BMW Racing News - BMWsport.net - BMW Racing News, Tech Articles and Race Photos

Long Beach (USA), 11-12 April 2025. IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, IWSC, #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, GTP, LMDh, BMW M Team RLL, Sheldon van der Linde, Marco Wittmann.

IMSA: Third pole position and first podium of the season for the BMW M Hybrid V8 in Long Beach.

Jeff Seabrook 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sunday April 13, 2025

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.

Andrea Schwab
BMW Group

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 (FRA), 11-12 April 2025. GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, SRO, Circuit Paul Ricard, #992 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Paradine Competition, James Kellett, Pedro Ebrahim, Charles Clark.

Dream start to the GT World Challenge Europe season: Team WRT triumphs with the BMW M4 GT3 EVO.

Jeff Seabrook 2025 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Sunday April 13, 2025

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).

Laura Claesgens
BMW Group

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.

Oschersleben (GER), 1-2 April 2025. DTM, ADAC Motorsport, Schubert Motorsport, #11 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Marco Wittmann, Schaeffler.

DTM tests: Schubert Motorsport is preparing the two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs for the start of the season.

Jeff Seabrook 2025 DTM Thursday April 3, 2025

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.

Laura Claesgens
BMW Group

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 (GER), 22 March 2025. Nürburgring Endurance Series, NLS, Nordschleife, #98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE Racing, Augusto Farfus, Jesse Krohn, Raffaele Marciello, Kelvin van der Linde.

NLS: Successful start to the Nordschleife season.

Jeff Seabrook 2025 Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) Saturday March 22, 2025

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.

Laura Claesgens
BMW Group

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.