2024 FIA WEC

ROWE Racing to compete in GT World Challenge Europe and the 24h Nürburgring again in 2024.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Thursday February 1, 2024

ROWE Racing will once again represent BMW M Motorsport in the 2024 season at the two major endurance classics at the Nürburgring (GER) and Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). The goal is defending the title in the Ardennes and, after finishing second in 2023, launching an assault on the second Nürburgring triumph after 2020

Munich. ROWE Racing will once again represent BMW M Motorsport in the 2024 season at the two major endurance classics at the Nürburgring (GER) and Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). The goal is defending the title in the Ardennes and, after finishing second in 2023, launching an assault on the second Nürburgring triumph after 2020. Similar to last year, the team led by team manager Hans-Peter Naundorf will compete in the five races of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup with two BMW M4 GT3s. Two cars will also be in action on the Nordschleife.

In the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (GER), and Nick Yelloly (GBR) aim to defend their jointly achieved victory at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in 2023. They will share the cockpit of a BMW M4 GT3 in four races of the Fanatec GT Endurance Cup. Due to a schedule clash between the event at Monza (ITA) in September and the IMSA Indianapolis (USA) race, Eng and Yelloly cannot compete together with Wittmann that weekend. The driver line-up for that race will be announced at a later date.

In the team’s other BMW M4 GT3, Dan Harper (GBR) and Max Hesse (GER) will once again hit the track. Augusto Farfus (BRA) joins as the third driver, returning to ROWE Racing. He first raced with the squad in 2022 and in 2023, he competed for the team at the Nürburgring and in Macau (CHN). Farfus reunites with Hesse and Harper, with whom he previously shared the cockpit as a mentor of the BMW Junior Team on the Nordschleife.

For the 24 Hours at the Nürburgring, seven BMW M works drivers will compete in the two BMW M4 GT3s. Alongside GTWC drivers Wittmann and Farfus, these are Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Maxime Martin, Dries Vanthoor (both BEL), and the two new additions Robin Frijns (NED) and Raffaele Marciello (SUI).

GTD PRO podium for the BMW M4 GT3 – Technical problems set back BMW M Hybrid V8s.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Tuesday January 30, 2024

At the season opener of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series), the Daytona 24 Hours (USA), the BMW M Team RLL missed the hoped-for podium finishes with the BMW M Hybrid V8.

Daytona. At the season opener of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series), the Daytona 24 Hours (USA), the BMW M Team RLL missed the hoped-for podium finishes with the BMW M Hybrid V8. Although the two LMDh cars were able to keep up with the speed of their competitors and stay in the leading group of the GTP category until into the night, technical problems then set both prototypes back. Paul Miller Racing had reason to celebrate. The North American BMW M Motorsport team finished third on the podium in the GTD PRO class

Laguna Seca (USA), 29 April - 1st May. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, BMW M4 GT3, GTD class, Turner Motorsport, Bill Auberlen.

BMW M Motorsport introduces the works driver line-up for the 2024 season.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Friday January 19, 2024

The BMW M Motorsport works driver line-up for the 2024 season has been confirmed. A total of 22 top-rated drivers from twelve nations will be racing around the world as BMW M works drivers.

Munich. The BMW M Motorsport works driver line-up for the 2024 season has been confirmed. A total of 22 top-rated drivers from twelve nations will be racing around the world as BMW M works drivers. Raffaele Marciello (SUI) and Robin Frijns (NED) are the two top-quality newcomers. The North American works drivers Bill Auberlen, Robby Foley and Madison Snow (all USA) are also fixtures in the line-up for 2024.

Having recorded numerous successes in endurance racing and titles in a number of race series, Marciello and Frijns are now joining BMW M Motorsport. In addition to battling for overall wins with the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the FIA World Endurance Championship, they will prove to be valuable additions in GT3 racing. This versatility is a defining feature of the whole line-up of BMW M works drivers.

FIA WEC – Hypercar class: BMW M Motorsport completes its squad of BMW M works drivers for the 2024 season.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Wednesday January 17, 2024

BMW M Motorsport has completed its squad of BMW M works drivers who will line up in the Hypercar class when the manufacturer returns to the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) in 2024.

Munich. BMW M Motorsport has completed its squad of BMW M works drivers who will line up in the Hypercar class when the manufacturer returns to the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) in 2024. Dries Vanthoor (BEL) and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) had already been confirmed, and are now joined in the top class of the FIA WEC by Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Marco Wittmann (GER), Robin Frijns (NED) and René Rast (GER) in the two BMW M Hybrid V8s run by BMW M Team WRT.

Vanthoor will alternate at the wheel of the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 with BMW M Motorsport newcomer Marciello and Wittmann. Van der Linde shares the driving duties in the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 with Frijns and Rast.

Quotes on the FIA WEC line-up:

Bathurst (AUS), 2nd to 5th February 2023. BMW M Motorsport, Bathurst 12 Hour, Intercontinental GT Challenge. BMW M Team WRT, #32 Shell BMW M4 GT3, Dries Vanthoor (BEL), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Charles Weerts (BEL).

BMW M Team WRT returns to Bathurst.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Friday January 12, 2024

BMW M Team WRT has a score to settle with the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS) – and is back in 2024 for a second shot at victory with the BMW M4 GT3. The Belgian team competes at the opening round of this season’s Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC), at the iconic Mount Panorama Circuit, with two cars and six BMW M works drivers.

Munich. BMW M Team WRT has a score to settle with the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS) – and is back in 2024 for a second shot at victory with the BMW M4 GT3. The Belgian team competes at the opening round of this season’s Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC), at the iconic Mount Panorama Circuit, with two cars and six BMW M works drivers. Valentino Rossi (ITA) is back in Australia, one year after making his debut there. Joining him behind the wheel will be Raffaele Marciello (SUI), for whom this will be his first race in BMW M Motorsport colours.

Roughly one year ago, BMW M Team WRT’s first race as an official works team ended with fourth and sixth place. A solid start, but not what the ambitious team from Belgium had hoped for. They now have another chance to challenge for victory with the BMW M4 GT3 at the legendary 12-hour race at Bathurst. Boosting their chances of success are two strong crews of BMW M works drivers.

Sharing the driving duties in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 are Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (both BEL). The same trio came home fourth in 2023, narrowly missing out on the podium. In the #46 BMW M4 GT3, Valentino Rossi and Maxime Martin (BEL) are another established duo. New to the team is Raffaele Marciello, who will be racing for BMW M Motorsport for the first time at Bathurst.