2024 FIA WEC

Qatar, 26-27 February 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, FIA WEC, prologue, Lusail International Circuit, BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Hypercar, LMDh, Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, Marco Wittmann.

FIA WEC: BMW M Motorsport Media Guide, video interviews and initial impressions after the Prologue in Qatar.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Friday March 1, 2024

Next weekend will see BMW M Motorsport return to centre stage in endurance racing at the season-opener in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The BMW M Team WRT will be racing with two BMW M Hybrid V8s in the Hypercar class at the Qatar 1812 km. A prototype from BMW M Motorsport will be battling for overall wins for the first time in 25 years.

Doha. Next weekend will see BMW M Motorsport return to centre stage in endurance racing at the season-opener in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The BMW M Team WRT will be racing with two BMW M Hybrid V8s in the Hypercar class at the Qatar 1812 km. A prototype from BMW M Motorsport will be battling for overall wins for the first time in 25 years. The BMW M Motorsport Media Guide attached to this press release contains a detailed introduction to the BMW M Hybrid V8 and the BMW M4 GT3, which will be competing in the LMGT3 category. It also features everything you need to know about teams, drivers, and the 20th BMW Art Car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) in June 2024.

On Monday and Tuesday, the two BMW M Hybrid V8s and the pair of BMW M4 GT3s each completed around 500 test laps during the Prologue at the Lusail International Circuit (QAT) as the team provided the best possible preparation for the first race on Saturday (start time: 09:00 CET).

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Qatar, 26-27 February 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, FIA WEC, prologue, Lusail International Circuit, BMW M Team WRT, #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, Hypercar, LMDh, Sheldon van der Linde, René Rast, Robin Frijns.

BMW M Motorsport Media Guide - FIA World Endurance Championship 2024.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Friday March 1, 2024

The BMW M Motorsport Media Guide contains a detailed introduction to the BMW M Hybrid V8 and the BMW M4 GT3, which will be competing in the LMGT3 category. It also features everything you need to know about teams, drivers, and the 20th BMW Art Car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) in June 2024.

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BMW M Motorsport Media Guide - FIA WEC	[BMW M Motorsport Media Guide - FIA WEC]	5048 kB

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Bathurst (AUS), 15th to 18th February 2024. BMW M Motorsport, Bathurst 12 Hour, Intercontinental GT Challenge. BMW M Team WRT, #32 BMW M4 GT3, Dries Vanthoor (BEL), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Charles Weerts (BEL), #46 BMW M4 GT3, Valentino Rossi (ITA), Maxime Martin (BEL), Raffaele Marciello (SUI).

Bathurst 12 Hour: BMW M Team WRT narrowly misses the podium in a turbulent race.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Sunday February 18, 2024

BMW M Team WRT showed strong speed at the season opener of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst (AUS), but was unable to reap the rewards in a race marked by incidents and changeable weather.

Bathurst. BMW M Team WRT showed strong speed at the season opener of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst (AUS), but was unable to reap the rewards in a race marked by incidents and changeable weather. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Charles Weerts, and Dries Vanthoor (BEL) started the 12-hour race from pole position in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 but were forced to retire after an accident. In the #46 BMW M4 GT3, Valentino Rossi (ITA), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) fought for a podium spot in an exciting final stage up to the last lap but ultimately had to settle for fifth place.

Throughout the race the BMW XM Safety Car repeatedly led the field after accidents, for the last time about 40 minutes before the end. That ignited a fierce battle for the podium places in which Martin briefly moved into third place with a bold overtaking manoeuvre, but had to relinquish it immediately due to a slight braking error on the still-slippery track. Thunderstorms with heavy rain showers characterised the second half of the race. Only in the last hour did the asphalt dry up again.

For the sister #32 car, the weekend had started perfectly. On Saturday, van der Linde secured pole position for the #32 BMW M4 GT3 in the Top-10 Pole Shootout, giving the team reason to celebrate. Martin qualified the car #46 in eighth place.

The race started on Sunday morning at 5:45 a.m. local time in darkness. Car #32 maintained the lead in the early stages, while #46 continued to move forward. It wasn't long before both BMW M4 GT3s were in the top three. However, after nearly five hours of racing, there was a moment of shock for BMW M Team WRT when the #32 car crashed heavily into the wall after unfortunate contact with a lapped car. Weerts, who was driving at the time, was fortunately uninjured, but for him and his teammates van der Linde and Vanthoor, the race was over prematurely.

Detail shot of the 20th BMW Art Car by Julie Mehretu in the creation process. Photo: André Josselin and Tina Paffen © BMW AG

FIA WEC: The BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car will bear the starting number 20 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Tuesday February 6, 2024

The countdown for the unveiling of the 20th BMW Art Car is underway. On 21st May, the BMW M Hybrid V8, designed by artist Julie Mehretu and set to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 15th/16th June, will be presented at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France. The artist is already providing glimpses into her work. Additionally, it is now confirmed that the Art Car will carry the starting number 20.

Munich. The countdown for the unveiling of the 20th BMW Art Car is underway. On 21st May, the BMW M Hybrid V8, designed by artist Julie Mehretu and set to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 15th/16th June, will be presented at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France. The artist is already providing glimpses into her work. Additionally, it is now confirmed that the Art Car will carry the starting number 20 and will be driven by Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Robin Frijns (NED), and René Rast (GER).

The #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 will be the first Art Car since the 2017 season, where the BMW M6 GTLM designed by John Baldessari raced at the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA), followed by the virtual BMW M6 GT3 Art Car by Cao Fei at the FIA GT World Cup in Macau (CHN). In the past, the most famous BMW Art Cars have participated in Le Mans: in 1975, Alexander Calder’s BMW 3.0 CSL, in 1976, Frank Stella’s BMW 3.0 CSL, in 1977, Roy Lichtenstein’s BMW 320i Turbo, in 1979, Andy Warhol’s BMW M1, in 1999, Jenny Holzer’s BMW V12 LMR, and in 2010, Jeff Koons’ BMW M3 GT2. This illustrious collection is now enriched by Julie Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8.

BMW M Motorsport, Ahmad Al-Harthy (OMA)

BMW M Team WRT presents BMW M4 GT3 drivers for the FIA WEC and GT World Challenge Europe.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Friday February 2, 2024

During a media event at Spa (BEL), BMW M Team WRT introduced the BMW M4 GT3 drivers for the 2024 season in the LMGT3 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS (GTWC).

Spa. During a media event at Spa (BEL), BMW M Team WRT introduced the BMW M4 GT3 drivers for the 2024 season in the LMGT3 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS (GTWC). BMW M works driver Maxime Martin (BEL) will participate in both the FIA WEC and GTWC alongside Valentino Rossi (ITA). In the LMGT3 class, the line-up is completed by three drivers: Sean Gelael (INA), Ahmad Al-Harthy (OMA), and Darren Leung (GBR). In the GTWC, Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (both BEL) will contest the entire season, joined by Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Raffaele Marciello (SUI) and Jens Klingmann (GER) in the Endurance Cup.

The FIA WEC regulations stipulate that each LMGT3 car must have drivers from all FIA categories. Specifically, this means that in addition to a driver with Platinum or Gold status, a Silver and a Bronze-rated driver must form the crew of a car. In the BMW M Team WRT #31 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M factory driver Augusto Farfus (BRA) shares the cockpit with Silver driver Sean Gelael, BMW M Ambassador for Indonesia, and Bronze driver Darren Leung. In the #46 BMW M4 GT3, alongside Silver-rated Valentino Rossi (ITA), Maxime Martin and Ahmad Al-Harthy will be in action.

In the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts, as an established duo, are aiming for the title. They participate in both the Sprint Cup and the Endurance Cup. For the endurance races, including the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL), they will be supported by Sheldon van der Linde. Valentino Rossi, Maxime Martin, and Raffaele Marciello compete in the Endurance Cup, with Rossi and Martin also participating in selected Sprint Cup events. Klingmann will compete in the Bronze class of the Endurance Cup together with Al-Harthy and Sam de Haan (GBR).