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Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Milner Holds BMW Team at Fault for Rolex 24 Incident, Not His Rival
It's safe to say there's no love lost between Corvette driver Tommy Milner and the BMW team after a late-race incident ended the 'Vette team's chance of winning the GTD Pro category of the Rolex 24 at Daytona this weekend. In the race, Milner was held up by the No. 48 BMW entry, which was laps off the pace, while the Corvette was being challenged by BMW's No. 1 entry. "They clearly gave him orders to hold me up, to basically slow me down enough so that the sister car could get by," Milner told Frontstretch. "It's just a poor standard of driving, it's pretty embarrassing on their part to race like that, it's not what IMSA is about." Milner's No. 4 Corvette was running in the lead and fighting off the Paul Miller Racing MBW M4 GT3 Evo piloted by Conner De Phillippi when he became stuck for several laps behind De Phillippi's PMR teammate August Farfus. For blocking for his teammate for several laps, Farfus was handed a drive-through penalty; before it could be served, however, Farfus and De Phillippi came to the International Horseshoe turn — and as Farfus entered the corner below race-leading speeds, Milner checked up and slammed into the BMW, causing damage to his left bumper. Farfus went to serve his penalty, and when Milner passed the BMW pits, he rolled down the window of his Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R and flipped his competitor off. I have to say the Corvette has a great window for exactly this. May or may not have used it myself for this reason over the last 24 hours 😇 — Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin93) January 26, 2025 The No. 1 PMR BMW finished fourth in the GTD Pro class, followed by Milner's Corvette in seventh, and the No. 48 finished 55 laps down in 12th. Once out of the car, as emotions started to settle, Milner iterated that he would keep his composure on track, but said he hoped that if BMW continued to pull similar stunts, IMSA would intervene. "It's a shame that they want to race that way," Milner told Frontstretch. "They've set the standard for the rest of the race, and we'll continue to drive as we have, with respect. If they want to continue to race like that, I don't think IMSA is going to take too kindly to it." Milner went on to describe all the ways Farfus held him up in the laps leading to their contact: waiting for him on the track to slow down in corners, brake-checking, and blocking in the hopes of giving the No. 1 BMW a better chance to pass. After his stint, Milner expressed frustration towards Farfus, who he's known for some time. "I've raced with Augusto in the past. We're friendly, and he's a super nice guy," Milner said. "Just today, he did the wrong thing over and over again." On Monday, Milner took to social media to make it clear that he was convinced that Farfus was following orders set forth by his team and/or manufacturer and that he carries no ill will towards his competitor. — Tommy Milner (@TommyMilner) January 27, 2025 "I want to say something for Augusto since it's nearly impossible to do so himself right now," Milner posted on X. "I've raced with and against Augusto for 15 years. He has always been fair with me on track. I'm certain that was him following orders." You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Corvette Driver Throws Up Middle Finger Amid Heated Clash During Rolex 24 At Daytona
There are very few events in motorsport that are more contentious and grueling than a 24-hour race. The GTD Pro class at last weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona perfectly exemplifies how endurance races can devolve into a delightfully gritty free-for-all cage fight. Daytona's on-track slugfest featured Corvette driver Tommy Milner sticking his entire arm out of his window to flip off BMW's Augusto Farfus. During the race's closing stages, Milner's No. 4 Corvette was in the lead and fending off the No. 1 BMW with Connor De Phillippi behind the wheel. Farfus' No. 48 BMW was running several laps down after getting collected in an earlier crash. Aiming to help his teammate by hindering the Corvette driver, Farfus deliberately blocked and held up Milner. And he did it more than once, despite receiving a reprimand from IMSA for his actions. Tommy Milner is NOT HAPPY. 🐦 📺: Peacock | #Rolex24 — NBC Sports (@NBCSports) January 26, 2025 Tempers flared when De Phillipi made a move for the lead while the Corvette was stuck behind Farfus. Milner opened his steering wheel in the International Horseshoe and bashed the No. 4 into De Phillipi's BMW. The Corvette took the brunt of the damage, with left-rear taillights dangling off the car. — Mattzel89Videos (@Mattzel89Videos) January 26, 2025 Milner showed his displeasure when Farfus came into pit, and he finally blasted past him. It was an evocative image on the TV feed, Milner's arm stretched out of the damaged Corvette's small sliding window. Regarding the tussle, Farfus told Racer: 'The situation with the Corvette and our sister car was very difficult. My intention was to support my teammate in the sister car in the fight for victory. I was aware that it was hard racing. The situation that led to the collision between the Corvette and Connor De Phillippi behind me was very unfortunate, but I had nothing to do with it directly. I stayed on my inside line.' Fair to say tensions are high after nearly 24 hours. The No. 4 Corvette deserved the drive-through penalty, but I'd want to fight anyone if spent a day locked in a closet with each other.#Rolex24 | #IMSA — Ryan Erik King (@RyanErikKing) January 26, 2025 Yes, there was another collision with less than 12 minutes to go. The BMW-Corvette feud continued to boil even after driver changes. Nicolás Varrone used the No. 4 Corvette to punt the No. 1 BMW, Kelvin van der Linde now driving, in Turn 1. Milner blamed BMW team orders for provoking everything that happened in a social media post: 'I want to say something for Augusto since it's impossible to do so himself right now. I've raced with and against Augusto for 15 years. He has always been fair with me on track. I'm certain that was him following orders.' Amid this chaos, neither BMW nor Corvette took home the class victory. Ford won the prize watches for GTD Pro, the Mustang's first race win since its ignominious introduction last year. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
