BMW announces drivers for 2019 Le Mans
BMW has announced its full roster for the two M8 GTE cars that will contest the 2019 Le Mans 24 Hours.
DTM racer Philipp Eng and his fellow BMW junior programme graduate Jesse Krohn will join the Bavarian marque's four FIA World Endurance Championship regulars for the M8 GTE's second outing in the legendary event.
Eng, who finished 11th in the GTE Pro class with Nicky Catsburg and Martin Tomczyk in 2018, will again partner the duo in the #81 entry.
The Austrian scored two podiums en route to ninth overall in his debut DTM season last year, and helped BMW to a GTLM class win at the Daytona 24 Hours earlier this year alongside Connor De Phillippi, Colton Herta and Augusto Farfus.
Krohn, meanwhile, will be making his first Le Mans appearance, as the IMSA regular partners Farfus and Antonio Felix da Costa in the #82 entry, taking the position that was filled by da Costa's current BMW Formula E teammate Alexander Sims in last year's Le Mans.
BMW sits at the foot of the GTE manufacturers' standings heading into Le Mans, which will mark the final round of the 2018/19 superseason.
The performance of its new M8 has been on an upward trajectory as the 2018/19 campaign progressed, and both of its crews have already claimed a class podium each.
GTE Pro competitors will take up 17 spots on Le Mans' record 62-car grid this year, with the regular-season two-car factory line-ups joined by a pair of Corvettes, a Risi Ferrari, two extra Porsches and two extra Fords.
Only Aston Martin has yet to finalise its line-ups, although Darren Turner and Jonathan Adam are widely expected to reprise their roles in the two Vantage GTEs from last year.
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About this article
| Series | Le Mans , WEC |
| Event | 24 Hours of Le Mans |
| Drivers | Philipp Eng , Jesse Krohn |
| Author | Valentin Khorounzhiy |
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