A challenge to Honda and Yamaha: BMW isn’t just fast over a single lap!

The BMW works team (Reiterberger, van der Mark, Odendaal) in the World Endurance Championship is heading into the decisive phase of the Suzuka 8 Hours with a great deal of confidence. Having set the fastest time at the final official test, team manager Werner Daemen believes his team is well prepared – not least because they managed more than just a single fast lap.

“The test went very well,” said Daemen when asked by SPEEDWEEK.com. “We set the fastest lap time overall, but we were also quick on average. We were competitive over the full distance.”

The BMW works team thus confirmed the positive trend of recent weeks. Following their victory at the 8 Hours of Spa, the team also looked in strong form at the Suzuka Circuit and even outperformed the star-studded Honda and Yamaha works teams during the official pre-race test.

What still needs to be optimised before Sunday’s race

Daemen is not entirely satisfied, however. The Belgian sees room for improvement, particularly in wet conditions. “In the rain it’s okay, but it’s not quite where it needs to be yet. We haven’t tested here in the rain yet, whereas the others have,” said the team manager, citing a plausible reason for the performance on a wet track not yet being perfect.

Nevertheless, Daemen is optimistic about qualifying day. A good starting position on the grid could play a decisive role in the battle for the top places. “We’re on the right track, and we’ll see how it goes in qualifying tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll secure a good starting position for the race so that we’re in a position to challenge for the top spots.”

Werner Daemen (mitte)

Foto: BMW

Despite the strong test performances, BMW is deliberately keeping its objectives realistic. “As always, our aim is the top five and, if possible, the top three,” said Daemen, tempering expectations. At the same time, the Belgian knows how quickly the outlook can change in changeable conditions. “In the wet, it’s always a lottery, so I hope it stays dry.”

Following their impressive performance in testing, the BMW works team is nevertheless considered one of the main challengers to the Japanese works teams. If they can maintain that pace over the race distance, even a fight for overall victory at the endurance classic on the Suzuka Circuit seems possible.