Farfus: Clean Run Priority for BMW M Team RLL

Augusto Farfus says BMW having a clean run in this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona is more important for the Bavarian marque than a headline-grabbing result.

BMW is entering its second season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTP category with the M Hybrid V8, and is aiming for a much smoother run in the Florida curtain-raiser than it experienced on the car’s debut in 2023.

On that occasion, the two RLL-run cars ended up sixth and ninth in class, 15 and 131 laps down respectively, after experiencing a myriad technical problems, albeit both were running at the end of the race.

Farfus, who shares the No. 24 entry with Philipp Eng, Jesse Krohn and Dries Vanthoor, said that while he feels BMW has the potential to win, he believes that demonstrating the car’s reliability is the priority, even if the team doesn’t get the result it wants.

“Definitely we have a better car [than last year],” Farfus told Sportscar365. “We know the race better. Reliability is also hopefully better. Compared to everyone else, I think we are the guys with the biggest step from last year.

“Can we win? Yes. But it could also be that we are P7, P8. It’s not only about pace, it’s a very strategic race, so let’s see how it plays out.

“Our expectations are high. We have pressure, but we have to be realistic. We are still catching up, I think we have done a big step in all aspects, with the team, the car, the drivers.

“The priority will be to do a clean race. If we can do 24 hours trouble free, then if we are third, we are third. If we are fifth, we are fifth.

“If we go through the race trouble free and we are last, it is a lesson. I would rather that than lead the race for five hours, have a problem and retire.”

BMW’s GTP program scored its first victory in last year’s Sahlen Six Hours of the Glen, although this only came after the winning Penske Porsche 963 was disqualified for a skid block violation.

Asked if BMW had reached the stage where it would be disappointed with anything but a win, Farfus replied: “Of course, you start the project and you want the win. But it’s not a given, and the level is extremely high.

“Especially here in IMSA, there is also a big portion [decided by] taking risks on strategy. WEC is a bit more straightforward, it’s more pace-related, but here it’s not like you necessarily win if you have the fastest car.”

BMW’s leading car, the No. 25 of Connor De Philippi, Maxime Martin, Rene Rast and Nick Yelloly, starts the Rolex 24 from fourth on the grid, while the No. 24 qualified eighth.

On how he rates the chances of BMW’s GTP rivals, Farfus said: “No one can say he is the favorite. If I had to highlight somebody, I would say Cadillac is strong. But I think the rest of us are all in the mix.”