BMW M Team WRT has taken an early step into 2026 by confirming its full Hypercar/GTP driver line-ups for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The announcement follows the first running of the updated BMW M Hybrid V8 at Daytona as the Belgian team prepares for its first season of IMSA competition alongside its continued WEC campaign.

IMSA: Continuity for WRT’s American debut

For its debut IMSA season, WRT retains the line-up that raced the BMW M Hybrid V8 with BMW M Team RLL in 2025. Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor continue in the #24 for the sprint races, with Robin Frijns rejoining them for the endurance rounds. René Rast completes the line-up for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The #25 continues with Philipp Eng and Marco Wittmann for the sprint races. Kevin Magnussen again strengthens the car for the endurance events, with Raffaele Marciello added for Daytona. All eight drivers are established members of the BMW M roster and bring a full season of GTP experience into 2026.

BMW M Team WRT is finalising its new American base in Kannapolis, North Carolina, which will host more than 40 staff as preparations intensify for the team’s IMSA debut.

WEC: Hypercar unchanged and LMGT3 Bronze foundations

BMW M Team WRT’s Hypercar programme enters its third FIA WEC season with complete stability. Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor remain aboard the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, while Robin Frijns, René Rast and Sheldon van der Linde continue in the #20. The WEC Hypercar effort will again operate from the team’s new headquarters in Bierset in Belgium.

Alongside the top-class programme, the structure of WRT’s LMGT3 effort is beginning to take shape. The team has not yet confirmed its full BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo line-ups, but the Bronze foundations are already set. Darren Leung returns after his previous WEC campaign with WRT, while American racer Anthony McIntosh joins for his first season in the championship. The remaining seats will be announced in due course.

Team principal Vincent Vosse on stability and growth

Vincent Vosse said: “We are delighted to announce our IMSA and WEC drivers, and to see such great stability in the line-ups. This establishment tells a lot and is a valuable asset as we continue growing towards our objectives. In the WEC, we continue with the same trios. In IMSA, for what will be our first season and the great challenge of our 2026 season, there is a little reshuffling, although the drivers are the same.

“I am also very happy to unveil the first bit of our LMGT3 line-ups for the WEC. It’s a great pleasure to have Darren back with us, and we are happy to welcome such an enthusiastic recruit as Anthony. I am sure that with this pool of drivers, and the ones still to be named, we can aim for great results.”

A busy start to 2026

BMW M Team WRT’s first competitive outing of the new season will come at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in late January, followed by the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at the Qatar 1812 km on 28 March. Both championships mark the beginning of the team’s most ambitious campaign yet, with full-season Hypercar programmes on both sides of the Atlantic.