Roos: Pepper Fits into BMW’s Need for More Factory Drivers

Photo: Racingpixels/Creventic

Jordan Pepper has fit BMW’s need of additional top-level factory drivers, due to an increasing number of clashing events globally, according to its motorsport boss Andreas Roos.

The 29-year-old former Bentley and Lamborghini factory pilot joined the German manufacturer last November and won on his factory debut in last month’s Michelin 24H Dubai, sharing a Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO with Anthony McIntosh, Fran Rueda, Ben Tuck and fellow countryman Kelvin van der Linde.

“He did a really, really good job,” Roos told Sportscar365. “It was nice to see Jordan, for the first time, racing for us in the M4 GT3.

“He felt well from the beginning with the car and was strong.

“On the other hand, a driver of the level of Jordan, he’s a real professional on the GT side. He won last year the 24 Hours of Spa and he was strong everywhere he was racing.

“As a manufacturer you have to have guys like Jordan Pepper on the radar when you’re looking for drivers.”

Pepper, the 2020 Bathurst 12H winner, will be part of WRT’s lineup in next weekend’s Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, again sharing the wheel with Kelvin van der Linde, along with reigning GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup champion Charles Weerts.

The same trio will embark on a season of GTWC Europe Endurance Cup, in an attempt to defend multiple titles earned by drivers and WRT from last year.

Roos explained that the the increasing number of conflicting races prompted BMW to seek out another top-level driver.

BMW has yet to officially reveal its full works driver roster for this year, although it’s known that several drivers, including Madison Snow, are no longer with the manufacturer.

“We clearly saw, with the program we want to do and some clashes we have because of calendars, that there was the need for one more driver,” said Roos.

“We got in contact with Jordan and and also liked the idea to be a BMW factory driver at one stage. That’s why we’re super happy to have him now in our driver lineup.

“He fits perfectly to us.”

When asked if brothers Kelvin and Sheldon van der Linde, who are childhood friends with Pepper in their native South Africa, had any influence on Pepper’s decision to join BMW, Roos said it “for sure” helped.

“It would be wrong to say no now because for sure, the drivers talk to each other and I think Sheldon, Kelvin and Jordan have a very, very strong relationship from the past already, all coming from South Africa,” he said.

“Fore sure the guys are talking. I think if it would be really bad to be a BMW driver, maybe they would have told him to go somewhere else!

“I think they were also to see him on the board and for sure it helps.”

Roos, meanwhile, hasn’t ruled out all three drivers sharing a BMW in the future, which could build on Sheldon and Kelvin’s dream to race together in a top-class prototype.

“Maybe at one stage. You never know,” said Roos on all three South Africans in a BMW together.

Davey Euwema contributed to this report

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John