The good surprise of this beginning of the year. Here is the talent of Ugo de Wilde recognized by a factory. And what a factory since it is BMW whose past and track record in the events ofEndurance have forged a good part of the sporting image. But how did this young man find himself in the bosom of the Bavarian brand? The first contacts date back to November, explains the person concerned. I got a call from Andreas Roos. Apparently, my times in the Audi R8 Saintéloc at the 24 Hours of Spa and the support of Maxime Martin, Vincent Vosse and Kurt Mollekens prompted the BMW Motorsport boss to contact me. He offered me a test on 19 and 20 November on the Motorland-Aragon track. The problem was that I had already booked my diary for a similar test with Lamborghini in Jerez… »
Like other young drivers who distinguished themselves in 2024 on the bull brand's GT3 cars, the Belgian therefore completed a first day of testing at Jerez before heading to Aragon. The BMW people first asked me to take part in a free practice simulation, then a qualifying simulation. I only completed about forty laps on the M4, but I quickly felt comfortable. I had prepared very well for this exercise by doing multiple laps on a simulator and doing several sessions with a mental trainer. Going from a rear-engined Lamborghini to a front-engined BMW was no problem for me to adapt. »
You can well imagine that the BMW Motorsport managers did not just observe the times of the six youngsters called up, whose performances were, moreover, constantly compared to a reference in-house driver. I also had an interview with the engineers about my feedback. (feedback. Ed.) of the car, then to interviews where they wanted to understand my motivation »
Efforts paying off
Apparently, the young Belgian passed his exams brilliantly. Fifteen days later, Andreas Roos offered me a contract. The best part was that the people at Lamborghini also contacted me again, but they were a little less responsive. My decision was already made. » So here is Ugo de Wilde, official BMW driver in GT World Challenge Endurance. I am guaranteed five races in an M4 GT3 with two Pro teammates. At the moment, I don’t know if it will be under the banner of the WRT team or Rowe Racing, both of which are supported by the factory. I hope that my programme will expand and that I will have the opportunity to do many laps before the first race. I will certainly find myself with teammates who have a lot of experience with the car. »
For Ugo, the signing of this contract, the duration of which is unknown, is a milestone. My family and friends have made a huge effort to help me climb the ladder of motorsport step by step. I owe them a lot. Especially when the future prospects weren't bright. But thanks to them, I never gave up. I was convinced that one day or another, I would be noticed by a professional team. I had set myself the goal of getting there by the age of 25 at the latest. And now the dream is coming true, three years early! » The most complicated part now begins: lasting.
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