Andy Priaulx will be facing a new and exciting challenge in 2014 when he heads to North America to race there for BMW Motorsport. The Guernsey driver is entering his 12th year as a works driver for the Munich based car company, and is looking forward to driving the BMW Z4 GTE in the new Tudor United SportsCar Championship that will see him compete in such iconic races as the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“After over two decades as a professional racing driver it is amazing to be given such an exciting new challenge. Not only will I be visiting new tracks and racing a new car, but this programme is giving my career even greater longevity. I know BMW Team RLL as I have already raced with these guys in the States. I won with them in Sebring in 2011, and so am looking forward getting back with them and hopefully we will be on the podium very soon,” said Priaulx.
The Tudor United SportsCar Championship (USCC) is new for 2013, replacing the American Le Mans Series that BMW has previously competed in. For the BMW Z4 GTE 2013 was its development year in North American racing after the BMW M3 GT was pensioned off after four successful years and five GT titles. The Z4 was an instant success scoring a one-two in the GT class in only its second race of the series in Long Beach. This year it will be competing in the GT Le Mans class and, as usual, the programme will be run for BMW Motorsport and BMW of North America by BMW Team RLL, whose team principal is Bobby Rahal.
Looking forward to his new team and back on the ones he has raced with over his years with BMW, Priaulx said: “Bobby Rahal is a legend. To race in a team run by someone with such an amazing racing career, who has won everything there is to win in North America, is a dream come true. I know him and the team from my previous races there and have the highest respect for the way they operate. I am obviously having to say goodbye to many friends who I have raced with over the years in touring cars. I want to say a big thank you to Bart Mampaey and all the crew at BMW Team RBM, who I shared many victories and titles with. Also last year I raced with Stefan Rehinhold and BMW Team RMG and had some fun there. I would have loved to go out with a podium, but it was great to qualify in the top three at my final DTM race in Hockenheim.”
