BMW unveils new 'Art Car' for 2017 Daytona 24 Hours IMSA opener
The latest in a line of BMW 'Art Cars' will race at the Daytona 24 Hours next month
The factory Rahal team will field one of its pair of M6 GTLMs in the IMSA SportsCar Championship opener on January 28/29 in a livery designed by American conceptual artist John Baldessari.
The design, which features the word 'FAST' one one side and an image of the car on the other, is described by Baldessari as "playfully satirical".
The 19th in a line of BMW 'Art Cars' follows previous designs by renowned artists such as Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and, most recently at the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours, Jeff Koons.
The car will be driven by IMSA regular Bill Auberlen, DTM drivers Augusto Farfus Jr and Bruno Spengler, and Alexander Sims at Daytona.
The drive marks the first appearance for 28-year-old Sims, who won this year's Spa 24 Hours with the factory Rowe team, in the IMSA series with Rahal.
BMW has yet to confirm its line-ups for the full IMSA season, but the presence of Sims in a car with Auberlen backs up information from Autosport sources he will have a full-time seat in North America in 2017.
Martin Tomczyk, who retired from BMW's DTM squad at the end of this season, is also expected to be a part of the season-long IMSA line-up.
BMW is scheduled to announce drivers for the programme at its end-of-season prizegiving on December 9.
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