BMW Motorsport announces racing programs and drivers for 2023

BMW Motorsport division has just announced their racing programs and driver lineup for the 2023 season. Among many familiar faces, there are a few newcomers as well. Belgians Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts receive works driver contracts and join the BMW M Motorsport family. They will compete with BMW M Team WRT in the coming season, among other outings.

IMSA and Daytona 24 Hours To Kick-Off The Year

The racing season will kick off in January at the Daytona 24 Hours where BMW will compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with the new BMW M Hybrid V8. Early in the year, BMW Motorsport will also race in the BMW M4 GT3 in GT World Challenge Europe, the Intercontinental GT Challenge, followed by the Nürburgring 24 Hours. No word on the DTM program yet.

BMW M Team RLL will field two new hybrid prototypes in the highest class at Daytona – GTP. They will be driven by Connor De Phillippi (USA), Nick Yelloly (GBR), Philipp Eng (AUT) and Augusto Farfus (BRA). Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER) will bolster the IMSA squad in the BMW M Hybrid V8 at the endurance races at Daytona and Sebring (both USA). Colton Herta (USA) will also be involved at Daytona.

BMW M Team WRT in IGTC and GTWC

BMW M Team WRT will run a double program with the BMW M4 GT3 in 2023, both in GT World Challenge Europe and at races in the Intercontinental GT Challenge. The works program for BMW M Team WRT begins with the 12h Bathurst on the first weekend of February. The exact driver line-ups for the team’s BMW M4 GT3 will be announced at a later date.

The team will also race at the 24 Hours of Dubai in January aboard the BMW M4 GT. At the same time, BMW M Team WRT will also be preparing for the 2024 season, in which it will appear in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the BMW M Hybrid V8.

ROWE Racing in GTWC Endurance and at the Nurburgring 24 Hours

ROWE Racing will again start the classic in the Nurburgring 24 Hours with two BMW M4 GT3s for BMW M Motorsport. The team is also planned to continue to race in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup with two works-supported BMW M4 GT3s next season.

BMW M Team RMG to join 24h Nurburgring

BMW M Team RMG will remain largely responsible for the test and development work in 2023. In addition to that, the Andernach-based team will again compete in its home race with the BMW M4 GT3, the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

“After celebrating 50 years of BMW M and looking back on the glorious history of BMW M and BMW M Motorsport in 2022, we have an exciting season ahead of us in 2023 on the road to the future of motor racing,” said Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “Taking centre stage is the BMW M Hybrid V8, which will be the first hybrid race car from BMW M Motorsport to appear in the IMSA series. The car is the symbol of the transformation of BMW M towards electrification, meaning it also plays a crucial role beyond motorsport. I am looking forward to the races with BMW M Team RLL and the parallel test work being undertaken by BMW M Team WRT, which will start with the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2024. I will also have my fingers crossed for all the teams and drivers doing battle for victories and titles in 2023 with the BMW M4 GT3, the new BMW M4 GT4 and the BMW M2 CS Racing.”