2024 FIA WEC

São Paulo (BRA), 12-14 July 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, FIA WEC, BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Hypercar, LMDh, Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, Marco Wittmann.

FIA WEC at COTA: Texas is calling.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Tuesday August 27, 2024

Texas, Austin, COTA: A spectacular racetrack will host the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) this coming weekend (30th August to 1st September). The 6-hour Lone Star Le Mans race at Circuit of The Americas in Austin (USA) marks the sixth round of the 2024 FIA WEC season for BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team WRT.

Andrea Schwab
BMW Group

Austin. Texas, Austin, COTA: A spectacular racetrack will host the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) this coming weekend (30th August to 1st September). The 6-hour Lone Star Le Mans race at Circuit of The Americas in Austin (USA) marks the sixth round of the 2024 FIA WEC season for BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team WRT.

One challenge for all teams will be the high temperatures in Austin, which can reach nearly 40 degrees Celsius during the race weekend. In the Hypercar class, the goal is to demonstrate the potential of the BMW M Hybrid V8 with strong results. Behind the wheel of the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) will take turns. In the #20 car, Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) will compete.

In the race for the World Championship title in the LMGT3 class, Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) are in a promising position. With three events remaining, the trio, driving the #31 BMW M4 GT3, holds third place in the driver standings. Valentino Rossi (ITA) brings a wealth of two-wheel-experience at COTA from his time as a MotoGP rider. Together with Maxime Martin (BEL) and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) in the #46 BMW M4 GT3 he will now race on four wheels in Austin.

The Lone Star Le Mans in Austin kicks off on Sunday, 1st September, at 20:00 CEST (13:00 local time).

São Paulo (BRA), 12-14 July 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, FIA WEC, BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Hypercar, LMDh, Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, Marco Wittmann.

FIA WEC: BMW M Team WRT fights for top-ten results at the São Paulo race premiere.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Monday July 15, 2024

At the start of the second half of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season, BMW M Team WRT managed to finish with all its cars at the 6 Hours of São Paulo (BRA), but could not match the performance shown in previous races.

São Paulo. At the start of the second half of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season, BMW M Team WRT managed to finish with all its cars at the 6 Hours of São Paulo (BRA), but could not match the performance shown in previous races. In the Hypercar class, the cars ended the race in ninth and 14th places, while in the LMGT3 category, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 crossed the finish line in fifth place, and the #31 BMW M4 GT3 earned a point in the title race by finishing tenth.

In qualifying, one BMW M Hybrid V8 and one BMW M4 GT3 each made it into Hyperpole. Robin Frijns (NED) and Darren Leung (GBR) secured the tenth and sixth starting positions. However, it quickly became apparent in the race that the pace in both classes was not sufficient to achieve top results. Thanks to error-free performances and good reliability, three of the four crews still managed to collect valuable points. Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) finished ninth in the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 after starting 14th. Frijns, René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) finished in 14th place in the sister car. They lost several positions and a lot of time due to a spin that was not their fault.

In the LMGT3 class, Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Valentino Rossi (ITA) finished in fifth place after a strong comeback from twelfth on the grid. Augusto Farfus (BRA) had to settle for tenth place at his home race, celebrated by many enthusiastic Brazilian fans, alongside Leung and Sean Gelael (INA), after receiving a drive-through penalty.

Comments after the 6 Hours of São Paulo:

Le Mans (FRA), 7-16 June 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, 24h Le Mans, Team WRT, LMGT3, #46 BMW M4 GT3, Maxime Martin, Valentino Rossi, Ahmad Al Harthy.

FIA WEC: Start into the second half of the season with the home game for Augusto Farfus in São Paulo, Brazil.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Tuesday July 9, 2024

Following the mega-event of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA), the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) heads into the second half of the season this coming weekend with the 6 Hours of São Paulo (BRA).

São Paulo. Following the mega-event of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA), the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) heads into the second half of the season this coming weekend with the 6 Hours of São Paulo (BRA). In the Hypercar class, BMW M Team WRT will compete with two BMW M Hybrid V8 cars. The goal is to translate the strong pace shown by the car at Le Mans into good results and to collect important points for the overall standings. In the LMGT3 category, Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) are aiming for the World Championship title after their victory at Imola (ITA) and a second place at Le Mans most recently. For Farfus, who was born in Curitiba (BRA), a very special home race awaits.

It has been 14 years since Farfus last competed in races for BMW in his home country of Brazil – in 2010 in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC). Now he returns with his fellow drivers in the #31 BMW M4 GT3 to fight for the World Championship lead in the LMGT3 class. The trio is just two points behind the leaders with 73 points. In the #46 BMW M4 GT3, Maxime Martin (BEL), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA) will take turns.

In the Hypercar class, Raffaele Marciello (SUI), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER) in the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, as well as Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) in the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, aim to achieve good positions after disappointing results at Le Mans. With the fastest qualifying time at Le Mans, the car has proved it can keep up with the best, and now the team aims to regain the consistency in the race that was lacking last time.

The 6 Hours of São Paulo will start on Sunday, 14^th July, at 16:30 CEST (11:30 local time).

Note to editors.

On Friday, at 18:15 local time in the paddock, there will be a ‘Meet the Team’ event with all drivers, Head of BMW M Motorsport Andreas Roos, and WRT Team Principal Vincent Vosse. All accredited media representatives are invited.

Comments before the 6 Hours of São Paulo:

Le Mans (FRA), 7-16 June 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, 24h Le Mans, BMW M Team WRT, Hypercar, LMDh, hybrid, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Raffaele Marciello, Dries Vanthoor, Marco Wittmann.

Emotional rollercoaster at Le Mans: #31 BMW M4 GT3 on the LMGT3 podium.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Sunday June 16, 2024

BMW M Motorsport experienced the full range of emotions that this legendary event has to offer during its comeback in the top class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) after 25 years. After a turbulent race under challenging weather conditions, Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) in the Team WRT #31 BMW M4 GT3 celebrated second place on the LMGT3 podium.

Le Mans. BMW M Motorsport experienced the full range of emotions that this legendary event has to offer during its comeback in the top class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA) after 25 years. After a turbulent race under challenging weather conditions, Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) in the Team WRT #31 BMW M4 GT3 celebrated second place on the LMGT3 podium. It was the first time since 2011 that a BMW crew has celebrated on the podium at Le Mans. In the Hypercar class, the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 and the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car had strong pace but were – like the #46 BMW M4 GT3 – taken out of the race by accidents .

Video: Statements from Andreas Roos, Vincent Vosse, and the #31 drivers: https://b.mw/Le_Mans_Interviews (secure connection failed at the time of publishing this article)

BMW M Motorsport celebrated its return to the mecca of endurance racing with an extensive programme for fans and guests. The focus was on the 20th BMW Art Car, the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 designed by artist Julie Mehretu, and on the sporting performance of BMW M Team WRT, which is fielding two Hypercars and two LMGT3 cars at Le Mans and throughout the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) season.

A spectacular week began with scrutineering in the city centre and ended on Sunday after 24 turbulent racing hours with a podium for the #31 BMW M4 GT3 in the LMGT3 category. Farfus, Gelael, and Leung maintained their composure despite adverse weather conditions including occasional heavy rain showers that even led to a multi-hour safety car period during the night. They made no mistakes and were rewarded with second place. The trio, which won the 6 Hours of Imola (ITA) earlier this season, is the first BMW crew since 2011 to make it onto the podium at Le Mans. The sister #46 car, driven by Maxime Martin (BEL), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA), was very well placed in the race for the LMGT3 victory before Al Harthy slid into the track barrier on a wet track during the night.

In the Hypercar class, both car crews, after strong pace in all sessions, could not fulfill hopes for top places. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, which had made it to Hyperpole thanks to Dries Vanthoor's (BEL) fastest qualifying time, retired after a severe accident on Saturday evening. Vanthoor was pushed off the track by a Ferrari at around 300 km/h on the straight and hit the track barrier hard. Fortunately, Vanthoor was unharmed, but the race was over for the car, which had been making its way back into the top ten after an early spin. The #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car had also fought its way into the top ten from 16th on the grid when Robin Frijns (NED) lost control and crashed into the tyre barriers. To honour the Art Car project and reward the WRT team for their hard work, the car returned to the track shortly before the end after a long repair break and crossed the finish line.

Comments after the 24 Hours of Le Mans:

Le Mans (FRA), 7-16 June 2024. FIA World Endurance Championship, 24h Le Mans, BMW M Team WRT, Hypercar, LMDh, hybrid, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Raffaele Marciello, Dries Vanthoor, Marco Wittmann.

24h Le Mans: #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 reaches Hyperpole and starts the race from sixth on the grid.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 FIA WEC Friday June 14, 2024

First an impressive performance in qualifying, then a slip in the Hyperpole: Dries Vanthoor (BEL) secured sixth place on the grid for the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 in the battle for pole position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA).

Le Mans. First an impressive performance in qualifying, then a slip in the Hyperpole: Dries Vanthoor (BEL) secured sixth place on the grid for the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 in the battle for pole position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). With first place and the fastest time after an outstanding lap on Wednesday, Vanthoor exceeded all expectations. On Thursday, he was fast again in the Hyperpole but had a slip into the tyre barriers that ended his time chase. Nonetheless, he put himself and his driving colleagues Raffaele Marciello (SUI) and Marco Wittmann (GER) in a good starting position for the race.

Video Interviews: Current statements from Andreas Roos, Vincent Vosse, and Dries Vanthoor on qualifying: https://b.mw/Le_Mans_Interviews (link fails secure connection at the time of publishing this article)

While Vanthoor managed to qualify the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 for the Hyperpole, the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 Art Car will start the race from the 16th position on the grid. In the LMGT3 category, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 qualified in twelfth place, while the #31 BMW M4 GT3 took the 15th spot.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans begin on Saturday at 16:00 CEST. On Friday afternoon, the famous drivers' parade will take place in the city center of Le Mans.

Comments on the qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans: