Photo: IMSA
Rahal Letterman Lanigan (Team RLL) will continue operating BMW’s factory TUDOR United SportsCar Championship program in 2015.
The German manufacturer confirmed its 2015 TUDOR Championship effort Friday evening during its annual Sports Trophy awards dinner in Munich.
Despite BMW having received bids from no fewer than three other high-profile motorsports operations, Team RLL will return for a seventh consecutive season, which brand-new BMW Z4 GTE cars, although with a revised driver lineup.
With Andy Priaulx returning to Europe to lead Marc VDS Racing’s attack in the European Le Mans Series, Dirk Werner rejoins Team RLL for a full-season program alongside Bill Auberlen, John Edwards and newcomer to the team, Lucas Luhr.
Luhr, a six-time ALMS champion, replaces fellow German Dirk Mueller as a full-time driver within the squad. Mueller will remain with BMW but in a reduced capacity with its European endurance GT racing program instead.
The cars will be numbered Nos. 24 and 25, in honor of the the legendary 3.0 CSL’s, as BMW North America celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Bruno Spengler, Augusto Farfus, Jens Klingmann and Graham Rahal join the team for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Specific lineups for the No. 24 and 25 cars for the full-season and the remaining Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup rounds will be revealed at a later date.
Meanwhile Joey Hand, who had driven in DTM for BMW the last two seasons and with BMW Team RLL in the U.S. for several years before that, will have to seek other opportunities into 2015.
“Seven of our eight DTM drivers from last season will also be on track in the BMW M4 DTM in 2015,” said Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director. “Joey Hand will go in search of new challenges in 2015. We would like to thank him for the great commitment he has shown to BMW in recent years, and wish him all the best for the future.”
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