Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts in Hypercar at the Rookie Test

Charles Weerts and Kelvin van der Linde will step up their game in Bahrain. The two men, mainstays of BMW and Team WRT in GT racing, will discover the BMW M Hybrid V8 during the Rookie Test. WEC organized the day after the 8 Hours of Bahrain.

The Belgian-South African duo, enjoying numerous successes this season, will thus experience for the first time the LMDh prototype based on the Dallara. A logical test after a year marked by GT World Challenge Europe titles – Overall and Sprint Cup – and major victories at Suzuka and Indianapolis, respectively alongside Raffaele Marciello and Valentino Rossi.

For van der Linde, 29, this day will feel like a reward. Having secured the Intercontinental GT Challenge title after an impressive hat trick at Bathurst, the Nürburgring, and Suzuka, the South African thanked BMW on his social media: Looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the M Hybrid V8 in Bahrain. Thanks to BMW M Motorsport, it's a great way to end a successful season. »

Weerts, 23, is not entirely new to this. The Belgian had already participated in the 2024 Rookie Test driving a WRT Oreca 07 Gibson, while his teammate briefly raced in LMP2 in the Asian Championship. Le Mans Series in 2021 with Phoenix Racing.

While neither team has announced a short-term Hypercar program, this test could well be a first step towards the elite of the WEC or the...IMSA.

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