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.”
BMW M works drivers 2023 (in alphabetical order).
Name | Date of Birth | BMW M works driver since |
Jake Dennis (GBR) | 16th June 1995 | 2021 |
Connor De Phillippi (USA) | 25th December 1992 | 2018 |
John Edwards (USA) | 11th March 1991 | 2013 |
Philipp Eng (AUT) | 28th February 1990 | 2016 |
Augusto Farfus (BRA) | 3rd September 1983 | 2007 |
Dan Harper (GBR) | 8th December 2000 | 2020 |
Colton Herta (USA) | 30th March 2000 | 2023 |
Max Hesse (GER) | 23rd July 2001 | 2020 |
Erik Johansson (SWE) | 16th October 1996 | 2019 |
Jens Klingmann (GER) | 16th July 1990 | 2014 |
Jesse Krohn (FIN) | 3rd September 1990 | 2014 |
Maxime Martin (BEL) | 20th March 1986 | 2023 (2013 – 2017) |
René Rast (GER) | 26th October 1986 | 2023 |
Bruno Spengler (CAN) | 23rd August 1983 | 2012 |
Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) | 13th May 1999 | 2019 |
Dries Vanthoor (BEL) | 20th April 1998 | 2023 |
Neil Verhagen (USA) | 18th February 2001 | 2020 |
Charles Weerts (BEL) | 1st March 2001 | 2023 |
Marco Wittmann (GER) | 24th November 1989 | 2012 |
Nick Yelloly (GBR) | 3rd December 1990 | 2019 |