Paul Miller Racing clinches IMSA GTD PRO title with BMW M4 GT3 at Road Atlanta
Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen secured the first championship in the GTD PRO class for the American team with a podium finish at Petit Le Mans, while BMW M Team WRT took second in the GTP class in its debut season.
Paul Miller Racing clinched the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD PRO class title at Petit Le Mans following a third-place finish in the ten-hour race at Road Atlanta. The achievement marks the team’s first overall championship since moving up from the GTD class three years ago.
Drivers Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen, both from the USA, secured the crown in the #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, arriving at the finale trailing by 47 points and needing what Verhagen described as “a little miracle to win the title.” The pair delivered a strong performance alongside co-driver Dan Harper from Britain, with the finishing position combined with performances elsewhere in the season to edge out rival teams.
BMW M Team WRT’s debut season
In the top-tier GTP class, BMW M Team WRT finished its first IMSA season with a second-place showing in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8. Drivers Dries Vanthoor of Belgium, Sheldon van der Linde of South Africa, and Robin Frijns of the Netherlands ran competitively throughout the race, with van der Linde battling for the win in the final laps before finishing narrowly behind a Porsche entry driven by Laurens Vanthoor.
The #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 did not finish after an accident, though driver Kevin Magnussen emerged uninjured.
Over its debut IMSA season, BMW M Team WRT scored one victory at Indianapolis, two second-place finishes at Road Atlanta and Detroit, and two third-place showings at Daytona and Laguna Seca.
Turner Motorsport’s disappointment
Turner Motorsport’s bid for a GTD class title fell apart before the race could decide it. The #96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, shared by Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher with Francis Selldorff, suffered an early technical defect that forced a retirement. Foley acknowledged the setback but noted the team had “a great year” and promised to return in 2027.
Key facts
- Paul Miller Racing won its first championship in the GTD PRO class, three years after moving up from GTD
- De Phillippi and Verhagen trailed by 47 points at the start of the final race
- BMW M Team WRT recorded one win, two second places and two third places in its debut IMSA season
- The #24 GTP car finished second at Petit Le Mans, separated narrowly from the winner in the final laps
This article was compiled by the CityLifeBytes editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
