BMW M Motorsport works driver Dan Harper and team-mate Max Hesse were left frustrated on the streets of Detroit as an in-race penalty cost them crucial points in the latest round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (30-31 May).
The fourth round of his IMSA season served up an exciting new challenge for Harper, as the talented Northern Irishman got set to compete on a street circuit for the first time in his career alongside long-time team-mate Hesse and the Paul Miller Racing team.
Harper got to grips with the 1.645-mile Detroit Street Course for the first time through a pair of free practice sessions on Friday. While he enjoyed getting to grips with the new track, it was clear from the off that they were struggling on the low grip surface in their #48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
The team and drivers worked hard to get the car in the best window possible for qualifying later in the day. After finishing in the bottom end of the top ten through free practice, they were able to make a good step forward as Harper secured them fourth on the grid for Saturday’s 100-minute race.
A brilliant start to the race saw Harper jump ahead of the sister Paul Miller Racing BMW on the opening lap to slot into third place in the ultra-competitive GTD PRO class. The 24-year-old talent put in a great performance to hold his top three berth through a close-fought first half hour of the race.
Hesse took over from there and continued their podium challenge through mid-distance. The German ace looked to take advantage of two cars battling ahead and make a move on the Ford Mustang, however contact between the two resulted in the #48 crew being penalised.
A drive-through penalty would ultimately cost them dearly with the GTD PRO field bunched together following a safety car period. Dropping back to eighth in class, Hesse was able to regain one place before the chequered flag to secure a seventh-place finish.
Dan Harper: “It was a disappointing race to end a tricky few days in Detroit. We struggled through free practice on Friday, trying to get the car in the right window on the low grip circuit, and couldn’t quite match the pace of our rivals. Qualifying in fourth was better than we expected, so we were happy with that and the race started well, getting up into the top three. Unfortunately, it slowly unravelled from there though. Quicker cars were able to jump ahead on pitstop strategy, and then a small mistake from Max led to contact and a penalty. We salvaged some points with seventh though and we will push for more next time out.”
The 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season continues in three weeks’ time at Watkins Glen International in New York for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. One week later, Harper will be contesting the 24 Hours of Spa (25-29 June).
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