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Daytona (USA), 17-19 January 2025. Roar before the 24, Daytona 24 Hours, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Car-to-Car, photoshoot, BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Paul Miller Racing.

Roar before the 24: BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers intensively prepare for the 24h Daytona.

Jeff Seabrook BMW Racing News Monday January 20, 2025

During the Roar before the 24 last weekend, BMW M Motorsport drivers and teams intensely prepared for the first season highlight of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC), the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA). One week before the race, three test days featuring seven sessions were held, during which BMW M Team RLL with its two BMW M Hybrid V8s gave strong performances.

Andrea Schwab
BMW Group

Daytona. During the Roar before the 24 last weekend, BMW M Motorsport drivers and teams intensely prepared for the first season highlight of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC), the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA). One week before the race, three test days featuring seven sessions were held, during which BMW M Team RLL with its two BMW M Hybrid V8s gave strong performances. Dries Vanthoor (BEL) set the overall fastest time with 1:35.424 minutes. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) used the tests to complete their first laps as BMW M works drivers.

Brands Hatch (GBR), 4-5 May 2024. Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, GTWC, BMW M Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3, Valentino Rossi.

BMW M Motorsport presents high-class LMGT3 and GTD driver line-ups for the FIA WEC and IMSA series.

Jeff Seabrook BMW Racing News Wednesday January 15, 2025

Just a few weeks after announcing the Hypercar line-up, the GT drivers who will represent BMW M Motorsport in 2025 in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) have been confirmed.

Andrea Schwab
BMW Group

Munich. Just a few weeks after announcing the Hypercar line-up, the GT drivers who will represent BMW M Motorsport in 2025 in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) have been confirmed. Valentino Rossi (ITA) will enter his second year in the LMGT3 category of the FIA WEC with the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. He will share the cockpit with newcomer Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA). In the #31 The Bend Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, BMW M works driver Augusto Farfus (BRA) will be joined by two new partners, Timur Boguslavskiy and Yasser Shahin. In the IMSA series, Paul Miller Racing will compete with two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs and an all-works driver line-up in the GTD PRO class. Turner Motorsport will also rely on works driver support in the GTD category .

FIA WEC: Second attempt at Le Mans victory and world championship title.

Team WRT enters the 2025 FIA WEC season with the goal of competing for victory in the LMGT3 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) and the world championship title. Once again, nine-time motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi is part of the team. He will share the cockpit of the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO with Kelvin van der Linde and Ahmad Al Harthy. While Al Harthy was Rossi's teammate in 2024, van der Linde joins as a new BMW M works driver.

In the #31 The Bend Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, there are two changes. Augusto Farfus – who finished second at Le Mans and fourth in the championship standings in 2024 – remains on board and will share the cockpit with newcomers Timur Boguslavskiy and Yasser Shahin. Boguslavskiy has an impressive history in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, where he competed alongside current BMW M works driver Raffaele Marciello (SUI) and was crowned champion in 2020 and 2023. Shahin competed in the 2024 FIA WEC season for Team Manthey EMA, finishing second in the championship standings. Along the way, he triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). In 2021 and 2022, Shahin won the title in the GT World Challenge Australia. In 2024, he won the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS) in the Pro-Am class.

Munich (GER), 10 January 2025. Ugo de Wilde, BMW M works driver.

Ugo de Wilde becomes a BMW M works driver.

Jeff Seabrook 2025 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Friday January 10, 2025

The BMW M Motorsport works driver line-up receives additional reinforcement at the beginning of 2025. 22-year-old Belgian Ugo de Wilde will compete in races driving the BMW M4 GT3 EVO starting from the upcoming season. His participation includes races in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, among others.

Andrea Schwab
BMW Group

Munich. The BMW M Motorsport works driver line-up receives additional reinforcement at the beginning of 2025. 22-year-old Belgian Ugo de Wilde will compete in races driving the BMW M4 GT3 EVO starting from the upcoming season. His participation includes races in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, among others .

De Wilde has proved his considerable talent in the past season by achieving a podium finish in the Gold Cup at his debut at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). He impressed not only during the race but also with strong lap times in qualifying. Throughout the season in the GT World Challenge Europe, the Belgian also competed in the Silver and Bronze Cups. In 2021, de Wilde transitioned from single-seaters to sports cars, competing in the LMP2 prototype in the European Le Mans Series. He made his debut in this category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) in 2023.

Details of de Wilde's specific race participations will be announced at a later date.

Cape Town (RSA), 19 December 2024. Kelvin van der Linde, Sheldon van der Linde, BMW M works driver, presentation.

Brothers reunited: Kelvin van der Linde becomes a BMW M works driver and will compete in the BMW M4 GT3 EVO in 2025.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 ADAC GT Masters Thursday December 19, 2024

Starting in the 2025 season, the name Van der Linde will appear twice at BMW M Motorsport. Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) will become a BMW M works driver, following in the footsteps of his brother Sheldon, who has been part of the racing family since 2019.

Andrea Schwab
BMW Group

Munich. Starting in the 2025 season, the name Van der Linde will appear twice at BMW M Motorsport. Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) will become a BMW M works driver, following in the footsteps of his brother Sheldon, who has been part of the racing family since 2019. Twenty-eight-year-old Kelvin van der Linde will undertake an extensive racing programme with the new BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Further details will be announced at the beginning of next year.