BMW Making Progress With New-Look GTP Program

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — By means of two races, the new-look BMW Grand Touring Prototype program is banking on its offseason modifications and aggressive strikes to shut the hole to Porsche up entrance within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

BMW switched its companion group alliance after 2025, transferring on from the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing outfit after 17 years to consolidate its top-level effort with BMW M Crew WRT. The Belgian WRT group has taken over as BMW M Motorsport’s GTP companion group in IMSA, together with establishing a North Carolina U.S. base. This modification creates larger consistency all through BMW’s IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championship packages.

The modifications have been extra than simply the group itself. The BMW M Hybrid V8 obtained an “Evo” improve, with aerodynamic and brake system modifications meant to create extra secure and predictable dealing with throughout all situations. A brand new-look, smaller kidney grille additionally stands out.

All events concerned have expressed confidence within the new association. Whereas the upgraded BMW M Hybrid V8 has not confirmed the one-lap tempo it demonstrated early within the 2025 season, the Evo updates appeared to work as hoped for on the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Andreas Roos had an extended historical past with Audi earlier than he took over as head of BMW M Motorsport in mid-2022, when the BMW M Hybrid V8 was within the last levels of improvement. He has presided over the modifications to the IMSA program this yr and believes the early indicators are promising.

“Thus far, so good…we are able to’t complain,” Roos stated previous to Sebring. “Operating a automobile to a podium at Daytona was fairly promising, for positive. We nonetheless had some work to do, however for the race, we obtained the automobile in window, and the automobile was there to combat for a prime place. Ending on the rostrum was for positive a pleasant begin to the season along with WRT as our new group. So fairly completely happy there. Daytona was undoubtedly constructive, for us step. Had been we fast sufficient to combat for the win? I might say no, the Porsche was forward a bit and had an edge on us, however ending up on the rostrum on the 24 Hours of Daytona is at all times good.

“Since then, we’ve achieved some checks and can proceed testing to search out some extra steps,” he added. “Let’s see the place we’re right here.”

Roos stated BMW is already seeing the fruits of consolidating its two worldwide sports activities automobile packages, with a typical companion group and parallel driver lineups.

“After the primary years we did, we clearly stated an enormous level is creating essentially the most synergies we are able to create between groups and drivers,” he remarked. “Our first step was to have drivers doing each championships. You even have loads of engineers on the BMW facet and on the group facet that do each championships, however when you’ve gotten a driver, he brings his enter straight from one championship to the opposite, which helped us. That is additionally why we made the transfer we did this yr for 2026 to maneuver all the pieces to WRT.

“For positive, they’re two totally different groups, let’s say – there’s an IMSA group and a WEC group – however we’ve got some core individuals who do each championships, and this helps us to speed up the entire program. This helps us combine with WRT and with the Evo, we hope we’ve made some good steps there.”

The lineups stay the identical in IMSA for 2026 as they have been in 2025, simply flipped between the 2 automobiles. Sheldon van der Linde shifted from the No. 25 BMW entry to the No. 24 automobile alongside Dries Vanthoor, who opened 2025 on a scorching streak with 4 consecutive Motul Pole Awards. Philipp Eng went the opposite method, transferring from the No. 24 automobile to the No. 25 automobile alongside Marco Wittmann. Though each are settling into barely revised IMSA packages, they’re each constructive about their 2026 begin.

“I feel it’s going very effectively up to now,” stated van der Linde. “Clearly, we’ve got a brand-new group with WRT, and I feel their expectations have been reasonable. I don’t suppose we are able to count on to return in right here and dominate with so many sturdy opponents which were right here for 3 years already, like Porsche for instance. We’re reasonable, for positive.”

Eng echoed, “Total it’s very constructive. There’s little question WRT are top-of-the-line groups on this planet, so I’m very completely happy to be racing for them. One of many huge belongings of WRT is that they at all times have an enormous expertise of bringing the suitable folks to the suitable positions. I feel that’s precisely what has occurred now. I feel we’ve got an excellent group collectively. The preparation time is kind of quick, but when one group can handle to do it, it’s them.”

To start out the yr, Vanthoor and van der Linde, now teamed collectively within the No. 24, claimed third place at Daytona and fifth at Sebring with IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup driver Robin Frijns, to rank an early fourth within the standings. The No. 25 automobile piloted this yr by Eng and Wittmann with Kevin Magnussen for Michelin Endurance Cup races, had a more durable run up to now this yr however has proven flashes of velocity.

Whereas the drivers and engineers have been puzzled by their incapability to extract qualifying velocity from the BMW M Hybrid V8 in Evo trim at Daytona and Sebring, there’s no query that the targets of improved drivability and consistency have been met.

“It’s clearly higher at following and raceability,” van der Linde stated. “That’s what it’s geared toward. Within the excessive velocity, you’ll be able to undoubtedly comply with a bit nearer, in order that’s undoubtedly a constructive. We’re nonetheless engaged on getting in the suitable window for the automobile. I feel it’s no secret we haven’t discovered the candy spot but, however I feel it’s getting there. We want a number of extra check days and races to essentially discover out what works and what doesn’t. However we have been shocked how effectively the race began at Daytona can really feel the consequences of the brand new aero package already.”

The BMW M Hybrid V8 was simplest on quick, flowing circuits like Street America and Watkins Glen Worldwide, and it additionally scored a 1-2 end on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s street course in 2024. Which observe are Roos and BMW trying ahead to essentially the most as they try to beat Porsche’s latest run in GTP?

“All of them!” he exclaimed. “I feel once you look again during the last season, there have been a number of tracks the place we at all times had and aggressive automobile and have been capable of combat for good outcomes. It was at all times fairly constructive. This I hope can proceed, and we are able to additionally get some extra victories this yr.

“However we additionally did some errors, not ending a race by an accident or no matter,” Roos added. “This for positive we’ve got to get sorted. However on pure efficiency, there usually are not tracks which aren’t suiting us.”