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship has a lot of tracks which have some parts of it included. For me in America I would say it will be Road America, Watkins Glen and VIR!”

What are your off-season plans?

“Well there is not so much off season as Daytona is already around the corner, but at the same time, it’s contract time and I am not sure yet what my plans are for 2015.”