BMW Team RLL kicks off the 2012 ALMS season in Sebring.

American Le Mans Series

BMW Team RLL kicks off the 2012 ALMS season in Sebring.

Munich, March 12^th 2012. BMW Team RLL launches the defense of its titles in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at the 12 Hours of Sebring (US) this Saturday. The "Sebring International Raceway" is the oldest circuit in North America and this year hosts the spectacular endurance race for the 60^th time.

This is not the only important anniversary this year: BMW M is celebrating its 40^th birthday in 2012. A BMW M3 has triumphed in the GT class at Sebring on four occasions – 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2011. BMW also has two overall victories to its name. In 1975 the BMW 3.0 CSL won in Florida, while the BMW V12 LMR prototype crossed the line first after 12 hours in 1999.

Joey Hand (US) and Dirk Müller (DE) return to the ALMS as reigning GT champions. This year they will once again alternate behind the wheel of the No. 56 BMW M3 GT. Twenty-three year old Jonathan Summerton (US) will join them as the third driver in Sebring, and will also line up at a further three races over the course of the season.

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