BMW M Motorsport will compete with a star-studded line-up at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) on the last weekend of June. A total of eleven BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars will be on the starting grid at the world’s largest GT3 race. In addition to the two Pro Cup cars that compete throughout the entire Endurance Cup season of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, three more BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars with nine BMW M works drivers in the cockpits will compete in the highest category for BMW’s 26th overall victory. A particularly notable trio will be in car #46: Valentino Rossi (ITA), Kevin Magnussen (DEN), and René Rast (GER).
In the Pro Cup at Spa-Francorchamps, a total of five BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars will compete, with three fielded by Team WRT and two by the ROWE Racing Team. The Belgian WRT team will have its home race with the #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, which is shared throughout the season of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup by Ugo de Wilde, Charles Weerts (both BEL), and Kelvin van der Linde (RSA). This trio won the season opener at Le Castellet (FRA). Additionally, the star-studded car #46 will see Magnussen compete in his first GT3 race for BMW M Motorsport, and car #31 will feature the three BMW M works drivers Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Marco Wittmann (GER). All three drivers, like Magnussen, are part of BMW M Motorsport’s LMDh programme.
ROWE Racing is expanding its line-up from one to two cars. In the #98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, GT World Challenge Europe regulars Augusto Farfus (BRA), Jesse Krohn (FIN), and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) will compete. Additionally, car #998 will include BMW M works drivers Philipp Eng (AUT), Dan Harper (GBR), and Max Hesse (GER). All three competed in the entire Endurance Cup season for ROWE Racing in 2024, but this season their main programmes are in the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Eng, a three-time Spa winner (2016, 2018, 2023), is aiming for his fourth triumph in the Ardennes.
Besides the five Pro Cup cars, six additional BMW M4 GT3 EVO cars compete in the Endurance Cup of the GT World Challenge Europe and thus also at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. Only once before has BMW M Motorsport been represented with so many cars since the beginning of the GT3 era, in 2015 with the BMW Z4 GT3. In the Gold Cup, AlManar Racing by Team WRT will field one car, and in the Silver Cup, Team WRT, Paradine Competition, and Century Motorsport will each enter one BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Additionally, one car each from Paradine Competition and BMW Italia Ceccato Racing will compete in the Bronze Cup.
The Prologue next week offers teams and drivers the opportunity to work on the set-up of the cars and to get accustomed to the challenging circuit.
Comments on the line-up:
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “We are proud to be able to compete this year with such an impressive line-up at the world’s largest GT3 race. Eleven BMW M4 GT3 EVOs, five of which are competing in the Pro Cup for the overall victory – that’s simply fantastic! Never before have we had more GT3 cars at the 24h Spa-Francorchamps. Many thanks to everyone involved at BMW M Motorsport, the teams, and the drivers, without whom such a massive race effort would be unthinkable. The fact that we could get Valentino Rossi, Kevin Magnussen, and René Rast to share a car is a real highlight for the fans at the track and in front of the screens. From the perspective of BMW M Motorsport, I am looking forward to the performances of all BMW M4 GT3 EVO crews: the quintet in the Pro Cup competing for the overall victory, as well as the sextet fighting for wins in the other classes. Particularly, they are proof of how attractive our BMW M4 GT3 EVO is for customer teams. This trust in our product honours us.”
Valentino Rossi (#46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT): “I am very happy to be back at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. It is a great race – very demanding and difficult – on a fantastic and challenging track. The level of competition between the best GT cars, teams and drivers in the world is extremely high. I can’t wait to race there together with my great teammates Kevin Magnussen and René Rast.”
Kevin Magnussen (#46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT): “I am really looking forward to competing with BMW M Motorsport and Team WRT at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and getting to know the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. I have some GT experience from a joint start with my father at the Gulf 12 Hours a few years ago. René and Valentino will surely help me a lot in getting accustomed to the car quickly. It’s exciting to share a car with both of them. Valentino is a legend, and René, whom I know well from the FIA WEC, is a true champion. It will be a pleasure to compete together at the 24h Spa-Francorchamps.”
René Rast (#46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT): “It is also a very special experience for me to compete at Spa-Francorchamps with two high-calibre drivers like Kevin and Valentino. I have won the 24-hour race twice – once with WRT – but I haven’t been there for a few years. This time I’m back because I find the project very exciting and I’m sure I’ll have a great time with Kevin and Valentino. Kevin obviously still lacks experience in the GT3 car, but I can certainly help him with that. He is a great racer and will quickly find his way.”
Sheldon van der Linde (#31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT): “First of all, I am very happy to be back in the GT3 car. Due to my main programmes in the Hypercar, I have few opportunities to compete in GT3 races this season. The 24h Spa-Francorchamps is an absolute highlight for me. I have been on the podium there twice but have never won. I would like to achieve this milestone this time. I think with the BMW M4 GT3 EVO and my two driver colleagues, we have all the possibilities to do so. I know Dries and Marco very well, which will surely help us quickly get up to speed. Our very good mutual understanding is an important factor for our line-up.”
Philipp Eng (#998 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE Racing): “I am very excited to compete once more at Spa-Francorchamps with ROWE Racing and hopefully achieve my fourth victory at the 24-hour race. For me, the Prologue will first be about getting used to the GT3 car again. But I don’t expect any difficulties, as after so many years the feeling is ingrained. It’s a great story that I’m sharing the car with Dan and Max. I’ve known them since hour zero, as I was one of the mentors of the BMW Junior Team back then. Seeing them now as established works drivers and witnessing how they deliver absolute top performances every race weekend is fantastic.”
Overview of the driver line-ups in the Pro Cup:
#31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT:
Sheldon van der Linde (RSA)
Dries Vanthoor (BEL)
Marco Wittmann (GER)
#32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT:
Ugo de Wilde (BEL)
Kelvin van der Linde (RSA)
Charles Weerts (BEL)
#46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT:
Kevin Magnussen (DEN)
René Rast (GER)
Valentino Rossi (ITA)
#98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE Racing:
Augusto Farfus (BRA)
Jesse Krohn (FIN)
Raffaele Marciello (SUI)
#998 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE Racing:
Philipp Eng (AUT)
Dan Harper (GBR)
Max Hesse (GER)
