Jeff Seabrook

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.

Munich. Decorated with five driver and two team titles, BMW M Motorsport enters the DTM season 2025. Schubert Motorsport is aiming to defend their team title with two new BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars, as well as seeking their second driver's title since 2022. Behind the wheels of the two cars are three-time DTM champion René Rast and two-time title holder Marco Wittmann (both GER). The two BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars will sport the colours of BMW M Motorsport Premium Partners RoboMarkets and Schaeffler.

Sebring. The anniversary weekend in Sebring (USA), celebrating the 50^th birthday of BMW of North America, brought both highlights and setbacks for BMW M Motorsport. The 73^rd edition of the famous Twelve Hours of Sebring marked the second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC). As at the season opener in Daytona (USA), Dries Vanthoor (BEL) in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 of the BMW M Team RLL secured the pole position. In the race itself, the #24 fell far back due to an unavoidable collision. The #25 sister car finished fifth. The new BMW M4 GT3 EVO celebrated a double podium in the GTD PRO class, with the two Paul Miller Racing cars taking second and third places. Additionally, there was a first victory for the new BMW M4 GT4 EVO in Sebring.

Sebring. The 73rd edition of the Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA) this coming Saturday, 15th March, is all about a significant anniversary. BMW North America celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and the endurance classic in Florida plays a special role in this history. The story of BMW North America began in 1975 with the victory of the BMW 3.0 CSL at Sebring. Accordingly, the two BMW M Hybrid V8s of BMW M Team RLL will compete from this season’s second race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) with a special anniversary livery.

Munich. Calder, Lichtenstein, Warhol, Holzer, Hockney, Koons, Rauschenberg, Mahlangu, Eliasson, Baldessari, Cao Fei, Mehretu. For the past 50 years, the BMW Art Car series has provided artists fascinated by automobiles with a perfect playground for art and design, technology and innovation, motorsport and engineering. The collection of 20 BMW Art Cars embodies the essence of global cultural engagement with over one hundred initiatives across contemporary art, music and film, as well as design. The "rolling sculptures" – from Alexander Calder’s first-ever Art Car to Julie Mehretu’s latest – offer a cross-section of art history over the past five decades: minimalism, pop art, magical realism, abstraction, conceptual art and digital art are all represented.

“I love that car. It has turned out better than the artwork.”
Andy Warhol, BMW Art Car #4, 1979

The artists are selected by international juries of museum directors. In close collaboration with the BMW Group’s engineering and design teams, they freely develop their concepts and inspire everyone involved. To mark the 50th anniversary, the BMW Art Car World Tour features an exhibition programme spanning all five continents and including numerous accompanying events.

“The car should not only race in a physical way but also in the heart.”
Cao Fei, BMW Art Car #18, 2016

Munich. Since the 2015 season, Shell and BMW M Motorsport have been partners and have celebrated many successes together. Now, the collaboration is entering a new decade with the extension and simultaneous expansion of their joint contract. Shell is the Premium Technology, Innovation, and, in the future, also the Energy Partner of BMW M Motorsport. The partnership is visible worldwide in the biggest racing series, including the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC). The collaboration extends far beyond just the racing events.

Ten days ago, Shell and BMW M Motorsport celebrated the renewal of their partnership with the spectacular design of the #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8 at the FIA WEC season opener in Qatar. The LMDh car will compete in the entire World Championship season, including the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA), adorned in Shell's colours. BMW M works driver Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) remains the face of Shell in the cockpit of the BMW M Motorsport race cars. He will be a regular driver for the complete seasons in FIA WEC and IWSC. In both racing series, Shell prominently appears as a partner of BMW M Motorsport, highlighting the global dimension of the collaboration. Together with van der Linde, Shell celebrated its greatest sporting success in 2022 when the young South African became the DTM champion driving the Shell BMW M4 GT3.

Starting from the 2025 season, Shell will simultaneously be the Premium Technology, Innovation, and now also the Energy Partner of BMW M Motorsport. Accordingly, BMW M Motorsport exclusively uses and promotes Shell products such as Shell Helix and Shell EV Plus. As part of their technology and development partnership, Shell and BMW M Motorsport are working on joint future projects. These include more sustainable lubricants, e-fluids for electric vehicles, and innovative fuel and energy concepts for motorsport projects. As Shell is also the official partner of the BMW M Trackdays, BMW M customers also enjoy the Shell premium products.

Franciscus van Meel (CEO of BMW M GmbH): “Without strong partners like Shell, engagements by BMW M in series production and BMW M Motorsport in racing are unthinkable. The fact that we can look back on ten years of collaboration is extraordinary – and I am very pleased that we are now reaching the next level together. In addition to close collaboration within our current racing programmes, the development of new future technologies in both the racing and series production sectors is crucial. As mobility and thus the entire automotive industry are changing rapidly, it requires partners who share our pursuit of innovation and perfection. This is absolutely the case with Shell.“

Aysun Akik (Vice President of New Business Development and Global Key Accounts, Shell Lubricants): “This announcement marks an exciting milestone in our unwavering partnership with BMW M Motorsport. Over the last decade, we have been pushing the boundaries together celebrating successes in major race series all over the world. As the number one lubricants supplier, Shell will continue to deliver quality solutions and together with BMW M Motorsport, help bring the pleasure of driving to customers globally.”

Munich. BMW M Motorsport will be represented with a large contingent of teams, drivers, and cars in the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS season. ROWE Racing and Team WRT will deploy BMW M works drivers. Additionally, customer teams Ceccato Racing, Century Motorsport, and Paradine Competition will take on the challenge in one of the world's most competitive GT racing series .

In the Endurance Cup, an impressive number of eight BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars will compete in the entire season consisting of five races. ROWE Racing, in car #98, will feature the BMW M works driver trio of Augusto Farfus (BRA), Jesse Krohn (FIN), and Raffaele Marciello (SUI). Also, three works drivers will pilot the #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO for Team WRT: Ugo de Wilde (BEL), Kelvin van der Linde (RSA), and Charles Weerts (BEL). Jens Klingmann (GER), as the seventh works driver, will participate in the full season, sharing the cockpit of the AlManar Racing by Team WRT #777 BMW M4 GT3 EVO with Al Faisal Al Zubair (OMA) and Ben Tuck (GBR). WRT’s car #30 will be driven by Gustav Bergström (SWE), Gilles Stadsbader (BEL), and Etienne Cheli (FRA). Additional entries in the Endurance Cup include teams Ceccato Racing and Century Motorsport with one car each, and Paradine Competition with two BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars. In one of these cars, Darren Leung (GBR) will receive support from BMW M works drivers, mainly Dan Harper (GBR), who, however, will not be able to compete in all races due to scheduling conflicts.