Following an impressive sixth-place finish at Daytona’s inaugural race and a second place at Sebring, the BMW M Hybrid V8 once again reached the podium. Connor De Phillippi and Nick Yelloly, driving the #25 car, secured their second consecutive runner-up position in the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car season. The electrified race car completed 78 laps during the 100-minute event, which concluded under a yellow flag.
In the BMW M Hybrid V8 #24, Philipp Eng and Augusto Farfus crossed the finish line in fourth position. Both cars briefly took the lead in the race before making pit stops. On lap 33, Yelloly handed over the car to De Phillippi, who rejoined the race in fourth place. He climbed to third place on lap 52 but an error on lap 58 caused the BMW M Hybrid V8 to go off track, demoting him to fourth. De Phillippi eventually regained third place and, in the final minutes, secured second place.
Meanwhile, on lap 35, Farfus made a pit stop, and Eng returned to the track in seventh position. Thanks to late stops by some competitors, Eng managed to climb two positions to fifth. He finished fourth in his debut at Long Beach, just like his teammate Augusto Farfus. Interestingly, it was also Nick Yelloly’s first start at this venue.
Connor De Phillippi, driver of the No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8 (P2), reflected on the race, saying, “I found myself in a less than ideal situation when I took a long run trying to pass the Porsche. Fortunately, I discovered the TC-off button and spun the car around. With 30 minutes remaining, I focused and pushed hard. The car performed exceptionally well in the end, and it was fantastic to witness our competitiveness.”
Nick Yelloly, driver of the No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8 (P2), expressed his delight, stating, “Achieving a second consecutive second-place finish exceeds my expectations. We had high hopes, and to secure my first podium at Long Beach makes me incredibly happy.”
Philipp Eng, driver of the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 (P4), acknowledged the team’s progress, saying, “The team continues to make positive strides after Sebring. Congratulations to the No. 25 crew. Long Beach was a wonderful experience. Hopefully, next time, it will be the No. 24 car’s turn.”
Augusto Farfus, driver of the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 (P4), shared his satisfaction, saying, “We can leave Long Beach with a smile. I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to this circuit, and I’m sure Philipp did too. We had a flawless day, and as a team, BMW M Team RLL is making remarkable progress.”
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