Jeff Seabrook

Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport:

"The expectations we had for the debut season of our EVO models were high, but they are currently being exceeded in some areas. This definitely includes the SRO racing series in Europe and North America. In the GT World Challenge Europe, Team WRT is doing a fantastic job – as is Paradine Competition. This top work is reflected in the race results and overall standings. Truly exceptional is the current record of the BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the GT World Challenge America with four wins in six races, as well as in GT America. The BMW M4 GT4 EVO is a guarantee of victory in GT4 America and also achieves successes in the extremely competitive European GT4 series. Congratulations to all teams and drivers! Next weekend, we are preparing our new entry-level car, the BMW M2 Racing, for the 24h Nürburgring at the Qualifiers. Starting in 2026, we will complete our outstanding portfolio of race cars for all categories. I am very proud of how we are currently presenting ourselves as BMW M Motorsport in the customer segment. Let's keep it going."

Munich. At the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER) on 21st/22nd June 2025, the BMW M2 Racing will complete its final major endurance test before the sales launch, with a high-profile driver lineup. Belgian drivers Ugo de Wilde and Charles Weerts, along with German driver Jens Klingmann – who has been involved in the testing and development of the vehicle from the very beginning – will take the wheel as a trio of BMW M works drivers in the cockpit of the new entry-level model from BMW M Motorsport. They will be joined by experienced Nürburgring racer and motorsport journalist Michael Bräutigam (GER). The car will be fielded by FK Performance Motorsport.

Media guide with all information on the BMW M2 Racing: https://b.mw/M2_Racing_Media_Guide.

Laguna Seca. The impressive streak in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) continued at Laguna Seca (USA). Dries Vanthoor (BEL) in the BMW M Team RLL #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 once again was the fastest man in qualifying. He claimed his and teammate Philipp Eng’s (AUT) fourth pole position in as many races this season. In the race itself, the #24 car battled for victory right up to the end and secured third place after a dramatic finish. This marks the second podium of the IMSA season for Vanthoor/Eng, following their result at Long Beach (USA). In the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, Marco Wittmann (GER) and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) also delivered a strong performance, taking fourth place – their best result of the season so far.

At the start of the two-hour and 40-minute race, Vanthoor maintained the lead and held a several-second advantage over the field for the first 50 minutes. Only when lapped traffic began to factor in were the chasing cars able to close the gap, kicking off a tight battle for the top three. After a late first pit stop, Eng rejoined the race in third place with car #24. Both he and later Vanthoor managed to stay close to the leading two Porsches. In a tense and uninterrupted final phase without any full course yellows to neutralise the field, the outcome remained wide open. Vanthoor was only a few tenths of a second behind in third place, waiting for his opportunity to attack. In a dramatic fight for the win, he was touched in the final corner and spun off the track. Nonetheless, Vanthoor was able to get the #24 car going again and cross the finish line in third.

In the sister car #25, van der Linde and Wittmann also confirmed the competitiveness of the BMW M Hybrid V8. Starting from sixth on the grid, they pursued an alternate strategy and made an early first pit stop, which initially dropped them further down the field. However, after around 90 minutes of racing, Wittmann climbed from seventh to fourth within just a few laps. The #25 ultimately crossed the line right behind its sibling car, rounding off a strong showing for BMW M Team RLL with fourth place.

The BMW M4 GT3 EVO crews faced a tough race at Laguna Seca. In the GTD-Pro class, Dan Harper (GBR) and Max Hesse (GER) took fifth place in the #48 car from Paul Miller Racing. Their teammates Madison Snow and Neil Verhagen (both USA) were tenth in the #1 car. In the GTD class, the #96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO from Turner Motorsport, driven by Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (both USA), finished ninth.

Comments after the race:

Spa-Francorchamps. The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) is known as the Ardennes rollercoaster, and BMW M Motorsport experienced an emotional rollercoaster of its own there this weekend. At the third round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the home round for BMW M Team WRT, the “6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps,” both BMW M Hybrid V8s once again demonstrated their potential following the podium finish in Imola (ITA). This time, however, it went unrewarded. The #20 Hypercar was in the fight for another podium finish until shortly before the end. A slow puncture set the car back before it had to retire for safety reasons due to a brake issue. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 also showed strong performance, but, after an eventful six hours, it was only enough for tenth place.

With perfect spring weather and an impressive crowd of nearly 100,000 spectators over the weekend, the stage was set for an exciting FIA WEC race. Each of the two BMW M Hybrid V8 cars was driven by a duo instead of the usual trio. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) drove the #15, while René Rast (GER) and Robin Frijns (NED) shared driving duties in the #20. Their teammates Dries Vanthoor (BEL) and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) are competing this weekend with the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca (USA).

At the start, Magnussen sprinted from 11th on the grid into the top five with the #15 before handing over to Marciello. In the eventful race that followed, with several safety car periods, the car, however, was set back by two drive-through penalties. Rast initially ran outside the top ten in the #20, but he and Frijns made steady progress thanks to a strong performance and good strategy. Frijns eventually pushed the BMW M Hybrid V8 into podium contention with bold moves. But half an hour before the end, he had to return to the pits due to brake problems, and the team decided not to send the car back out.

Even though the race outcome did not meet expectations, BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team WRT gathered valuable data in preparation for the season highlight – the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). The endurance classic at the Sarthe will be held as the fourth round of the 2025 FIA WEC on 14th /15th June.

In the LMGT3 class, the crews of both BMW M4 GT3 EVOs had a difficult weekend. Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA), Valentino Rossi (ITA) and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA), who had narrowly missed out on victory in Imola with a second-place finish, came ninth in class with the Team WRT #46 car. The race ended early for the #31 The Bend Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO during the second hour. Following contact, damage occurred in the suspension area, and the trio of Augusto Farfus (BRA), Timur Boguslavskiy and Yasser Shahin (AUS) had to retire.

Comments after the race:

Munich. BMW M Motorsport will compete with a star-studded line-up at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) on the last weekend of June. A total of eleven BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars will be on the starting grid at the world's largest GT3 race. In addition to the two Pro Cup cars that compete throughout the entire Endurance Cup season of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, three more BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars with nine BMW M works drivers in the cockpits will compete in the highest category for BMW's 26^th overall victory. A particularly notable trio will be in car #46: Valentino Rossi (ITA), Kevin Magnussen (DEN), and René Rast (GER).

Munich. “72hellride.” The three biggest 24-hour races in the world – within just one month. Right in the middle of it all is BMW M Motorsport and two pairs of racing brothers navigating the tension between family and competition on the track. This one-hour documentary vividly and emotionally captures June 2024 and its legendary endurance events at the Nürburgring (GER), Le Mans (FRA), and Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). Central to the story are Sheldon and Kelvin van der Linde (both RSA), as well as Dries and Laurens Vanthoor (both BEL). The film has been available since 14th April 2025 on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies, and Apple TV.

Oschersleben. Solid start for the BMW M4 GT3 EVO and Schubert Motorsport in the 2025 DTM season. At the team's home event at Oschersleben (GER), René Rast (GER) drove the #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3 EVO to the best result of the weekend, finishing fifth in Sunday's race. Marco Wittmann (GER) displayed consistently strong performances in the #11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3 EVO, collecting many valuable points with eighth place on Saturday and sixth on Sunday.

At the tight Motorsport Arena in Oschersleben, Rast and Wittmann impressed, especially on Sunday with strong comebacks. The track layout does not play to the strengths of the BMW M4 GT3 EVO, and both drivers struggled in qualifying. Rast started the second race from P15 and, thanks to a very strong first pit stop, was even on course for a podium at one point. However, during the newly introduced second mandatory stop, he fell back slightly and ultimately finished fifth. On Saturday, Rast had to retire due to a technical issue.

Wittmann made a comeback in both races. On Saturday, he started from tenth place and finished eighth, and on Sunday, he did even better, moving up seven places from 13th to sixth thanks to equally strong pit stops by his crew. With 18 points, Wittmann leaves the first DTM venue in seventh place in the drivers' standings, while Rast is twelfth with eleven points. As the defending champions, Schubert Motorsport is in fifth place in the team standings after two of 16 races with 29 points.

The ADAC GT4 Germany also kicked off its season at Oschersleben. The BMW M Motorsport teams achieved a total of six top-ten finishes with the new BMW M4 GT4 EVO.

Reactions after the race weekend:

Imola. What a spectacular finale at the “6 Hours of Imola”, the second race of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season! Thanks to a tactical masterclass by BMW M Team WRT, the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, driven by Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), finished in second place. The crew of car #20 celebrated their first-ever podium in the FIA WEC – despite an early collision with another car and a repair in the pits. In the LMGT3 class, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, starting from pole position, battled for the win. After a penalty and a fantastic comeback at the end, drivers Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) celebrated a second-place finish on the podium .

The 6-hour Imola race was turbulent for all BMW M Motorsport crews. The #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 started from 13th place but steadily moved up the order on the tight course. However, Rast collided with another car during an overtaking attempt, which was not his fault, severely damaging the rear wing. This required a complete rear section change during the subsequent pit stop, which the BMW M Team WRT crew accomplished in an extremely short time, thus limiting the time lost. Nevertheless, the journey from ninth place to the podium was long. To gain positions on the track, the team decided to shorten the penultimate refuelling stop, allowing them to take the lead. Van der Linde drove laps at qualifying pace to build enough time to overtake most competitors during their later final stops and cross the finish line in second place. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, with Kevin Magnussen (DEN), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Dries Vanthoor (BEL), started from third place and maintained that until the final hour of the race. However, the crew fell back due to performance issues and finished in sixth place.

In the LMGT3 class, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO fought for the win right up to the finish line after an emotional rollercoaster. Al Harthy started from pole position and defended the lead during his double stint. Subsequent shifts in positions due to different strategies saw Rossi battling for first place with a Ferrari. During an overtaking attempt, he hit his opponent at the rear, for which the team received a stop-and-go penalty. That was followed by an impressive comeback by final driver van der Linde, who made up place after place and even closed the gap to the leading Porsche in the final laps. In a spectacular duel, he tried everything to snatch the victory but ultimately had to settle for second place. It was the second podium for the BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the second race of the season. The #31 crew with Augusto Farfus (BRA), Timur Boguslavskiy, and Yasser Shahin (AUS), who had finished third in Qatar, experienced a troubled race this time and finished twelfth after several incidents and penalties.

Comments after the race:

Dubai/ Munich. The 2025 edition of Art Dubai is set to take place at Madinat Jumeirah from 18 to 20 April, with VIP guests welcomed for preview days on 16 and 17 April. As a long-term supporter of the fair, BMW will showcase the iconic 4th BMW Art Car, painted by Andy Warhol in just 28 minutes in 1979, on the fairground. The display of Warhol’s BMW M1 at Art Dubai is part of the BMW Art Car World Tour, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary BMW Art Car Collection this year.

Founded in 2007, Art Dubai has established itself as the most significant global art gathering in the Middle East, playing a pivotal role in the rapid growth of the region’s art scene and creative economy. Each year, the fair features around 120 contemporary, modern, and digital galleries from over 40 countries, showcasing a diverse range of artistic talent and positions. The gallery programme is complemented by artist commissions, an ambitious education initiative, and the most extensive talks and conference programming of any international art fair, including the renowned Global Art Forum and the annual Digital Summit. Art Dubai continues to champion galleries and artists from less-represented geographies, serving as a vital gateway for discovery, learning, and cultural exchange.

Long Beach. In terms of qualifying speed, the BMW M Hybrid V8 remains the benchmark in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) season after three races. Dries Vanthoor (BEL) completed the pole position hat-trick at the street circuit in Long Beach (USA), following Daytona and Sebring (both USA), driving car number 24. In the race, Vanthoor's teammate Philipp Eng (AUT) crossed the finish line in third place after 100 minutes, securing the first podium for BMW M Team RLL this season. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER) finished fifth in the sister car after a strong comeback .

In qualifying, Vanthoor once again shone with an impressive lap time that secured him the pole position. Only van der Linde in the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 could match the pace, finishing second to complete the front row entirely in BMW M Motorsport's hands. In the race, both BMW M Team RLL cars initially took the lead, but they lost valuable positions during a pit stop in the first yellow phase. Particularly Wittmann, who took over the number 25 from van der Linde, had to fight hard to move up from tenth to fifth place. Eng only had to let the two Porsches at the front go and ultimately drove home a solid third place.

In the GTD class, Turner Motorsport competed with the #96 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. BMW M works driver Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (both USA) finished in fifth place.

Comments after the race:

Le Castellet. The start of the Endurance Cup season of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS could hardly have gone better from the perspective of BMW M Motorsport. The new BMW M4 GT3 EVO achieved an overall victory, a class win, and a podium finish in every category at the 6 Hours of Paul Ricard at Le Castellet (FRA). The Team WRT trio of Charles Weerts, Ugo de Wilde (both BEL), and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) celebrated their race win on the podium. In the Silver Cup, Paradine Competition drove the #992 BMW M4 GT3 EVO to victory, while car #991 finished second in the Bronze Cup. In the Gold Cup, AlManar Racing by Team WRT secured third place .

The #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO started the race from ninth position but steadily improved throughout the race. As darkness fell and the track cooled down, the car got faster, and about 1:45 hours before the end, van der Linde took the lead which he confidently maintained until the finish. The South African celebrated his second prestigious victory with Team WRT after the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS). It was also a particularly special triumph for Ugo de Wilde, as he managed to win right away in his debut as a BMW M works driver.

The Le Castellet race was a complete success for the BMW M Motorsport teams beyond the overall victory. Paradine Competition had double reason to celebrate. In the Silver Cup, the victory went to the #992 BMW M4 GT3 EVO driven by James Kellett, Charles Clark (both GBR), and Pedro Ebrahim (BRA). In the Bronze Cup, BMW M works driver Dan Harper, team owner Darren Leung (both GBR), and Sean Gelael (INA) in the #991 car finished second. In the Gold Cup, BMW M works driver Jens Klingmann (GER), Ben Tuck (GBR), and Al Faisal Al Zubair (OMA) in the #777 BMW M4 GT3 EVO from AlManar Racing by Team WRT celebrated a third-place finish.

ROWE Racing, starting from 13^th place with the #98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, made a strong comeback and finished the race in sixth place with drivers Augusto Farfus (BRA), Jesse Krohn (FIN), and Raffaele Marciello (SUI). Century Motorsport finished fifth in the Silver Cup with car #42. Team WRT's car #30 and BMW Italia Ceccato Racing's car #15 retired early.

Munich. The BMW M Motorsport works driver line-up for the 2025 season is complete. A total of 22 top-class drivers from twelve nations will compete globally as BMW M works drivers in the BMW M Hybrid V8 and the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Kevin Magnussen (DEN), Kelvin van der Linde (RSA), and Ugo de Wilde (BEL) are three new additions to the team.

The 22 BMW M works drivers, including the nine-time motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi (ITA), once again represent a wide range of characters, nationalities, and age groups. The Americans make up the largest group with five drivers, followed by Germany with four, and Belgium with three. Additionally, there are two South Africans, and one driver each from Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, and Switzerland. Ugo de Wilde, at 22 years old, is the youngest works driver and one of five born in 2000 or later. Ten drivers are under 30 years old. Bill Auberlen (USA) is the oldest driver at 56 years. Maxime Martin (BEL), Bruno Spengler (CAN), and Nick Yelloly (GBR) left BMW M Motorsport after the 2024 season.

Oschersleben. On 26th/27th April, the DTM kicks off its new season at Oschersleben (GER). In preparation for the first two races, the official DTM test day took place at the same location this week. Schubert Motorsport gathered valuable experience with its two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs and BMW M factory drivers René Rast and Marco Wittmann (both GER). At the end of the two sessions on Wednesday, more than 250 test laps were recorded.

Nürburgring. At the first race of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS), the BMW M Motorsport teams kicked off the 2025 Nordschleife season. In preparation for the 24-hour race in June, the #98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, with drivers Augusto Farfus (BRA), Jesse Krohn (FIN), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA), finished fifth after four hours of racing.

Munich. BMW M Motorsport and ROWE Racing will compete on 21^st/22^nd June 2025 in the Green Hell to continue their joint success story at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER). After the team secured BMW's 20^th and most recent overall victory in the Eifel region in 2020, the 21^st triumph is now the major goal. The new BMW M4 GT3 EVO and a strong quartet of BMW M works drivers are taking on this mission.