Kevin Magnussen and the BMW M Hybrid V8 missed out on a podium finish in the WEC at Imola due to a technical problem. The Dane did however score World Championship points.
Kevin Magnussen and his BMW M Hybrid V8 were close to a top result at the Imola circuit in Italy, but a technical problem in the final hour of the race cost them dearly.
The BMW M Motorsport team had to see a possible podium finish disappear late in the WEC race.
The race was the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. It took place at the Italian Imola circuit.
The Dane started the race strongly from third place. He defended his position well against the Toyota rivals. Kevin Magnussen kept Mike Conway behind him in the early stages of the six-hour race.
After two stints behind the wheel, Magnussen handed the car over to his teammates. The car was still in third place at the time.
He shared the BMW M Hybrid V8 racer with Dries Vanthoor and Raffaele Marciello. The three-clover fought for a long time at the front against strong competitors such as Ferrari and Toyota.
– It was a shame, because it looked really good otherwise, said Kevin Magnussen after the race.
– We were definitely competitive today and in the game all the way, it says in a press release .
BMW M Hybrid V8 secured points at Imola
Despite the problems, Magnussen and his teammates finished sixth, a result that secured the team important points for the World Sportscar Championship.
– It was a great and close race, and the team did a really good job, he added.
Now the team must have found the reason why the Danish racing coach did not arrive as quickly as expected.
– Now we need to investigate what went wrong with the car at the end of the race, explains Kevin Magnussen.
While Magnussen's car struggled with the technique, the sister car fared better. The other BMW M Hybrid V8 from BMW M Team WRT made a strong run.
The teammates in the other car finished in second place, coming back strongly after a challenging start to the race and securing a good result for BMW.
Next WEC task awaits at Spa
“Big congratulations, both to our teammates and to the whole team,” said Magnussen, acknowledging the team’s efforts.
– A podium is a huge achievement for BMW and WRT in only their second season in the WEC.
The result gives both hope and inspires optimism ahead of the biggest race of the year.
– It shows that we are capable of fighting for the wins, which is fantastic here two months before Le Mans, adds Kevin Magnussen.
The race at Imola was won by Ferrari. The track in Italy is known for being technically difficult. Overtaking is often difficult on the narrow and demanding track.
The next challenge for Kevin Magnussen and BMW M Team WRT is in Belgium. The third round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is held at Spa-Francorchamps.
The race will be held on May 10. Here the team hopes to build on the momentum from Imola and avoid technical problems.
