BMW M Team WRT finally broke through in the top class of IMSA. Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor drove the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 to the top step of the podium at the Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last Saturday. It was WRT’s first victory in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and also a first for van der Linde personally.
The 2-hour, 40-minute race was dramatic from the start. A major incident occurred at Turn 1. Contact between the #25 BMW of Philipp Eng and the #6 Porsche of Laurin Heinrich sent Julien Andlauer’s #7 Porsche into a spin, involving the #99 AO Racing LMP2 and other cars. The safety car was immediately deployed. Once racing resumed, Jack Aitken took the lead from pole sitter Tom Blomqvist, and together with Earl Bamber, he controlled the race for the #31 Cadillac.
The decisive phase came during the final caution period. The #6 Porsche, which had been running near the front, lost ground due to an unfavorable fuel strategy. The #24 BMW emerged in second, giving Sheldon van der Linde a golden opportunity to attack Bamber. With less than six minutes remaining, van der Linde used traffic to get alongside Bamber and completed the pass for the lead. He had tried several times before, but this time the move stuck.
Van der Linde brought the #24 BMW home 2.926 seconds ahead of the #31 Cadillac. It was BMW M Team WRT’s first IMSA victory and Sheldon van der Linde’s first as well. “My first IMSA win – amazing! I had goosebumps when I overtook Earl Bamber a few laps from the end. I really had to make sure I stayed focused. I had a bit of bad luck with traffic during my stint at first, but I knew my time would come. The car and our strategy were perfect today. I’m absolutely delighted for the team, who more than deserve this victory,” said van der Linde after the race.
He added, “People often forget that WRT are competing in their first season in the IMSA Series. What they’re achieving here and in the FIA WEC with their victories this year is fantastic. I’m proud to be part of this team.”
The result extends Aitken’s championship lead over Heinrich to 147 points heading into the season finale. The #6 Porsche completed the podium with Heinrich and Kevin Estre, recovering strongly after falling back. The #40 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac finished fourth, followed by the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura of Colin Braun and Tom Blomqvist. This victory proves that WRT, as a newcomer, can compete at the highest level of IMSA, adding to their impressive debut season.
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