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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:

Silverstone (GBR), 26th to 28th April 2024. BMW M Motorsport, British GT Championship, Silverstone 500, #15 BMW M4 GT3, RAM Racing, Raffaele Marciello, John Ferguson.

BMW M Motorsport News, 11th June 2024.

Jeff Seabrook BMW Motorsport News Tuesday June 11, 2024

In our BMW M Motorsport News, we regularly offer you a selection of photos as well as a compact and informative overview of the racing action in various championships worldwide and the successes of the BMW M Motorsport teams.

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

"Over the past weeks, we had many successes of the BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers to celebrate at the 24h Nürburgring as well as in renowned GT series such as the DTM, ADAC GT Masters, and ADAC GT4 Germany. There was also plenty of reason for joy in numerous other racing series worldwide. The BMW Italia Ceccato Racing team impressively continued its successful streak in the Italian GT Championship with the BMW M4 GT3. In North America, things did not go as well as usual, but we were able to witness strong results of the BMW M4 GT4 in Asia and Australia. I congratulate all participants! Off the racetrack, our highlight was the presentation of the EVO models of the BMW M4 GT3 and BMW M4 GT4 at the Nürburgring. We look forward to being able to provide more details about the new BMW M4 GT4 model in just a few weeks on the sidelines of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps."

Zandvoort (NED), 7-9 June 2024. GT Masters, ADAC, Circuit Park Zandvoort, Round 2, #54 FK Performance Motorsport, BMW M4 GT3

DTM Zandvoort: Marco Wittmann wins after a dramatic comeback – René Rast on the podium.

Jeff Seabrook 2024 DTM Sunday June 9, 2024

The spell is broken! Marco Wittmann (GER) celebrated his first victory since the season finale in 2022 at Hockenheim (GER) after a dramatic comeback in Sunday's DTM race at Zandvoort (NED). Wittmann fought his way from 14th on the grid to the front and defended his lead in spectacular fashion. It was also the first season win for Schubert Motorsport and the BMW M4 GT3.

Zandvoort. The spell is broken! Marco Wittmann (GER) celebrated his first victory since the season finale in 2022 at Hockenheim (GER) after a dramatic comeback in Sunday's DTM race at Zandvoort (NED). Wittmann fought his way from 14th on the grid to the front and defended his lead in spectacular fashion. It was also the first season win for Schubert Motorsport and the BMW M4 GT3. In Saturday's race, René Rast (GER) secured the team's first podium of the year with a second-place finish. Wittmann's victory marked the crowning conclusion of an extraordinary weekend for the BMW M Motorsport DTM drivers .

Zandvoort, Le Mans, Zandvoort. For Wittmann, Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), the race weekend was marked by two highlights: the DTM races in Zandvoort and the test for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). Immediately after the trio's return from France on Sunday, Wittmann clinched his 19th victory in the DTM. Rast stood on the podium for the 51st time in his DTM career on Saturday.

Wittmann started Sunday from position 14 but was able to use the strong performance of the BMW M4 GT3 to work his way forward. After his pit stop, he was in the lead, which he defended in a hard duel against Mirko Bortolotti (ITA, Lamborghini). His car’s left rear tyre was damaged and smoke developed. Fortunately, the tyre held up until the end of the race, and Wittmann was able to celebrate on the podium. In Saturday's race, the two-time DTM champion had driven from 17th on the grid to seventh.

Rast fought his way up from seventh position to second place on the podium on Saturday. A day later, he finished seventh from the last starting position. Van der Linde finished both races in sixth and eighth places. On Sunday, he made up nine places in his #31 BMW M4 GT3.

In the ADAC GT Masters, the FK Performance Motorsport duo of Maxime Oosten (NED) and Leon Köhler (GER) in the #54 BMW M4 GT3 celebrated their second season victory. On Sunday, they drove from fifth on the grid to the front and reduced their deficit in the overall standings to just eight points. In the first race on Saturday, Oosten and Köhler had fought their way forward from the last starting position to fifth after problems in qualifying. In the sister #10 car, Gregory de Sybourg (SUI) and Eduardo Coseteng (PHI) finished twelfth and ninth.

Comments after the races: