GT / Tourism

Team WRT will enter BMW LMDh at Le Mans and in the WEC in 2024

Team WRT will enter the BMW M Hybrid V8s in the WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024.

Published on 02/08/2022 à 14:12

Medhi Casaurang

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Team WRT will enter BMW LMDh at Le Mans and in the WEC in 2024

© BMW Motorsport

For Team WRT, leaving Audi could only be acceptable on the condition of forming a partnership with another prestigious manufacturer. Thus, the Belgian team is joining forces with another German firm to satisfy its ambitions for victory in Grand Touring, and especially in Hypercar: BMW.

ALSO READ > Team WRT separates from Audi Sport

The structure founded by Vincent Vosse, René Verbist and Yves Weerts in September 2009 becomes in fact from 2024 the partner of the Motorsport branch of the Hélice brand concerning the new program in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and 24 Hours of Le Mans with the BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh.

Last spring, Team WRT preferred to cut ties with Audi when the entity with the four Rings abandoned the project of returning to the WEC with a Hypercar that it would have developed in parallel with its sister brand. Porsche. Vincent Vosse aiming to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the general classification after winning the LM P2 category in 2021 (in addition to the WEC)

Le Team WRT, has not yet confirmed its presence in GT via the various series badged SRO (GT World Challenge) with the recent BMW M4 GT3. However, it is in this category that the French-speaking team has won the majority of its rewards over the past ten years (30 titles with SRO, success at the 24 hours of Spa, the Nürburgring, Dubai, FIA GT World Cup , etc).

“We have not yet considered possible appearances for Team WRT in GT racing, explains Andreas Roos, Director of BMW M Motorsport. Over the coming months, we will make a decision regarding our racing program for the BMW M4 GT3 for the 2023 season in close collaboration with all our BMW M Motorsport teams. »

« It's fantastic to see how our LMDh project has grown in recent weeks, said Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. First the successful rollout of the BMW M Hybrid V8, followed by the Board's decision to approve the return to WEC – and now the deal with one of the best and most successful teams in racingEndurance. We are proud and delighted that a top team like Team WRT has agreed to enter our BMW M Hybrid V8 and take it to Le Mans and all other WEC races. The next few years will see us in a great position in both top racing programs, with BMW M Team RLL in the series IMSA and Team WRT in the WEC. »

Andreas Roos, Director of BMW M Motorsport, said: “ The successes and extensive experience make Team WRT the ideal partner for our return to Le Mans. From the start, discussions with Vincent Vosse and his partners were very positive. It was immediately clear that we shared a passion for the WEC project and the BMW M Hybrid V8, and it did not take long to reach a collaboration agreement. There will now be an intensive preparation period next year, ahead of the first competitive appearances in 2024.

Vincent Vosse said: “All of us at Team WRT are extremely pleased with the start of this new partnership with BMW M Motorsport and feel honored to be associated with a brand that has such an impressive pedigree in motor racing. The WRT team was launched thirteen years ago and has enjoyed continued success in various categories, mainly GT3 and endurance racing. Since the very beginning, the 24 Hours of Le Mans have been in our plans and in our dreams, and being part of the new Hypercar era of the FIA ​​WEC which is about to begin, was our strongest desire.

To prepare for this, we launched a program in LMP2 two years ago, where we have proven our competitiveness and success, winning titles ELMS and FIA WEC, as well as a class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in our first participation. Entering the LMDh arena with a strong partner such as BMW M Motorsport was the logical next step and we are not only excited about the challenge ahead of us, but also grateful for the trust placed in us by BMW M Motorsport. I still remember BMW M Motorsport's victory at Le Mans in 1999, as I was one of the team's drivers in the next box. We will work hard to repeat these moments and experience them together. »

Medhi Casaurang

Passionate about the history of motorsport across all disciplines, I learned to read thanks to AUTOhebdo. At least that's what my parents tell everyone when they see my name inside!

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