The successful BMW Z4 GT3 will return for the legendary Nürburgring 24 Hours under the leadership of the Dutch team Koopman Racing. The last time the BMW Z4 GT3 competed in this race was in 2019 in the SP9 class with Walkenhorst Motorsport. Now, seven years later, the car beloved by many motorsport fans is making its comeback.

From touring cars to GT3

Koopman Racing is a typical Dutch team that started out with touring cars. Many years later, it has grown into a full-fledged GT3 team. The team races with BMW — most notably former Walkenhorst Motorsport GT3s — and that bond has only grown stronger over the years. “Because of the purchase of the M6 GT3 in 2021,” Koopman explains to GT REPORT as the main reason for the close cooperation.

“It was time for change and I saw an opening in the market. I created the opportunity and I took it,” team owner Hein Koopman says about entering the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring.

“Whether it will be a trial, I don’t think so,” the 50-year-old team owner says about competing in the German endurance race. He does add: “It is definitely a new chapter in the book and at least a very nice challenge to see where we stand.”

Preparation with challenges

The BMW Z4 GT3 in its 2026 24 Hours of the Nürburgring livery.

“I have no idea what to expect. I’ve never been there,” the successful Dutch team owner says about his previous experience on the Ring. “We’ve never driven there, we have no data.”

Still, the team is not heading to the circuit completely without experience. “We have some older drivers, but with experience.”

One of those experienced drivers is Peter Posavac. Since 2006 he has been on the Nordschleife almost every year and won the SP6 class in 2010 in the BMW Z4 Coupé. “Peter has driven a lot of kilometres there. Peter has spent years with the Z4,” Koopman explains. His experience will be crucial for the team.

Posavac has previously driven the BMW Z4 GT3 in NLS. Before announcing he would return to the Nürburgring with the BMW Z4 GT3 run by Koopman Racing, the German tested his car at Zandvoort sporting the 2015 24 Hours of Spa livery from Marc VDS. “The Marc VDS livery that’s on it now, that was the side road. That was the old body of a real VDS car, which was still in the attic. And because Peter happened to come into the picture and the car was partly disassembled, we put this body on it. This is not the old Posavac car, this is my old car.”

Next to him sits another experienced driver, although not much was revealed. “There’s a former DTM driver next to him, these are well-known names for the Nordschleife, mainly from the past.”

For NLS3, the experienced Michael Funke shares the BMW with Posavac.

“For the laps, with all the new strips of data and things like that, we just have to get the hang of it quickly,” Koopman says about the preparations for the endurance race.

The team will also compete in NLS3. “That is the plan. We only decided last week that we’re going to participate.” The decision came late, so the team still has preparations to complete. “We still need to rebuild and prepare the car’s homologation. That takes a lot of time. So let me put it this way: that alone is already a 24-hour race in itself.”

The BMW Z4 GT3 is no longer homologated by BMW. “We’re running on the old homologation, so we’re dusting off the old books again. The old restrictors have to come back, as well as the ride heights and spoiler range. The electronics need to go back in, the GPS. In the end, there isn’t much material left to find.” Still, Koopman remains calm. “We can definitely get it ready.”

Low expectations

Team owner Hein Koopman (L) with customers during one of the team’s Koopman Racing Days at TT Circuit Assen in 2026.

“Most important is to finish,” Koopman says about the goal of entering the SP9 class with this car. “Experiencing the doubts, the 24 hours. BMW is going big, also with the Touring and the Evos, Verstappen competing. The other Z4 from Walkenhorst. That is also a Z4 that eventually ended up with us four years ago. In the end, once we’re there, we’ll determine our chances. But you also need a dose of luck, especially there.”

Expectations are kept low. “This is more for the experience. It’s just something to do. Bring the Z4 back to the Nürburgring one more time, it’s a legendary car. So if there’s one edition of the 24 Hours where it should happen, it should be this one.”

Future plans

Koopman Racing has already set its short-term plans. “We’re racing the three-hour night race in Slovakia and definitely doing two more STT races, probably the Red Bull Ring and Hockenheim. And then we’re doing Masters of Historic, which we’ll run with the M6. We’ll also race the Masters of Historic here at Assen with the Tabac Classic, also with the M6.”

Koopman is also clear about the long term. “Rental of GT4 and GT3 cars and the maintenance of these cars. And then eventually, at the end of the year, November, December, we’ll also race at Daytona and Sebring. So the rental opportunities for the M6 are there as well.”

He elaborates on America and the goals there. “I’ve been there and I’ve done my research. We’re in contact with the organisation to compete in the Classic 24 Hours of Daytona — that’s four races of 50 minutes, the HRS — in November. And with four M6s,” Koopman says confidently.

Saugmotoren Motorsport

Koopman Racing is not the only team bringing the BMW Z4 GT3 back to the Nürburgring. A second Z4 will be racing this year’s 24 Hours of the Nürburgring, run by Saugmotoren Motorsport. Curious about this team as well? Read our interview with team owner and driver Julian Reeh here.